The sun., 1903-02-22

unity Of management began to be felt, the
waterway was deepened to sdinit vessels
drawing twenty three feet. the Brming
| ham districts remarkable development
all this came swiftly, the one advance
following the other, and Mobile was fairly
launched upon her career. The figures tell
the story. The Mobile Register in recent
analysis OF statistics OF exports and i'm
ports said
The fiscal year ending June 30, 1902
marked the banner year In Mobiles Tor
eign trade exceeding that of the previous
| record year, which ended June 80, lSOo'
by over si5O. 900. the total trade imports
and exports for the twelve months OF i9ol-
O2 reaching the handsome total OF Sio,2l7,-
| 929 Six years ago these totals summed
| up 81, 93e. .i28.
| 1T in something for q port TO he proud
! OF when II more than doubles its foreign
| trade within q period Of six years. 1t is
| important also to note that as compared
with the previous fiscal year Mobiles eN-
ports Of cotton show an increase In value OF
over IS per cent, the totals being respec-
| lively 81, ,53i 1872 and f3,7A,3So.
The trade with Cuba also continued
large. exceeding the previous year. the
exports increasing from N.S7s,H 10 S'-
I3s,7S7. and the imports from the island IN
creasing from S78,s47 to S306, ,2es, compared
with the previous year; the total trade being
S5,l4i .056. an increase OF S7s5,+3i
II, is especially noticeable in the export
trade that while there has been an increase
in the combined exports Of cotton and lum-
Der Of $3.50, 900. and decrease in the value
OF provisions and brt adstu ufis exported OF
81. 100 900, their combined totals reaching
nearly $1,000 the exports of what is
termed general merchandise show falling
OF Of only Sic. 900, illustrating the growing
diversity of Mobiles expof, trade with
foreign countries The import tables show
for the year l9Oi-O2 over the previous year
an increase OF over 100000 or. for the
twelve months. Of over % per cent
STEAMSHIP LINES
Within the past eighteen months three
distinct steamship companies running regu-
lar lines Of steamers have been added to the
long and growing list Of Mobiles water
way systems Of commerce. and now there
are no less than eleven lines OF steamers
coming here. whereas only comparatively
a few years ago nearly all the ocean COM
merce Of the place was done by means OF
tramp vessels that came here irregularly
and at uncertain intervals as occasion
required.
One Of the new lines TO come here within
the past few months is the Elder-Demp-
ster with regular service between Mobile
and Bremen. and another is the Mallory
line. with a regular service between here
and New York and Boston. The Elder
Dempster boats will sail three times a
month and the Mallory once a month,
but at the great rate at which business
is increasing II will be only a short time
before frequent weekly sailings will occur
between here and New York as we'll as be-
tween here and 3 emen.
One OF Mobiles great oceanic lines OF
trade il the importation Of fruit from South
and Central America The United Fruit
Company, the American Fruit and Trans
portation Company and three other fruit
lines bring their cargo here and carry
passengers and freigh, between this and
Central and South American ports. Then
there il the Munson Line Of steamers to
Cuba, the Atlantic and Mexican Gulf Line.
giving Mobile direct communication with
Mexican ports, the newly organized Inter-
national Steamship Company running
steamers to all ports of the world. The
Tampa Line and still another Gulf coast
line to various ports on the Gull OF
Mexico.
As an indication Of how extensive is the
fruit importing industry here 1t may be
mention that the United Fruit Company
handled here last year upward Of $50 car
goes Of bananas, and the disbursements
among the merchants, stevedores and
others for supplies and labor were about
$4,000. the larger proportion Of which
goes into tho general circulation Of the
citv The company gives employment to
some 100 laborers and 25 clerks.
II is estimated that the other fruit COM
panies also handled about $50 cargoes
during the year. making total of some
200 cargoee of fruit that went through
this port in twelve months, an average Of
25 cargoes a month or over cargoes per
week. The total amount of money dis
bur-ed here in conection with this in
dustry amounts TO about $500, 600 annually
With its excellent railroad facilities.
Mobile is admirably adapted as point Of
distribution for perishable fruits. Bananas
for insiance-of which from 2,,joOO TO
3 900 900 bunchss are brought here an
nually are brought III cargoer that average
about II 900 lunches. Such a cargo. which
will make two trains Of twenty cars each.
is unloaded. put aboard the cars and made
ready to rush away to the Northern and
Western markets within six hours after
arrival.
COMMERCIAL PROSPECTS.
A a cotton port Mobile has grown rapidly
in importance. now handling upward Of
$4,000 bales annually. and this is another
line OF business which is destined to grow
rapidly when the improvements Of the
harbor waterway now In progress ara
completed For accessibility to vast
cotton growing district, few Southern
cities are so well situated a. Mobile.
Altogether there is something like 1900
miles Of river navigation back in the State
which finds outlet here through ths Ala
bama. TombiRbee and Mobile rivers. and
this vast stretch Of waterway reaches UP
into the very heart Of one OF the finest cott on
growing regions in the South. TO say nothing
OF the mikes upon miles Of untouched forests
forests which contain to perfection of
growth every variety Of hardwood known
TO this climate.
Soon this waterway will be opened up