The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-04-13
NEWSPAPER LEAGUE.
The New Eng|andsTs Paya Visit to
the City Of Memphis.
Great Inland Cotton Csnter-Blg Producer
Of Hard Wood Lumber.

Memphis, Tenn, April 13.-This city
is one of the most important cities of
that great area in the Union known as
Dixie. 1t is built upon a high blum,
which with the exception OF the loca-
tion OF Vlcksburg is the only elevation
OF Importance between ST. Louis and
New Orleans along the mighty Missis-
sippi.
The representatives Of the New Eng
land Newspaper League found Memphis
all that IL was described as being. They
came hence over the Great Southern
railway from Huntsville and through
region teeming with wealth OF re-
sources and of great scenic attraction.
The Southern railway extended its
line to this city by the acquisition OF
the old Memphis & Charleston railroad,
! erywhere else in the system the traveller
and from Huntsville TO Memphis, as ev-
goes at high speed over smooth, solid
track, laid with heavy steel rails and
stone ballasted. All over the Southern
| equipment presents as neat, thrifty and
substantial appearance as that or any
railroad in the North or West. The
| shipping facilities Of Memphis are so
superior that they afford one OF the
most positive assurances or Its COM
mercial future. Eleven lines or rail-
roads enter Memphis and the steam
boats OF five companies either have
headquarters or make landings there.
Memphis is a city whose supremacy
| as an inland cotton market is unques-
| toned: IL leads the world in It's produc-
| tion OF hard wood lumber, and as dis
| tributing point for groceries IL ranks
| third among the cities of the Union. Its
N,~tn M
| Memphis important in the lines men
! toned The Mississippi and its tribu-
| taries bring immense RATS or logs
| cheaply and quickly to the sawmills
| which line the Wolf river for several
| miles, where evry variety of hard wood
| lumbep known is turned out and ship
| ped 10 principal points in the United
| states and foreign countries. over S3.-
| 100000 of capital is invested In lumber
manufacturing here, employing nearly
| 1000 hands. The value of the product
| is figured at over $1,000, 600. Very little
| OF the lumber made is handled by Mem
| phis manufacturers, but the business
| i'm this line is increasing. Slaves and
| barrels use up a great deal OF the oak,
and the cottonwood is manufactured
| into large and small boxes and crates
| for fruit shipments and the grocery
trade. This industry pays 100000 In
wages.
increasing attention now that the for
ests of the North are becoming steadily
shorn of their growths and the demand
| for Southern timber Is increasing. and
! the swamp and forest trees are steadily
increasing in value. The varieties
brought to Memphis include white and
| red oak, cottonwood. ash, hickory.
! Maple. mulberry, poplar, tulip sweet
| and black gum, cypress, dogwood and
holly. All OF these woods are capable
OF taking very high polish. The gum
Is much sought after for decorative
work.
Cotton. of course. furnishes the back
bone OF the commercial prosperity of
Memphis. and has made 1t the second
mart for this staple in the world. An
average of 500 600 bales are handled an
nually. the value of which has ranged
from s17. SOC, 900 TO s31 100000 during the
| last 20 years.
Six mills are engaged in the cotton
seed industry, and the output OF oil,
| cake and -hulls- s-is-large-- -Gattle-feed-
| ing on the product is carried on, but not
extensively.
Memphis handles the groceries and
supplies for the great agricultural val
leys Of Arkansas and Mississippi, as
well as continuous territory in Tennessee
and it's business i'm this line gives IL rank
among the great commercial centres
of the country. over 500. 900 barrels OF
-four are annually handled by Mem
phis wholesale houses. and only small
part OF this is manufactured in the
three -four and corn mills operated. The
major portion of all the corn meal ham
died is made in Memphis, however.
Some 5000 600 pounds Of bacon and
ham. 1000. 900 pounds Of fresh meat.
21O. 900 900 pounds of lard and $4,000, 900
pounds of pork are handled each year.
Sugar is brought direct from the Loui-
sana plantations. and about S2,OOOOOO is
distributed every twelve months. There
are about 30 firms engaged in the
wholesale grocery trade.
one OF the strongest supports OF
Memphis as a commercial centre is its
banking system. With slightly less
than 81. 900 900 of capital Memphis banks
hold nearly $4,000 900 deposits, with
cash on hand in excess OF $4,000, 600.
Rates OF interest are never greater
than the actual condition OF the money
markets in the financial centres war
rants and conservative merchants and
manufacturers are given every facility
for the transaction of their business.
The policy OF the banks is to wisely aid
the development of business in the city
and vicinity.
To sum up, while Memphis is, and
perhaps will always be, a financial CEN
tire. yet there is great opportunity for
further development OF its manufac-
lures. Raw material is cheaply brought
TO the city, and coal and other neces-
saries are equally accessible.
g..l. tot Il