Evening star., 1902-02-07
OF PRODUCTION
A REMARKABLE YEAR IN THE COUN-
TRY's HISTORY.
Summary of Internal Commerce Com.
piled by the Bureau of Statistics
Conspicuous Gains Noted.

The December summary of domestic trade
movements of staple commodities, as made
by the treasury bureau Of statistics. closes
one Of the most remarkable years In the
history Of the economic development Of this
country. The accumulation of surplus
porducts at interior centers. their distribu-
ton toward the seaboard and their with
drawl from domestic trade into the ex-
port movement are being subjected more
completely to measurement year by year.
The Monthly Summary Of Internal Com
merce. issued by the bureau Of statistics.
shows that there have been extraordinary
gains In most staples and losses in few,
but, on the whole, conspicuous gains over
the preceding year.
The four leading spring wheat markets
for the first five months received, for in
stance, 122 894 597 bushels. in contrast with
81. 7.743.974 bushels for the corresponding Pc
riod OF the preceding year. At four winter
wheat markets the receipts were 8S.147.Q .Q62
bushels, compared with 81, ,136 $50 bushels
during the six months Of the crop year
1900. The winter wheat section has fur
nished Tess than half the quantity shipped
In the first six months of 1900 The COM
bined arrivals at the four spring wheat and
the four winter wheat markets, however,
show a gain of q ,662, ,533 bushels, or 15.6
per cent In l9O1.
Increase in Flour Output.
Taking Minneapolis as the chief center
Of the production Of flour, it is shown that
the average output per week during 1901
was 315, 103 barrels, compared with 2s6.sn
barrels in 1900 and 274. 400 barrels in 1880
Average weekly shipments for these re-
spective years were 292. .211 barrels, 2S4,13S
barrels and 265 900 barrels Average week
ly shipments destined for export for these
years were 75.320 barrels. 81. 463 barrels and
1850 barrels-the decrease for 1901 being
charged by the milling interests to the
relatively unfavorable rate on flour as COM
pared with wheat.
Taking the five leading cereals as basis
of comparison, the volume of trade at Chi
cago Is representative of the entire group
of centers of accumulation of grain. During
1901 this market is reported as receiving
245, ,207, ,653 bushels, while in 1900 the re-
ceipts were 307, ,728, 135 bushels. decrease
of 20.3 per cent Shipments from that mar
ket show decrease of 17.8 per cent The
trunk line movement of -four from Chicago
and Chicago points eastward averaged 49,
O64 barrels per week, the grain shipments
2O25,557 bushels per week, and the pro-
vision traffic Is. ass tons per week. Com
pairing the trunk line movement with the
total shipments from Chicago, the trunk
line movement amounts to 80 per cent OF
shipments from Chicago.
The Live Stock Trade.
Inc uV6 BLOCK CrdQ0 OI lutcEIOr was
extraordinary in several respects. The
feeding sections Of the southwest, owing
Jointly to the decrease In the corn yield and
the high prices for stock. precipitated un-
usually large quantities Of live stock, es-
pecially hogs, upon the packing markets in
the last quarter Of the calendar year. The
decline in average weights serves to meas
ure the intensity Of this influence upon COM
mercial conditions. At Chicago the average
weight of hogs fell from 238 pounds In De-
cember, 1900. to zoe pounds in December,
1901. AT Omaha the decline was from 252
pounds to 212 pounds. and at St. Joseph
from 2S5 pounds to 1872 pounds. The sub
stitution of wheat for corn In the feeding
sections has meanwhile been going on az
tensively throughout Kansas and Nebraska,
the Nebraska Grain Dealers' Association
estimating that 100000 bushels of wheat
IN that state out Of a crop Of 60O00,O0O
bushels will be consumed for feeding par-
poses alone.
AS factor In traffic operations the live
stock movement has continued to expand-
At Chicago 1896 carloads were received