The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1900-04-25

large city In the country, both a. TO me
volume Of business done, and the prices ct
which goods are offered. The wholesale
merchants. as a class, are progressive. up
to-date business men, who are willing to
meet all legitimate competition and give
as close values as can be had In any mar
ket In the country. A prominent south
ern merchant who had gone to New York
on business was surprised TO find that. in
many instances, New Orleans could, and
did, undersell New York, and on his re-
turn home he advised all his friends to
consult the New Orleans merchants as TO
prices before going elsewhere. The local
merchants say there Is only one sertous
drawback to the chys wholesale trade,
and that Is lack Of sufficient home manu-
factories. But this defect Is one that can
be remedied. and soon will be, for the
merchants themselves are beginning TO In
vest heavily in manufacturing enterprises,
and the day seems not far distant when
New Orleans Will become q great manu-
featuring center as well as a great dis
tTibuting center. Already New Orleans
Is manufacturing the coarser grades OF
cotton goods, clothing, boots and shoes.
refined sugar, candles, cigars and cigar
cites, baking powder, soap, and numerous
other articles OF merchandise at prices
which other cities cannot meet.
Exports are made In these lines pr1n-
cipaliy from the factories direct, which
OF course cuts out the middle man, but
IN these purchases, the cotton mills and
other factories OF tee south are large
benefciaries, and their prosperity reacts
favorably upon the New Orleans mar
ket for goods used at home. The dry
goods interests Of the city are represent.
ed by about ten large dealers, doing an
exclusively wholesale business, and a
number OF. others doing a Wholesale and
retail business. They send commercial
travellers throughout the south and into
Mexico and South and Central America,
and their trade Is keeping pace with tho
strides made by all other Hines. In fact,
IL l. 49,
than would be expected, even In the era
of prosperity through which the south
Is now passing.
THE BOOT AND SHOE BUSINESS
is In the hands Of several factories, and
number Of large wholesale jobbers.
No business has within Itself more ele-
ments tending to equallze distribution
and to keep production and consumption
upon a proper balance than has this, and
yet no business has tended more to local
ization. Boston, in the east, st. Louis,
in the west and In the south Nashville
and New Orleans, are the recognized
shoe markets of the country.
Considerable capital Is invested in the
manufacture of boots and shoes, and
manufacturers and dealers are not only
selling shoes throughout the entire south,
but are even exporting their goods 10
countries as far away as Denmark. New
Orleans manufacturers are placing large
face Of the strongest competition by
New York and other cities. New Or
leans takes the lead in the south in this,
as in other lines.
THE WHOLESALE HAT TRADE
has only three representatives here, bu,
they are doing a large business, which
has more than doubled in the last twelve
months.
WHOLESALE CLOTHING INTEREST
e
sentatives. but they all report more bust
ness than they can handle, their sales
having reached figures three times as
great in the last year as In any year be
state Of facts is due 90 the same causes
that produce such prosperity in all Other
branches, and to the additional fact thai
the increasing prominence of the New Or
TO it large numbers of retail clothins
dealers who heretofore looked to The
northern markets for their supplies.
THE WHOLESALE DRUG BUSINESS
of the city has reached great magnitude
1t is estimated conservatively at ovel
$45OO,OOO. This includes considerablt
quantities Of drugs and chemicals manu-
featured here. The manufacture of sugar
makers chemicals has reached large pro
portions, particularly in the production OF
chemically pure goods from the CONNER
cial chemicals and the manufacturers are
beginning to extend their business to the
production OF Hulu ana SOLD extracts,
elixirs, tinctures ana the various galeni
Gals. They are doing a very ratifying
business with Mexico and Contra
America, but as yet have done little in
the West Indies and British West Indies
The business is experiencing a steady and
healthy. growth. As steamers from al.
parts of the world come 10 New Orleans
the wholesale houses here are able Il
make direct imporatlons of drugs and
chemicals, and, consequently, can sell az
cheaply as New York. and much cheaper
than interior cities like st. Louis. New
Orleans houses now sell drugs In st. Louis
territory, and more than meet all legiu
mate competition. Cuba and Porto Rice
are beginning TO buy drugs in this market
also.
Several large establishments are en-
gagged In the