The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-04-20
THE FIRST SHIPM ENT
OF Sail Ever Distributed 10 Western Meat
Packers from This Point
THE SIGNIFICANCE of THIS FACT.

Philnsiclphin Once Had tho BIO.
nopoly, but Norfolk lEns Stepped
In ma viii Hcreaftcr Demand zIer
r'ncc-liow 1t Was ID inc.
Ordinary common packing salt is such
an ordinary common everyday sort Of
Il thing that one Is likely TO overlook its
Importance. ard the average reader will
DO surprised when told that this article
IN this year OF grace, 1897, and this day;
or April. Tuesday the 10Th, has suddenly
become possessed Of 4 peculiar signiG-
canoe Tor the port of Norfolk.
heretofore the people hereaDouts have
taken but passing interest In salt, such
an interest merely, indeed. as is engen-
dered by the proper or improper sea-
soninS Of ono'5 rictuals theee times @
day. Among the fish dealers and butch
ers 1t has been slightly more tangible.
hut now every one Interested in the
growing Importance OF the CITY will
likewise be interested III salt. for there
is now In process Of loaxling the first
shipment of this article ever sent West
for distribution among pork packers at
Chicago. Omaha and Kansas CITY.
A LITTLE HISTORY.
Heretofore New York, Philadelphia,
Uoston and Baltimore, particularly the
first named, have had a monopoly on
the business. and have considered them.
serves secure In the trade, apparently
forgetting the great strides which this
port has made In recent years In the
matter OF railroad connections with the
great West and the fact that goods can
be distributed from this point as clleaply
rs any other on the Atlantic coast by
reason thereof
But there was one man keenly alive
&c these fncts, and that was Mr.. w. d.
DENLY. lie salt broker, who has not
Deeh III the business for eighteen years
Tor nothing. II was valuable experience
ACQUIRED in this time which ena bled him
win the cooperation Of a well known
1irm or importers. and the assurance or
certain transportation companies, to
contract for this present first shipment
which consists OF 622 tons or % car
loads brought here on the italian bark
loading at the New York, philad elphia
and Norfolk dock.
SUB ROSA.
The initial steps in the TRANSACTION
were taken last December, and since
then everything has been done sub rosa,
| Tor there were those ready to thwart
every movement IN the enterprise, and
even now, when the four ports mention
| ed wake up and find that Norfolk has
found herself strong enough to compete
with them In the distribution OF i'm
ports there will likely go up u unani-
nous and decorous howl
The mere fact Of the shipment OF a
single cargo Of salt is Of itself of small
Importance, but the significance OF it
can hardly be overestimated. It Is the
| first step toward the inevitable end so
often predicted and so conndently-a
sort OF index finger. pointing to the i'm
porting future of the port. for what can
DC done In salt can be done In silks
in fact. any other foreign products may
be distributed from here as easily and
| as cheaply as from other, even less fav-
ored. points.
AN IMPORTING AGENCY.
For this reason the prediction is ven
tured that the day Is not far distant
when there will be esta bliShed here one
or more regular importing agencies, in
stitutonS, the need Of which has long
been felt and emphasized by The Vir-
S.nian. Mr. DENLY was. as will be re-
membered, genera! manager OF the Nor
folk Importing and Exporting company,
now defunct. and referring 10 1t yester-
day, lie stated that 1t was not only a
paying concern. but could have been
made Of even greater benefit TO al! con-
cerned. It's business, however, was not
50 extensive, S the requirements Of
trade here at present demand
l3ui tn return to salt. the present lot
IS cow being loaded on New York, Phila-
i,felphia and Norfolk cars and will be
! :ilpnod over that line in few days.
I II Games here loose in the hold Of the
iEesscl. IN crystals. very pretty to look
Al ana 8! pei cent. pure. II can hardly
t'o said - have been manufactured. be-
i::&S ~" simple product OF solar erapora-
Ion. Tie process may be readily i'm
Ag!0ei. The water IS let in from the
Mediterranean 10 D shallow artificial
lake. tia uutict ri which is then closed
! The sun does th:, rest. When the water
has n. been cvaporated. there remains
!. layer OF bright salt il: the bottom OF
the lake. This is rai&d W. and shoveled
into tir hold Of the vessel and is ready
20! shipment.
Tile t'Nriunatn will carry ha elk cargo
OF slaves from Charlie; Reid {, Son. Mr..
Dcnby cNper!; 20 have another lot here
foi Sl;:Dit.nt 10 the West about the mid
lis OF the summer. While Norfolk
doesn't eXpest. not for some time, to ship
as H3uch salt West as New York still
sE2 will hereafter demand and obtain
her share of the trade. If such a thing
lie possible, as ii is when backed by
brains. energy and capital.
|
Grace Baptist Church.