The evening times., 1901-09-06
THE SOUTH TAKES THE LEAD.
I'm Railroad Extension It surpnsscs
dc Rest of the CnuntrN.

I'm Railroad Extension n surpusscs
the Rest of the Country.
BALTIMORE Sept C-In an editorial
review OF the relation ~ southern rail
roads u tho development Of Sputh-rn
commerce. the Manufacturers Record
says this week
1T is customary for the snterpriziaE
press OF many Southern cities TO review
tt length on September ! the advance
made Ly their respective communities
-wiug yhe preceding twelve months. The
reason for this custom is that such Ir-
lew covers "a year I'm cotton. the period
from The close Of the movement 0E one
crop 10 the beginning Of the movement OF
another This tribute to- cotton is justi-
fed by the facts The disposal OF q
years crop represents the shifting OF
hundreds Of millions OF dollars and is thr
basis Tor much Of the industrial. mcrcau-
tHe. and transportation business. not on
ly i'm the South. but in the whole country.
The Importance Of the crop is indicated
10y the fact that cotton ana its products
constituted during the past fiscal year
0ue-Quartcr Of the export values of the
county. once il was the hulk OF the e1-
ports from Southern ports While IL has
lost IN this respect none Of its actual inn
portance. it has companions on the docks
in the shape of grain. coal. iron. phOs-
phate rock. lumber. naval stores. provi-
sions, horses. mules. and cattle. The va
ried character Of exports from Southern
ports and the tendency OF these ports 90
enjoy "a greater proportion Of the move
mcnt Of the COuntry's commerce are
traceabIe TO Increased activity in recent
years in railroad construction and in the
Improvement OF the terminal facilities OF
the railroads AZ ffiyars grrfTaf- -F..
coast
80 many circumstances influence the
figures of the values OF commerce in diff
terent years that the totals for any one
year compared with the totals of an
other year are not necessarily a criterion
OF the actual change for good or IN ac-
cOmpIshed in the intervening period. For
example, the increase in the value Of ex-
ports from the South from 500. .g95 % in
1892 10 800 .1J6 in 1901. or $ljg 6Ss, 40 is
an advance of but 1921 per cent. while
the increase at all other ports during the
same period from S65l. .zsI .SIS 10 Ss59U7O. Sol.
or S2yl. 7SS. 933. is 45.03 per cent advance.
BY that il might appear that the South
ern ports had not held their own. But
this view IS not had when IN, -aIues OF
the imports are also included These in
creased from SiS 5J7.Zi5 TO S57.5lI.--s, or So
5GilIZ. equal to 1913 per cent at Southern
ports. while al all other ports they in
creased from sos. .IGI, ,5gs % So. .3g5, ,zI5 or
SIi.Z53, 6ls, equal 20 lS4 per cent. Com
bined the exports and imports show at
Southern ports an increase in commerce
from AlIoo3.i56 to $685.. lg5.I2i or Sl5s 1872 5Is.
equal 90 4155 per cent. and at an other
ports an Increase from 81. I.440.677.I8i 10 81
iliZ5z iis. or So, $50. .a-5, equal TO 1888 per
cent.
"ParaUeIing this programme at the
P'iJs, ana undoubtedly contributing 20 il
directly and indirectly. has been an ac-
uFlty In railroad building most marked at
the South. Figures upon winch NAV be
taSeu an accurate comparison for the ten
years included IN the period covered by
me commercial statistics are not availa-
Die, pGl a comparison Of lSy2 with 1870 Of
FaIlrga0 mileage is sufficiently Indicative.
M Sc hgures show that the mileage OF
the South increased from 44.SlU-S1 10 81
,53..+. OF i.lo5fl. equal TO 1852 per cent
while tie increase iu the rest Of the cOuu-
try was from l15. 5.l5Z.6s 20 4Jgfs.8 a. or IL
1903 equal % 4l-Zi per cent This increase
IN southern mileage has been accOmpa-
Aleu Dy consultations of CeCTrpit OF in
completed lines and branches into strong
systems and the working out OF plans for
Iev-5ii-lzdilou o.; existing systems upon
the most healthy basis. The results ap-
pear both IN the shifting Of values Of one
port or group Of ports 10 other outlets
ana in the marked growth az particular
Dy an expenditure OF millions Of dollars
The Manufacturers Record. mentions
particularly Newport News. Savannah.
Pensacola. Tampa Mobile. New Orleans
and Galveston in illustration Of these re-
suits, and lD conclusion saws.
Great as has been the progress Of r.sf
road building IN the SOuth. II mas not vet
reached the limit required before all its
resources may come under the irs1ira-
uOn Of the steel rail and the steam
whistle Connections bringing Southern
ports into quick touch with centres OF
production within and outside the south
have already been made or are being
completed Stil, while Texas has but S.I1
miles Of railroad per luI square miles OF
ltS territory. and while other Southern
states have equipment Of a kind far be-
low that OF the middle SLates-Ohi0 for
instance, having ZL6l miles of line per
I'D square miles Of territOry-it is obvious
that the South is to add considerable To-
the total mileage Of the country This
addition viii probably mainly be in the
shape, not Of independent lines comuar-
lng with existing systems, but rather the
huldlug or branch roads and the c5>t.n-
sion ot main lines by those already doing
so much Tor Southern develoorreut and
X may be taken for granted that this
form OF railroad extension will aid ma
teTlally in the task Of giving the south
a place or greater importance than ever
IN lle country commerce