The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1894-09-11
THE COMMERCEOF CHARLESTON
n ltevicw ofTradc for the Past Year
The Bright Outlook for Future

A Review ofTrade for the Past Year
IIhe bright Outlook o the Future
In the State.
The Charleston News and Courier.
according to it's custom has published
an annual review of tho trade and com
merce OF Charleston for the commercial
year ending August 81.
me year has been one of unprece-
dentcd trial, yet the report shows that
Chprleston has held its own remarka-
by well. The storm in August, 1893,
laid waste hundreds of miles of terri.
tory directly tributary to this market
and deprived Charleston of a rich and
renumerative trade. The rice crops
ere almost totally destroyed the Sea
Island cotton crop was nearly all lost
and the turpcntinc forests were blown
down for miles, and the river phos-
phate mining companies so badly dam
aged that they could not operate for
more than half the year. The dispen-
sary liquor law drove u great deal of
capital from the city and DESTROYED a
hitherto lucrative business. The storms
In the State last year and the general
depression throughout the country, al
SO affected the trade of the city, but in
spite of all these calamities and draw
backs, tho trade of Charleston shows a
falling oil Of only about three and a
half million dollars as compared with
the preceding year. The aggregate
value OF the business of tho city is more
than sevcnty-one million dollars. This,
under the circumstances, is q splendid
showing. Inc prospects for the new
year are full OF encouragement.
The completion of the jetties makes
Charleston II of the finest deep water
ports in the world, and i~nsures to this
city q great increase in its foreign
trade. Ships drawing twcnty-three
1eet OF water can now cross the bar
with safety. The government work on
the Jetties has been most successful,
and Capt. f. V. Abbott, the engineer
IN charge, says that there is every
reason to anticipate that the full depth
o. twent"-siN Icct contemplated by the
proJec.. will be attained with less ex-
penditurc than the amount of the esti-
mate. During the year, he says 1,OI0,-
QUO cubic yards Of material have disap-
P"hreu IRON between the ~iuttics and
Tie areas about their landward and
seward ends. This gain in waterway.
or decrease Of obstructing material. lie
adds equals the whole amount that
was gained from 1881 TO 1893"
lac completion of the icttics vii!
lead in Ghc ncar future to the cstab-
i~ishincnt ui direct steamship lines To-
Europe me 10 the Improvement of the
terminal facilities of the bort already
the incst in the South Atlantic coast.
NeW cotton II exporting firms will
do business here this year and it is cx.
pcctcd that there will be a large in.
crease in the cotton ~rcccipts of the
port. Last year the cotton receipts
exceeded those OF the previous year by
more tina ono hundred thousand bales.
Inc News and Courier also publish
Ell letters from its corrcspondondcnts
III all parts of the State describing the
condition of the agricultural and in
dustrial interests. These letters. with
very few exceptions, are pleasinply
in~onotonous in tneir statement OF the
better condition of the farmers and in
aItrlontlng the cause to the forced
economy consequent upon the disasters
OF the previous year and the increased
attention to cereal products, induced
by the low price of cotton. The Same
resolutions have also led to more atten-
ton being paid to the raising OF hogs
and other live stock. If we are to ac-
ccpt tho concurrent testimony of so
many persons in so many varied lccali-
ties, South Carolina was never so we'll
prepared to supply its own hog and
holnlny as III Is to-day. IN some parts
OF the State, people are raising their
horses and mules and cattle, and SUD
plying themselves with beef, butter
ana milk. In the upper tier Of coun-
ties, wheat and oats, us we'll as T.
arc available us food crops. Tobacco
ana truck farm and orchards have
also come into favor. and diversified
farming and intensive cultivation have
apparently come to South Carolina to