The increase of imports and exports in 1848 over those of 1847 was not as great as appears from the above figures. The prices at which various articles for the latter year were estimated, are altogether too large. For example-the exports of wheat amounted to 2,160,000 bushels, and its value is set down at $2,095,000, almost $1 00 per bushel. A truer average of the value of spring and winter wheat, for that year, would have been about 60 or 65c. per bushel. Again-the valuation of machinery, turned out by our manufacturers that year, is put down at $1,060,262; that of furniture at $649,326; of wagons at $302,104. When we take into consideration the increase which has taken place in each of the above branches of manufacture in our city, since 1848, and compare these figures for that year with those for 1851, which will be found under their appropriate head in this article, the conclusion must be inevitable that the former were overrated. While an analysis of the statement for 1848, which, by the way, was gotten up hurriedly, under the supervision of the Board of Trade, reveals facts of this character, that of 1847, prepared by Judge Thomas, is evidently short of the truth, as he conclusively shows in his pamphlet, owing to the impossibility of obtaining full reports of several branches of business. This much in expla nation of an apparent increase, the magnitude of which would be likely to induce distrust as to its entire accuracy. We have not attempted to estimate the total annual amount of our Commerce, since the year 1848, preferring to give, as far as it was possible to obtain accurate information, the amount of each specified article which enters into it. It is not out of place, however, to state that the increase in value, during the last three years, has been in a ratio fully equal to that of any like previous period. While speaking of the progress of Chicago in respect to the extent of her Commerce, we desire also to call attention to her rapid, almost unexampled, increase of population. In 1837, at the first municipal election, the vote for Mayor stood as follows: for W. B. Ogden, 470; for J. H. Kinzie, 233; total vote in 1837, 703. At the municipal election, March 1851, the following is the vote cast for Mayor: for S. W. Gurnee, 2,032; for J. Curtiss, 1,051; for E. B. Williams, 1,089; for J. Rogers, 230; total vote in 1851, 4,402. The first census returns of the city which we have been able to procure are for the year 1840. In the years 1841, 1842, 1844, and 1851, no census was taken. The following are the returns for the other years: 1840.... 1843.. 4,479 | 1845..... 12,088 | 1847..... 16,859 | 1849.... 23,047 28,269 The census of 1850 was taken by the U. S. Marshal, on the first day of June, and shows an increase from August of the previous year, of 5,222. If the ratio of increase has not fallen off since then-and our best informed citizens are of opinion that it has increased-the population of Chicago on the 1st day of Jannary 1852, was a little over 40,000. Take another view of the progress of the city. In 1839 the total valuation of property in Chicago was $236,842. In 1851 the books of the Assessor show a valuation of $8,562,717, of which $6,804,262 was real estate. From this slight survey of the past history of Chicago, the reader will turn with interest to the details of its Commerce for the year 1851, which we now proceed to give : The internal Commerce of Chicago is conducted through the agency of eight bankers and dealers in exchange, one hundred and nine wholesale, forwarding, commission, and produce houses, and fifty-four lumber dealers. FLOUR-The total amount of flour handled at this place during the year 1851, was 111,983 barrels, and was received from the following sources: The shipments of flour from this port, for a series of years, were as follows: Years. Bbls. 100,871 72,406 In 1850 it will be remembered that, in consequence of the short crop south of Chicago, prices of wheat and flour ruled very high in St. Louis, and that a considerable portion of the stock in hands of dealers in Chicago, on the opening of navigation, was shipped to that destination. Of the shipments of flour in 1850, 66,432 barrels were by lake, and 34,439 barrels by canal. During the year 1851, prices were very uniform, as will be seen by the following table of quotations, on the first of each month. The lower figures are for inferior country, and the higher are for best city brands: WHEAT. We have already stated that in consequence of partial failures of the wheat crop, since 1848, and from the fact that our farmers are paying more attention to other products, this branch of the produce trade of Chicago has materially fallen off. Our figures for 1851, will show that that year was not an exception in this respect. The following will show the amount of wheat received during the year, and the several sources of supply: It will be seen from the above figures that only 67,972 bushels of wheat ar rived by canal, the greater part of which amount was from points on the canal. Perhaps not more than 20,000 bushels came through from the Illinois River. Throughout the season, prices ruled too high in St. Louis for Chicago operators to compete with dealers from that market. The little that came through was for the mills of the city, and was taken at a price that shippers could not afford to pay. 964,134 bushels were shipped during the season from the Illinois River to St. Louis. The year previous 95,193 bushels were shipped from Chicago to St. Louis: while in 1849 about 500,000 bushels came through from the Illinois River to Chicago. These facts show that the grain trade of that river will come to Chicago or go to St. Louis, as prices may rule relatively high at the North or South; and since a single penny per bushel may be sufficient, when there is nearly an equipoise between the two, to turn the scale either way, the whole subject commends itself forcibly to those who have the power of regulating tolls upon the Illinois and Michigan Canal. The following table shows the range of winter and spring wheat in this market, on the first of each month during the year: The highest figures, both for winter and spring wheat, were only paid for very superior samples by the mills. The following table shows the shipments of wheat from the port of Chicago, for ten years :— ..bushels .bushels 1842 1843 1844 1845 1846 586,907 1847 628,967 1848 891,894 1849 956,860 1850 1,459,594 1851 1,974,304 2,160,000 1,936,264 883,644 427,820 We have already assigned two reasons for the falling off in shipments of wheat from Chicago, since 1848. There is yet another cause, which especially contributed to this result during the last year. 1850 was a season of unusually high prices in breadstuffs; and 1851 was one of extremely low prices. Producers, stimulated by the high prices of the former year, were not prepared for the revulsion in prices which occurred in the latter, and consequently less was marketed, more was consumed in the country, and more remains over in first hands, than would have been the case had the prices of 1851 at all approximated those of 1850. CORN. In this article of export, Chicago stands far ahead of every other lake city west of Buffalo. Of the entire quantity received at the last named place (5,988,775 bushels) during the year 1851, 2,957,303 bushels were from Chicago. The following table shows the receipts for the year and the sources of supply: It will be seen that more than two-thirds of the entire amount was received by canal, a very large proportion of which (probably 2,000,000 bushels) was from the Illinois River. The superior facilities which we enjoy for receiving and forwarding grain, the less expense of storage, reshipment and commissions, compared with St. Louis, gives us quite an advantage over the latter market, in competing for the grain trade of the Illinois River. Although during a portion of the year corn ruled a shade higher in St. Louis than in Chicago, nevertheless the result shows that a little more than two-thirds of the surplus on the river came to our market. The entire receipts of the year at St. Louis were 1,840,909 bushels, over half of which, we estimate, was from the Illinois River. A reduction of tolls, equivalent to one-tenth of a mill per mile, or one cent per bushel, for the entire length of the canal, would have doubtless brought a very large proportion of the additional 900,000 bushels to our market. For the purpose of bringing this subject more particularly to the attention of the canal trustees, and our business men, we subjoin a statement of the monthly price of corn, during the year, in the two markets. The figures for the Chicago market indicate the price of corn, in bulk, delivered on board vessels for shipment, which delivery costs the seller from half to one cent per bushel; those for St. Louis, show the rates, in gunny bags, delivered in store by the seller. The following table shows the shipments from Chicago during the year, and the amount to each destination. The following table shows the shipments for a series of years :— 2,975,303 167,314 42,643 27,607 26,450 8,221,817 OATS. Our figures show a fair increase over previous years, in the article of oats. During the first half of the year, under the effect of a good export demand, prices ruled high, and the article was eagerly sought after. In July the market began to give way, and the downward tendency continued until the close of the year, at which time they brought but very little more than half the sum per bushel, that was readily paid at the beginning of the year. This fact materially checked receipts, and our tables consequently present a smaller quantity in the aggregate business of the year, than would have been the case had prices remained firm. The following shows the amount which came forward :— The following table shows the prices which were paid on the first of each month, throughout the year: The shipments of oats from this port, for a series of years, have been as follows: 25 26 November.. 16 18 December...... 16 161 BARLEY. This grain has not heretofere entered very extensively into our market, though we think our farmers would consult their interest by engaging more generally in its cultivation. The business of the year foots up as follows: The remainder is either in store or has been consumed by the city breweries. Prices have been low throughout the season, ranging at the close, at 29 a 32c. per bushel of 48 pounds. The shipments of Barley for three years have been as follows: BEEF. Chicago has become famous, the world over, for the quantity and excellent quality of beef which it annually sends to the markets of the Eastern States, and of Europe. In Liverpool, London, New York, Boston and New Bedford, the brands of Chicago packers always command the very top of the market, and are sought in preference to all others. This popularity is unquestionably owing both to the well known sweetness of prairie-fatted beef, and to the great care which is taken in curing and packing. The amount of capital employed in this business in our city, is very little, if any, short of one million of dollars. During the season of slaughtering and packing, some five hundred men are directly employed in the business, and many others indirectly, in the manufacture of barrels, rendering of tallow, etc. Last fall, during the progress of slaughtering operations, we published an estimate of the number of cattle that would be packed in the city through the season, given to us by the parties themselves. From a variety of causes-such as he panic which occurred in the money markets of New York and Boston, the sudden stoppage of one of the packing houses, and the scarcity of cattle in the country--the result fell considerably short of the figures which we then gave. The following is a corrected statement, obtained after the close of the season, and, with the exception of those slaughtered at Clybourn's, which are estimated, may be regarded as strictly accurate : Slaughtered and packed at G. S. Hubbard's.... Ditto at Reynold's Ditto at S. Marsh's... Ditto at T. Dyer & Co.'s.... Ditto at Tobey & Mahers' Ditto at Clybourn's.... Total number slaughtered.... 5,300 3,906 3,260 2,573 2,406 2,361 2,000 21,806 |