feel the competition of
the Erie Canal, and of the systems of east and west railroad lines which
had been in the course of active construction during the preceding
fifteen years. The railroad systems which had as their ports Boston, New
York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, entered upon a desperate war of
freight rates, each in the endeavor to establish the supremacy of its
own port. As the building of railroads had been entirely east and west,
and no large amount of capital had been invested in north and south
lines, much of the business of the valley was diverted to the Atlantic
ports, apparently never to return to New Orleans.

In 1862, on account of the blockade of the port, not a bag of coffee was
imported through New Orleans, and practically none came in until the
year 1866, when the small amount of 55,000 bags was the total for the
year. At about this time, Boston and Philadelphia became negligible
importing quantities; the business of Baltimore continued to be quite
prosperous; and New York rapidly increased her imports and took the
commanding position.

[Illustration: IN THE NEW ORLEANS COFFEE DISTRICT]

New Orleans had increased her coffee imports to 250,000 bags in 1871,
and the yearly imports continued at about this figure until the last
decade of the century, when the business began to expand. The imports
had reached a total of 337,000 bags in 1893-1894; and of 373,000 in
1896-97. This was the beginning of a new era, and the coffee business of
New Orleans entered upon the period of its greatest growth. Imports were
514,000 bags in 1900-01, and were slightly more than twice that by
1903-04. In 1909-10 the imports had again doubled, and had reached a
total for the twelve months ending July 1, 1909, of slightly more than
2,000,000 bags; while the figures for the calendar year 1909 totaled
2,500,000 bags.

Borino & Bro., 77 Gravier Street, were the largest importers of coffee
in New Orleans in 1869. The principal importers in 1880 were P. Poursine
& Co., Westfeldt Bros., Dymond & Gardes, Schmidt & Ziegler, J.L. Phipps
& Co., Geo. O. Gordon & Co., and Smith Bros.

Shipments were by sailing vessels, a full cargo being about 5000 bags.
Fancy grades, like Golden Rios, washed and peaberries, were shipped in
double bags. Musty coffees were common, and every bag in a cargo was
sampled for must. S. Jackson was first to issue regular manifests. With
the entry of steamers into the coffee transport business, New Orlean