Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-12-11
REMARKABLE CHANGE.
Shifting of Business to Ports of the
South.

A number of causes have led to this
development of the export business OF
the southern States. Railroad facili-
Ties nave been enlarged considerably
within few years. The Illinois Cen
t:al railroad connects the port of New
Orleans with the grain south of the
Great Lakes. which are noted for the
extent of their grain fields. pastures
ana other enormous resources in this
respect. The route from this section to
sea is fully 400 to 500 miles shorter than
ny the east and west railroad lines to
the Atlantic coast. In addition to the
illinois Central the Louisville & Nash
vile system, with its connections, also
reaches many OF the principal cities of
the West and North, and having ter
minals at four of the principal South
ein Seaports. it forms one of the main
arteries OF this export business The
Mobile 4 Ohio Railroad. with it's direct
line from the city OF Mobile. on the
CUR OF Mexico, to the city of ST. Louis
the principal railroad centre in the Mis-
SisSlppl valley, forms an outlet for a
large quantity of freight. received from
a network of railroads running, through
the country west OF the Mississippi
river and around it's headwaters West
al the Mississippi river the Kansas City,
Ilttsburg s. Gulf. a railroad which has
recently been completed. forms nearly
IL straight line from the heart of the
grain fields to the Gulf OF Mexico, they
by this route than by the old lines
across the country from east to west
Two other railroad systems which have
extended and associated with railroads
reaching the same country are the
Chesapeake & Ohio and the Norfolk &.
w eStern. which terminate in Hampton
Roads the largest and finest harbor on
the American continent
All of these railroads represent large
Investments OF English capital, es-
peclally the Louisville & Nashville. the
Norfolk & Western and the Illinois
Central. the latter placing a large por-
ton of on issue of o.0O0.O00 in bonds in
Great Britain winthin the past year
II Will therefore be gratifying to Eng
lish investors to know that this enor-
nous trade has been diverted to such
an extent from Northern to Southern
PORTS through the lines referred to.
which has resulted in the formation of
large number of steamship companies
who have established regular sailings
between the Southern cities and tho
principal ports OF Great Britain. To
Sivfe an idea of the development of the
shipping interests from one city alone,
New Orleans may be cited as an ex-
ample. AS yet this is the largest port
On the Gulf of Mexico. although the
cities of Galveston and Mobile are ran
Idly increasing in Importance Out OF
thirty companies engaged in the for
ciSn shipping business at New Orleans
each representing a line of vessels,
eighteen are British. maintaining reg
alar service to Liverpool, London and
Manchester. also Scotch and Irish ports,
It may be said here that fully is per
cent OF the export business OF the
United States goes to Great Britain. At
crescent fleets Of steamships are in reg
ular service between Norfolk. Newport
News. Charleston, S. c.. Pensacola,
hla., Savannah. Ga, as we'll as the Gulf
tiles and Great Britain. The Chesa-
l'eake q Ohio Railroad maintains reg
ular steamship line, vessels leaving
Newport News. its seaport. weekly.
The Southern Railway Company has a
regular line out of Norfolk, Va. it's
Principal terminus. while the Louisville
y Nashville carries enough freight to
PENSACOLA, Fla. to operate a line from
mat city. In addition to the regular
steamers, the trade demand is such that
large number Of irregular or tramp
vessels have been pressed into service
during the past year. \ large number
ii prominent maritime firms and cor
porations in England. realizing the val
ue or the Southern commerce. have be-
come Interested in it. They include
such firms as Elder. Dempster & Co.
William Johnston & Co., who operate
lines from several ports; Messrs Lam
Port & Holt, Simpson. Spence G. Young.
the Allan and Anchor Line companies
ard the Atlantic TRANSPORTATION Line
tmore.
The improvements to Southern har-
bors made within recent years have also
contributed TO this development Ref
.rence has already been made to
Hampton Roads where 500 vessels can
readily anchor with ample sea room
and depth OF water. Here extensive
docks. elevators and warehouses have
oeen constructed, both at Norfolk and
Newport News. which allow for the
.caoing OF score of steamships at one
time. Now grain elevators and docks
have recently been built at Pensacola,
ria. Mobile, Ala. New Orleans and
Galveston. The improvements at New
orleans represent an outlay Of several
million dollars for the construction Of
grain elevators etc. BY the construc-
ton of jetty systems and an elaborate
system of dredging. most of these har-
DORIS nave been dredged to the depth OF
at least twenty-five feet at low water
although vessels drawing thirty feet
and over can go in at low tide from
Hampton Roads. Consequently some of
the largest Steamships afioat have been
enabled - TAX" on cargo from these
cities without the aid Of lighterage 1t
Is NOT unusual for cargo of 20 900 bales
OK cotton TO be placed on board q ship
at New Orleans OF Norfolk The facil-
tiles for loading vessels are Of the best.
The docks at New Orleans have con-
EeyorS operated by electric machinery
which avert danger Of fire to a great
extent and enable the work to be done
much quicker than when steam power
is used. Electricity is also used 10 a
great extent for hauling freight cars in
ITS yards at New Orleans and in it's
subulb BIS. the trolley system being used.
The terminus Of the Kansas City. Pitts
burg IL Gulf is at Port Arthur. Texas,
on what is known as Sabine Lake. Ten
years ago there were two houses on the
site; II ,"as practically q Wilderness;
The completion OF the railroad has wit
messed its growth into a seaport
IN addition to the articles Of export
referred to, metals are also an impor-
tant factor. 1t is calculated that fully
10000 tons Of pissiron have been sent
to the tidewater cities for export from
Southern furnaces within the last two
years. while nearly every vessel which
goes out carries from 500 to 1.50O and
1000 tons OF metal in her hold With
a cargo Of cotton. 1t forms an excellent
ballast and can be shipped at a low
rate. which allows the furnace companies
70 sell it at a price low enough to com
pete with foreign manufa ct17ra Wb;lo