from July 1st, 1852, to June 30th, 1853. $5075 $278858 $2049787 $1254039 $132550 $1386589 11741 1126 24752 261719 184512 7856 32608 104397 366116 1299002 3059972 19955276 3591040315457553 41367956 167 8031 310485 11665 509434 474297 71496 545793 3811208 12175935 78206290 132009768 46261231 178270999 1354 3539 3539 6527996 10454563 8379847 18834410 66678 272767 t TRADE BETWEEN ST. LOUIS & THE SOUTH: TENNESSEE RIVER, HICKMAN, KY., ARKANSAS RIVER, ETC. Why is it that the enterprising merchants of St. Louis have never made a reasonable effort to extend their trade in a southern direction? This question has been frequently asked by the people and press of the south, but remains unanswered. The trade of the Tennessee river embracing the fertile and wealthy region of North Alabama, is monopolized by Louisville and Cincinnati chiefly by the former. This trade employs some half dozen boats, engaged chiefly in the transportation of commodities, which could, or ought to be obtained upon better terms at St. Louis than at either Louisville or Cincinnati. And, besides, the distance from the mouth of the Tennessee to St. Louis is shorter and the navigation much better than to the markets on the upper Ohio. The people of the valley of the Tennessee, and especially those of North Alabama, appreciate these facts; but commercial relations having been long established between that region and the cities on the Ohio, it requires that advances should be made by the merchants of St. Louis, and facilities of transportation offered, before a diversion can be made in this direction. The trade of the Arkansas River is principally in the hands of Cincinnati and other cities on the Ohio: St. Louis has no boat either in the Tennessee or Arkansas trade. We respectfully ask the merchants and manufacturers of St. Louis, if they can look upon the map and observe the extensive ranges of these rivers without feeling a desire to participate in the commerce which their rich valleys afford? But it seems that the merchants of St. Louis have not only neglected to avail themselves of the trade of the southern tributaries of the Mississippi, but have even overlooked the trade of important commercial points situated on the main river between this place and New Orleans where their boats pass daily. We have upon former occasions, but without effect, endeavored to awaken the attention of the merchants and manufacturers of St. Louis to this subject: it has been suggested at the present time by the following article which we copy from the Hickman Times: "HICKMAN AND ST. LOUIS TRADE.-It has, for a long time, been a matter of some surprise to us that there is so little business intercourse between St. Louis and Hickman. While, for several years past, the Merchants and Grocers of Hickman have purchased annually, in Cincinnati, not less than half a million of dollars worth of goods and groceries, the purchases in St. Louis have not amounted in any oneyear, to twenty thousand dollars. Why is this? Our facilities for transacting business with St. Louis, are far better than with Cincinnati; for several months in the year we are cut off almost entirely from Cincinnati, by low water, while we are never cut off from St. Louis. In high water even, the packets are usually from two to three days running from Cincinnati here. Twenty-four hours from St. Louis is a long time in high or low water. Full six weeks ago, we ordered printing paper from Cincinnati, we have not received it yet; from St. Louis, a week from the day we sent the order would have been an unnecessary delay. What then is it? It certainly cannot be, because, the merchants of Cincinnati are prepared to give better bargains than those of St. Louis; for there are merchants in the latter city doing business upon as much capital, and having as extensive a trade, as in Cincinnati; and the facilities for importing or manufacturing in St. Louis, are just as good if not better than in Cincinnati. There have been a variety of causes, operating to effect this thing, one of the principal of which was the ruinous rates of discount charged upon Tennessee money, (our principal currency.) The merchants of Cincinnati have been taking Kentucky money at par, and Tennessee money at one per cent. discount. The merchants of St. Louis, have at the same time been charging from one to one and a half per cent. discount upon Kentucky money, and two and a half on Tennessee money. This our merchants could not afford to pay, and this has been one of the chief causes of driving the trade to Cincinnati. Another great reason is, that the people of St. Louis, although knowing that Hickman was the most important point between their city and Memphis, have made no efforts whatever, to secure the trade; they have not tried to make themselves known to the people here, either by advertising or otherwise, and the consequence is, that our people, when they wish to purchase an article in St. Louis, dont know who to send to for it. Now whether an annual trade of half a million of dollars is worth an effort, upon the part of St. Louis or not, we leave for them to decide, particularly, when that trade is increasing, and must continue to increase as rapidly as the trade of Hickman. We simply state facts, and they can and will govern themselves as they see best, after these facts are laid before them. We are desirous of seeing a trade built up between St. Louis and Hickman, and shall have more to say in this connexion hereafter." Hickman is comparatively a new town; it commands the trade of a fertile district of considerable extent. Its enterprising citizens are engaged in constructing a railroad to connect with the Nashville and Northwestern Railroad, and also with the Mobile and Ohio Railroad; and the time is not far distant when it will be in connection with the great railroad systems west of the Mississippi. In the hands of an enterprising population, Hickman must become a very important city and it is the true policy of the people of St. Louis to establish commercial relations with it before its trade is monopolized by others. |