The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1900-12-01
From the New York Sun.

From the new 10TH ouii.
American railroads carry in year the
great total of 1000, 900, 900 tons of
freight. The freight 50 carried is much
diversified, and the rates Of transportation
are cheap, two important items in railway
freight service. 1t is common belief that
the chef freight on American roads is grain,
and that the earnings of the various roads
are dependent largely upon the harvests OF
cereals. Indirectly this is true, for large
harvests at remunerative prices mean money
to farmers for other articles which railroads
transport, but actually the profits made by
railroads from the transportation OF grain
are less than from other articles of freight.
Last year the American railroads trans
ported go 900, 600 tons Of grain OF all
kinds, wheat, corn, rye, barley and buck
wheat, while the transportation of anthra-
cite or hard coal was 95, 900, 900 tons, or
so per cent. more than that of all the grains
collectively. Coal, which is the easiest
and least expensive item of freight to
handle, furnished the railroads OF the
United States with their chief tonnage.
The figures of anthracite coal transportation
are greatly exceeded by those of soft or
bituminous coal transportation, which
amounted last year to 200, 900, 600 tons;
that is to say, about one fifth of the total
freight tonnage of American railroads is in
bituminous coal, and nearly 30 per cent.
of the total freight tonnage Of American
railroads is in coal, hard aud soft. Another
very important item is lumber. The rail
roads of the United States carried last year
IS, 600, 900 tons of lumber and the develop
ment of the lumber interests, notably in
the Southern States, supplying yellow pine,
and in Michigan and Wisconsin, supplying
hard woods, is steadily increasing. An
other very large item in the freight bnsl-
ness of the railroads of the United States Is
ore, particularly iron and copper ore, and
lead and zinc. The railroads transported
last year 60, 900, 600 tons of ore. Still
another item of importance is stone and
sand, usually grouped together, Of which
80, 900, 600 tons were transported last
year.
Since England has become an important
market for American dressed beef, aud
since Germany and France have admitted
it without invidious restrictions; and West
ern beef has largely superseded Eastern
beef in the Eastern market, the rallr' ads
of the country have had a large business in
the transportation of meat products. Last
year they carried %, 900, 600 tons OF these
-l5. 900, 900 tons of live stock, 5000, :
600 tons of dressed meats and 5000, 900
tons of packing house products, OF which
ham, lard and bacon are the chief. Another
considerable item Of American railroad
freight is -four in bags or barrels, and of
which IL, 900, 900 tons were transported
last year. Cotton, though one of the most
important American products, is shipped
chiefly by steamers except from field to
shipping point, an important item OF busl-
ness for Southern and Southwestern roads
Seven millions tons of cotton and Y, 000,-
900 tons vegetables and fruit were carried
by railroads last year. Some OF the other
large items of freight tonnage last year
were petroleum, 5000, 900 tons; hay, g.,
600. 900, tobacco, 100000; poultry,
game and fish, /, 200, 900; wool, S,000,
900; hides and leather, 1000, 900; resin
and turpentine, 900, 900; sugar, 4 ,OOO,
900; lime, brick and cement, Is, 900, 900;
iron, %, 900, 600; machinery and castings,
Is, 900, 900; bar and sheet metal, Is, O0O,-
600: agricultural implements, 1000, 900;
wine, beer and liquor 3, 500, 900; wagons,
carriages and tools, 2,0e0, 600, and coke,
32, 900, 900 TONS Such are the chief
items, but they do not include what in
railroad designation is merchandise, dry
goods, clothing, household effects, boots
and shoes, hats and groceries. The amount
of merchandise transported onAmerlcan
railroads last year was 1000, 600 tons.
Dairy products furnish 1000, 600, and
miscellaneous articles, not otherwise CLASH
fed, 40, OO0,O 900.
The gross revenues of American railroads
from freight amounted last year to 81, 900,
600, 600, or about the rate of 81 for each
ton of freight carried, remarkably cheap
rate There are about million and il
half freight cars in use on American rail-
roads carrying from fifteen to twenty five
tons of freight each. The policy Of Amer
lean railroads in recent years has been to
increase the carrying capacity OF freight
cars, and to lengthen freight trains and in
crease their speed.