The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-06-03
SOUTHERN EXPORTS.
An Interesting Comparison with That
ofOther Parts of the Country.


ofOthcr Parts of the Country.
BALTIMORE. MD. June Especial
Though the fiscal year does not end I'M
Ill June 3Oth. II is not too early TO make
exports business OF the year in COM
parison with that Of other parts OF the
country In fact, because OF the UNI
usual manifestations OF the past two
months. and likely to continue at least
til June 3Oth, comparison based upon
the normal conditions may be made for
the nine months ended March 3lst rather
than for the whole year as indicating the
tendency OF the South In this connection
IL should be remembered that the figures
OF 1897 showed a very considerable ad-
vance by the South. Just after the fiscal
year OF 1897 closed some of the far
Southern ports were threatened with yell
low fever, and that fact must be con-
sidered in forming an estimate OF the
progress made there since last summer
The totals of the values OF exports by
sections are on their faces not as favor
able TO the South as they were last year,
but the Manufacturers Record assemblies
tho statistics and explains them. 1t says
that the total increase In tho whole
country for nine months was Si03, 1l3, l5S
or y per cent Tho increase.at all South
ern ports was Si2 20S.5 or - per cent. I;
at all other ports. 81. 5N.5Sl, or IL per
cent. The greatest increase percentage
was 20-at the South Atlantic ports and
at tho Pacific, northern border, lake
ports and Interior points. The North
Atlantic ports had an increase of ST. 49,
5Ss. or only 10 per cent. while that at the
Gulf ports was Sll.3lS.S35, or per cent.
There arc decreases at nine Southern
ports, five Of which are on the Gulf, but
their decreases were not sufficient TO
bring the total for all the Southern ports
below the average. So much for surface
indications.
A scrutiny OF the figures at the Gulf
ports particularly will explain the appa-
rent tendency 10 a falling OF OF exports
as compared with the rest OF the country.
This tendency is only apparent. how
ever. IL Is matter OF values rather
than quantities. and II is explained al
most entirely by the figures for tho eX-
ports Of cotton during the first seven
months Of this season. Because OF the
decrease in the price Of cotton per pound
IN lS97-9S over that OF lS96-'V. while the
exports OF cotton increased l,lt4,2A bales.
the value of the exports of cotton Is
S3lTi.536 less The exports at Soutehrn
ports increased from sl63S25,i6I TO $751;
500. $50. or S2.274.7g7. At other ports the
exports OF cotton Increased from IS9.6SS
TO 9lS. 33S. or l2G. $50 bales. while the de-
crease in price was from $3l. S6S,3O9 to
$50 4Cs. $50 or $3.50 .749. The value OF the
exports Of cotton for seven months was
more than half OF the value Of all South
ern exports for nine months, and 1t may
be understood therefore, what an I'M
portant item In fixing the general per-
centage has been the fall in the trice or
cotton. Another way OF looking at II IA
in etlsmating the total ralue OF the ex-
ports Of cotton II II had brought the
same price as that obtained in 1886 ~.
The average price per 0ale during tnat
period was S3742.
At that price the total value OF cotton
exports this year would have been
s237. 9S9 800. while the total value OF those
at Southern ports would have been
5000. SOS 12l, or Si2.07l.7n more than was
obtained. That added 10 the total would
have brought the exports from the Gulf
far beyond the average percentage OF IN
crease In the country. In the meantime,
however. the difference in tho price OF
cotton values at other ports, S,S1,6lS.
was hardly enough to affect the general
total there one way or another. How
ever there was some compensation Tor
the SOuthrn ports I'm the increased value
of the breadstuff exports. The quaint
ties Of corn exported decreased at all the
Gulf ports and at Baltimore and Nortolk'
and increased at nearly all other ports.
There was a large increase In the guam
titles Of rye at Baltimore, Newport News
Galveston and New Orleans. and large
increase in quantities Of wheat at Balti-
more. Newport News. Norfolk, Calves
ton and New Orlenas and fall
ing off I'm quantities AT Boston,
Mobile. San Francisco and Du-
luth. The exports OF wheat at New
York I'm the nine months were l9lltl 10.
bushels. and at New Orleans l5,sy'Oso
bushels The increase in quantities OF
wheat at Southern ports more than bal
anced the decrease in corn. and as a
whole the Southern ports have made a
good showing IN the matter OF bread
stuff exports The total values have de-
creased only az Norfolk and Mobile, ana
the Increase at the Southern ports Ol
S3G. 1S2.2i1 is equal 10 So per cent, whlie
that al the other ports Of Sy.S1, 2j2 Is
equal 10 only 80 per cent. OF the total al
all ports. The proportiOnate advantage
thus gained by the other ports Is less
than that gained at Southern ports. Ia
ken as a whole, the position gained by
the Southern ports is the most encourag-
ing kind.
The most important Of the new enter
prises announced during the week by the
Manufacturers Record were SJO,Wl
cotton mill. $4,000 stave mill, $4,000 con-
struction company and a $4,000 heating
and lighting company in Arkansas; $780,
900 brewing company. $4,000 shoe factory
and 500. 900 water power development In
Maryland; $4,000 furniture company. 30,
600 cotton seed oil and fertilizer mill
and 81. 900 copper mining company In
North Carolina; cotton seed oil mill III
South Carolina 5O-barrel -four mill In
Tennessee; $4,000 cement works. sl0,-
600 cotton woollen and knitting mill, rub
Der goods factory and 50-barrel -four NAL
I'm Texas: $4,000 machinery depot 800
600 development company ana large ler'
tilizer works in Virginia, $4,000 coal min
ing company, $1,000 telephone company
and n $4,000 bridge company in West
Virginia.