The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-09-21


sponsible duties, are charged with cor
rupt practices they owe it to themselves
and the city to refute the charge or step
down.
SOME FACES WORTH READING.
In response to letter of inquiry from
Secretary of Treasury Sherman of the 9th
inst, the chief of the Statistical Bureau
has made a report under date of 18th
inst. concerning the internal traffic of
the United States during the past five
wears, and other matters of in
terest concerning railroads and railroad
transportation. We shall briefly refer to
the questions and answers, seriatim first,
as to the condition of our internal com
merce during the last five years and at
the present time.
No details can be given but an ap-
proximate result can be arrived at from
q few of the trunk lines, the traffic over
which may be regarded as fair index of
the general condition of our internal
trade. During the period from 1873 to
1877 the traffic on the following roads in
creased at the rate of, to-wt: 6! per cent.
on the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern,
per cent. on the New York Central, IS
per cent. ON the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne
& Chicago, and a per cent. on the Penn
Fylvania Central Roads. The average was
about ten per cent. for the years men
toned.
The business of the current year and
the prospects for business for the future
are indicated by statements recently
made by Mr.. Vanderbilt and Thomas
Scott, two men probably the best quail
fled of any in the United States to Judge
in those matters. Mr. Vanderbilt says:
"In my opinion there will be sufficient
business during the next six months for
all the railroads and the Erie Canal. The
lines can not now supply cars enough
for the demands upon them. This week
have contracted for eight hundred new
cars. The Erie Road, am informed, has
ordered two thousand, and many other
lines are finding it necessary to increase
their rolling stock" Mr.. Scott says:
"The railroads are now very actively en-
ployed, and the number of cars is not
great enough to move the freight as
promptly as is desired. / believe there
will be steady Improvement in nearly
all branches Of trade and industry. The
prospects of the leading railroad lines of
the country are now good"
The through tonnage of merchandise
transported over the Baltimore & Ohio
Railroad shows very large increase
during the period mentioned. In
1873 it amounted to 640,265 tons in
1877 to /, ,04764 an increase of SO IL
per cent. The Union Pacific shows the
following increase: In 1873, 4S7, =, ,484 tons;
1877, TIC, ,112 tons, or At per cent. The
Chicago & N. W. Road, embracing 2,037
miles, makes this return of freight traf-
fc: 1875, 3,153,315; in 1873, 1911, ,261
tons. The c., R. I. & P Road, operat
ing 1908 miles, shows 1,286,966 tons
transported in 1873, and 1861, ,408 il
1877.
The total grain receipts at seaports in
dicate a like favorable increase. In 1871
they were 17O, O,S23,767 bushels. In 1878
during the year ending August 1st, 2S6,
633, PSI bushels-the largest in the his
tory Of the country.
The second inquiry relates to the rel
ative value Of the internal and foreign
commerce of the United States. M
statistical return has ever been made O.
the value of the merchandise shipped
over any of the railroads excepting fol