Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-02-03
Pittsburg's Railroad Tonnage Greater
Than That of Almost Any Two
Cities in the Union.
COAL AND COKE ARE In THE LEAD.
The Total Tonnage Would Load Three
Freight Trains Reaching From
This City to Chicago.
SHIPPERS NEED BETTER FACILITIES.


If Chicago has the honor OF being the
greatest railroad center in the United
States, Pittsburg can go one better and
boast of handling more freight. than any
other city, not excepting New York or Phil
adelphia.
The importance of the city in this line is
scarcely appreciated by the world at large.
But recent transactions here brought out
facts that prove the shipments far beyond
those of the metropolis or any other two
cities in the country.
President Schmertz. of the Chamber of
Commerce, has just sent a letter to President
II. G. Davis, of the West Virginia Central
Railroad, giving some valuable statistics
on this question. The total tonnage for last
year is estimated at q, ,0O0, 600. This means
that 10000 cars were handled monthly,
with an average capacity of 25 tons and an
average load of 20 tons.
Pittsburg alone, according to the same
estimates, handles $4,000, 900 tons per an
mum, or ], 900 cars day. Nearly 1000 cars
enter and !, 1000 cars depart daily from this
city. These figures show that Pittsburg re-
ceives 10000 tons daily and redistrlbutes
10000, irrespective of the enormous through
freight, which runs up the tonnage TO the
surprising figures above given.
Value of the City as a Source of Supply.
The greatest tonnage is reached in the
coal and coke industry, which illustrates
the city's value not only as a manufacturing
center but as a source for the supply of
material Tor other centers. In Allegheny
county there are 81 mines, the product of
which aggregated over 5000, 900 tons last
year. Of this amount, 5000, 600 tons were
shipped by water, and the remaining 4,000,-
900 by rail The coke product OF the county
9 is placed at 8, ,000, 900.
The raw material consumed last year in
making pig iron was 4. 500, 900 tons, divided
about as follows: Ore, $500, 600; coke,
1925, 900 and limestone, 5000 tons. Be-
side the pig iron manufactured in the city,
there is annually brought here for manufac-
ture !, ,250, 900 tons of iron and steel, which
is 1S15 per cent or nearly one-6fth the pro-
duct of the whole United States.
The glass industry adds largely to the
tonnage of the city. Window glass manu-
facturers alone consumed 20, 600 tons of ma
terial and their output is 81, go. The Pitts
burg Plate Glass Company pays annually
as much as 100000 for freight The table
ware houses, of which there are not a few,
figure largely in making up the annual ton
mage OF the city.
The tonnage of pig iron is about /, 300, 600;
that of rail and bar iron, 500, 600; sheet and
plate, $50, 900; nails, 200; crucible ingots,
$4,000; ali other steel, including Bessemer,
1b100,0 900; total, 3,1O6, 200.
Object of Collecting the Statistics.
Mr.. Davis, whose proposed railroad will
have its northern terminus in Pittsburg.
wanted this information to lay before the di.
rectors Of his company for the purpose of show
lug them the channels through which they
might expect the heaviest traffic.
There is every reason to believe the tonnage
will increase as the city continues to deyelop
Facilities for carrying freight, both by river
and rail, are being improved, and the demand
for Pittsburg products both natural and man
ufactured, is constantly on the increase
In the line of railway improvements none are
more important than those along the Pittsburg
and Western, now under the control of the
Baltimore and Ohio. The road will be double
tracked in order to meet the increased de-
VIII crowd upon it at once.
1t is said this line will be superior to the
PittsDurg, FIT. Wayne and Chicago, the distance
beng practically the same. Upon the connie.
ton OF the line from Akron to Chicago JUNO.
tIon, which is expected to be reached inside of
TWO months there will be some lively connect.
tion for the traffic between Pittsburg and
Chicago.
Hon. Morrison Foster. Secretary Follapsbee
OF the Cham per oil Commerce, and George A
Kelly were interviewed yesterday. and from
them was received much of the information
concerning the shipments and from Pitts
burg. The total tonnage includes all the
freight intended tor Pittsburg that shipped
from this point and all through freight The
o Durgs tonnage-freight received and redIs-
tribuTed by this city alone.
Manufacturers and Railroad Deals.
This important information is brought out
by the recent railroad deals in which the man.
ufacturers Of the city are so largely interested.
In referring to the Baltimore and Ohio secur-
ing control of the Pittsburg and Western road
a New York paper has this to say: "The con-
troll of the PittsburS and Western has been OBJ
tanned, not through purchase, but by exchange
for Baltim ore and Ohio stock of the stock
held by the leading manufacturers of Pitts.
burg in the Pittsburg and Western, who con-
structed this road In order to prevent Pitts
burg from being unjustly Disseminated against
in the matter of freight rates. These parties
control the traffic of the district and their al
lance with the Baltimore and Ohio as holders
of its stock may be regarded equally impor-
tart as the through route ITSELF which has
been SO quietly acquired
The principal firms in Pittsburg have inti-
mated that they intend to hold their shares
and do their best to promote the interests of
the Baltimore and Ohio line. The Baltimore
and Ohio. upon its part, has agreed that rates
in the Pittsburg district shall rise and fall
with those in other districts and that Pitts
burg shall not be Disseminated against As
the manufacturers of PittsburE had no desire
10 engage in railway management beyond the
extent necessary to secure this, they were per-
fectly willing to surrender control and manage
ment of the property to The Baltimore and
Ohio, believing that in so doing and In
strengthening that corporation the interests of
the city of Pittsburg would be best promoted.
A Great List of Freight Producers.
'rhe new element which thus enters into the
Baltimore and Ohio Company. and the through
line to Chicago. soon to be one of the results
flowing from it, will probably exert a COM
manding influence hereafter upon the general
railroad situation of the country. Certainly no
line in the country can boast of list of share
holders as freight producers equal to those
which have Just allied themselves with the Bal
tImore and Ohio-the through traffic of which.
now going circutous route By way of Wheel
ing is at once to be passed over the Pittsburg
and Western line, saving nearly 100 miles haul.