The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-03-18
AN INTERESTING TOPIC.

States" is the title OF a monograph iust
published by the treasury bureau oI
statistics as the first OF series o.
studies upon the production and trans
portation Of the great staples and upor
the internal commerce OF the country
The present article points out the i'm.
mense increase in the agricultural pro.
duction of the country, the rapid and
continuous westward shifting OF the
area Of cultivation, and the changes in
the routes by which the Western grain
reached the Eastern consumers and the
European markets, The development
OF the grain production and trade is
traced from colonial times to the open
ing up OF the Mississippi route by the
purchase Of Louisiana, when the shall
low barges and later the steamboats,
descended the Mississippi. and New Or
leans shipped grain to New York and
Boston. After the completion Of the
Erie canal. in 1895. and the settling OF
the Lake Michigan territory. the great
bulk of the Western grain traffic moved
eastward over the lakes and the canal.
and New York became the great grain
shipping port Of the country. The dis
cussion shows how from Chicago a
network Of railways radiated to all
points and acted as tributaries TO the
lake, and later how the unified and
analsamated railways competed with
the lakes to the eastbound traffic. The
traffic in corn and flour was diverted
from the lakes to the railroads,
and while the lakes regained
part of this lost traffic later,
the Erie canal was unable to
compete with the railroads from Buff
falo. and grain, which formerly reached
dde water at New York is now largely
diverted to Philadelphia, Baltimore,
and more southerly ports. The strug-
giles of the railroads and Of the ports
among themselves are described, and
the history of the existing rate differ
entails is given; but the report con-
fines itself to history and does not dis
cuss policy or forecast future develop
ments.
The report, which is quite comprehen-
sive. contains a series Of tables dealing
with the rise and development Of the
grain trade at various collecting and
distributing points. the efforts Of the
several railroads to control and effect
the ever increasing transportation of 4
grain and the distribution of the traffic
among the various routes. A great
amount of information is furnished
about rail, canal and ocean freight
rates; about the production, distribu-
tion and consumption Of cereals, and
a special paragraph in devoted to the
subject Of the foreign market for
American grain. The monograph in
cludes 4 number OF tables regarding
production, imports, exports,
prices and rates Of duty
for wheat in all the principal countries
Of the earth, as well as a map showing
In general outline the present wheat
area Of the world.
The statistics contained In this re-
port throw light upon the present grain
and more especially wheat, situation.
Of the United States. They show that
the expectation of grain is increasing
With great rapidity, that both the pro-
duction and expectation Of corn are
assuming a greater volume and that a
growing portion Of our
wheat is exported in the form of flour.
During the last thirty-two years the
amount of corn produced has increased
from 1858 to 1924 millions Of bushels.
an increase Of 122 per cent, while the 4
exports Of the cereal increased from 10 !
to III millions of bushels, or over 1000 /
per cent. During the same period our .
production Of wheat increased from
l52 to 675 millions Of bushels. gain |
Of 344 per cent. while our exports in |
creased from 1876 to 1926 millions Of |
bushels, or almost eighteenfoId, and
our net exports Of this grain increased |
at still more rapid figure.
From this report it also appears that
since 1875, and notably since 1880, an
ever increasing proportion of our wheat
exports has been in the form Of flour,
and that in this important branch Of
Americans have been able
TO compete with European millers, even
in the face of adverse legislation
abroad. In 1880 only 1893 per cent Of
our wheat was exported in the form
Of the manufactured product, -four.
while in 1899 the proportion was S7.Ss