The age-herald., 1900-03-19
GREAT TONNAGE
 OF THE DISTRICT
Six Times Greater Than Entire
 Cotton Crop of South.
SOME INTERESTING FIGURES
Fifteen Million Tons Annually Handled by Railroads-Earnines for First Week in March-Some Pro
 posed New Lines

The gross annual tonnage of the Birming ham district, which is to all practical in- tents Birmingham, is greater than the tonnage of any capital of Continental Europe, and is about equal to the combined tonnage of eight Of the leading capitals. This statement may be questioned, and it does look at first sight like an exaggera- ton, but it is nevertheless true unless sta tistics prepared by J. S. Jeans, in his book, ''Water Ways and Water Transit,' are in correct. The gross tonnage of the Con- tinental capitals is placed by Jeans as fol- lows: Paris, 9,312,000 tons; Vienna, 5,OOO0O0; Berlin, 6S52,0 900; Brussels, 2,500,000 Copen- hagen, 15OO,O 900; Lisbon, 100000; constanti nopIe, 100000; Barcelona, 2,O0O0O0; Rotter dam, 10,O0O, 900; Naples 2,SOO 900; Stockholm, 800, ,0G0.
 The gross tonnage of the Birmingham district in 1899 was approximately 1500OOOo tons, divided a. he following items; Coal, 74S4,0O0 tons; iron ore, 2,5O0,0OO coke, 100000; pig iron, l 800 900; miscellaneous l., OOOOO0
 This is six times greater than the gross tonnage of the entire cotton crop of the south for any one year. It is estimated that between nine million and ten million bales of cotton were grown in the south in 1899. Taking the greater figure and estimat- ing each bale to weigh 800 pounds, that would make five billion pounds, or 25OO,OOO tons, which, multiplied by six, gives fifteen millions, the approximate tonnage of-the Birmingham district for the year 1899.
 Earnings
 Railroad earning for the first week in March have been reported as follows:
 Cincinnati, New Orleans and Texas Pa cific, sS9,562; an increase of $14,219.
 Georgia and Alabama, $25,77S: an increase of s9623
 Alabama Great Southern, $40, ,S6S; an in- crease of $7,155.
 Central of Georgia, $13O ,S15 an increase of s6.304.
 Chattanooga Southern, s1,561; an increase of $622.
 Florida Central and Peninsula, $56,5S6; an increase of s15S.
 Georgia Road, s35, ,979; decrease of $14S.
 Kansas City, Fort Scott and Memphis, $S9, ,657; an-increase of $6,066.
 Kansas City Memphis and Birmingham, s29,307; an increase of $3392.
 Louisville and Nashville $5O5 560; an in- crease of s62.050.
 Southern Railway, $sO,S61; an increase of s7,116.
 Great Year for New L'nes
 According to statistics compiled by the Railway Age of Chicago more miles of rail- way track will be built in 1900 than ever before in any one year. Tn the aggregate there are nearly 60.000 miles of projected road grouped by sections as follows: New England states AT miles; Middle states. 2,240 miles; south Atlantic states g., 752 miles; Gulf and Mississippi valley states, 6,79S miles; Central northern states, 5,623 miles: Northwestern states, 6197 miles; Southwestern states. 21,2O7 miles; Pacific states. 6,977 miles. Total 5S. S.S41 miles,
 In 1899 4,5Ss miles of track were laid in the United States on $40 lines, and in Canada 5s6 miles on 21 lines, and in Mexico 254 miles on 10 lines.
 Links and Pins The Chicago. Rock Island and Pacific road has recently issued order requiring the brakeman, when calling out the names of a station. to also. call out Don't forget your packages" This is done to remind the passengers who have packages with them to take them when leaving the cars In acknowledging the receipt of clergy half-fare permit for the current year a minister to the passenger agent of a cer- tain railroad wrote as follows: "We preach, we pray and we believe that all railroad | men will be saved finally: which is mere | than we believe for many of the preach CTS"
 | The Burlington and Northern Pacific | roads have just completed arrangements, | taking effect May 1, for a system of daily | through trains between St. Louis, Kansas | City, St. Joseph and the Northwest Mon- l tana, Washington, Puget Sound cities and Portland, Oregon. with all necessary classes of equipment. This will be one of the longest through trains operated by any road. The distance from St. Louis to Puget Sound is 2,35O miles, and from Kansas City to the Sound 1t is 20S9 miles.