Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-09-11
SOUTHERN TRADE IMPROVING.
South-Bound Coastwise Steamers Now
Filled With Freight.

(New York Journal of Commerce)
The longest road has a turning, and that
the course Of business OF the country has
at last reached a turning point. changing
from period of depression to prosperity
seems evident from the indications one
meets with on every hand.
a particularly gratifying feature Is tina;
the Improvement Is not sectional, con-
fined 10 any particular part of the coun-
try. but general, being noted in the North
and South, East and West alike. There
is no truer indication of the commercial
situation Of the country than the amour,
Of business being done by the transporta-
ton companies in that country. With
this is mind the reporter visited the man.
ayers Of the steamship lines CONNECTING
the North with the South with the object
of learning II the conditions OF trade were
improving in the South as well as In the
North.
The first gentleman visited was Mr.. G.
NJ. SOrreU, manager Of the Savannah
Line Mr.. Sorrell was asked if he had
noticed any increase in the demand for
tonnage In the past two weeks and an
improvement In southern business gene
rally.
Yes there has been a most decided
change" was his answer, land a change
for the better. too. Ii is due, / think, to
the passage Of the tariff BILL which re-
moves that tension Of uncertainty and
doubt in the minds of the people that has
fettered business for SO long a time. Now
MERCHANTS know how to act the tariff Is
no longer an uncertainty, but u fact. and
they can base their calculations accord
ingly. Since the passage Of the bill the
movement OF merchandise South has in
creased very much. and all our steamers
are now leaving with full freight cargoes.
The business we are doing now is much
larger than we were doing at the same
time last year, and II is safe TO say that
the South was never in better condi-
ton than II is to-day. The cotton crop
VIII be large and prices low; but il viii
FORM basis Of export and give the peo-
pie purchasing power"
DO you notice a marked excesl Of any
particular kind OF merchandise going
South"
No; the movement is general and en-
braces all varieties OF goods. The large
ana small storekeepers in the small towns
ana IN the cities have been carrying very
light stocks, buy ing no more than they
actually needed and waiting for the settle
ment or the tariff. Now they are replen-
ishing their wants, and the fall season
has fully opened"
Mr. William L. Guillaudeu, yice-preei-
dent and traffic manager of the old Do
minion Steamship Company, said that the
southwark movement Of freight during
the past two weeks had been much larger
than on any two weeks since the summer
OF 1872. II think said he, chat the
business depression from which the coun-
try has suffered for 80 long has at last
come to an end. and that we have now
entered upon a period Of prosperity, which
/ trust will be lasting. ! do not look for
any great BOOM and would be sorry to
see any My idea Is that il is best for
the Improvement to be gradual and based
on firm foundations. While the cotton
crop is large in the South, and prices VIII
be lower the farmers have also been sue
cessful with other crops, and have good
stores Of subsistence. so they will not re-
quire the money derived from the sale Of
cotton for food, but have that much
clear for the purchase of other articles
This fact. I think will be found to be a
factor in the situation.
AT the time we were operating under
reduced rates we were doing a very fair
business. When the old rates were re-
stored. August LIST. was in doubt whether
July had been taking from Augustus bust
ness or not. but our figures for August
show that it had not. We have had a
normal August business. but the demand
for tonnage now is much larger than il
was then"
As TO the traffic of the Clyde Line II
was said that the Improvement in the
demand for freight transportation South
had been very marked since the tariff bill
was passed.
Mr.. Robert Mallory. OF the Mallory
Line. said that he had not noticed any
marked Improvement in business within
the past two weeks. 1T is no worse" he
said and II anything, a little better. OF
course we should have a better bust
ness in September than in August, for the
fall season has now just opened, and the
merchants all over the country are laying
in stocks, but whether this is due to the
passage Of the tariff bill or not | cannot
saw"