The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-11-19
Country Is in the Midst of I'm
equalled Prosperity.
BILLIONS OF TONS.
Freight Traffic Increasing Fast
err Than Cars Are Built.
Immediate Need of $4,000 Ex-
ira Freight Cars.

As announced in Tuesdays State
Journal. the Santa Fe railway is about
to order 1900 more freight cars. This
is but one indication of the tremendous
shortage of equipment which seems to
increase rather than diminish regardless
of the efforts of the railway companies
The freight traffic is increasing faster
than the manufacturers can turn out
cars and engines TO handle 1t.
Last year the Santa Fe ordered about
$500 new freight cars and most of these
are now in service. This immense IN
crease it was thought would put the
company in good shape to move freight
promptly. but the recent additional or
der for 1000 cars shows that already the
new equipment has been absorbed IN
the rush CT new business, and the can
shortage is again threatening the road.
In the threatened inability of the rail-
read companies to move the freight in
IN adequate manner is the evidence OF
unparalleled and increasing national
prosperity, says the Brooklyn Eagle
The railroads Of the country are threat
ened with not only shortage of carry
ing capacity, but of power
In 1901 the tonnage moved by the rail-
reads was 1.0S4. 000, 600 This tonnage
was moved by 100000 freight cars and
10000 engines. 1t was estimated that
for 1902 the tonnage would reach LOO =
O00 .O0C. On the estimate for 1901, 10000
cars were added for the work; on the
estimate for 1902. $4,000 cars But it now
appears that the tonnage offered for
transportation is so far in excess Of the
estimate that the demand for cars ex-
ceeds by $4,000 the supply.
The freight yards and freight houses
at the shipping points throughout the
country have for weeks been in an I'M
comfortably crowded condition, and I'M
avoidable delays have been common ex-
periences for consignees. The prospect
now is that what has been uncOmfort-
able will in a short time become a con-
dition of blockade The situation is bad
now; a sudden period Of cold weather
would make it worse. almost to the
point of paralyzation of traffic To
avoid this situation the transportation
force has been labCring night and day
to forward its shipments yet the bulk
is not diminished, for the offerings of
freight equal and indeed exceed the
movements
In this situation.apparent at every ship
ping point. is the indubitable evidence of
prosperity. 1t shows that as great as
the production is. and has been, for two
years. the demand has fully met it. 1t is
difficult to grasp in its entirety the mean
ing of this situation The statistics fol-
the year 1901. however. show something OF
it. Thus, the railroads of the country
moved over LOCO, 900 tons of freight
for which they received over $1,000 100000
and carried over 600,OO0000 passengers, fol
WllCn they received over Sob0,VJO,OvJ- II
short. the gross receipts of the railroad
companies Of the United States have beer
much over a billion and quarter of dol
lars. and of that amount over a billion
was paid for the movement of the com
mcrcial industrial and manufactured pro
ducts of the country
1t is not easy to think in billions, bu
in order to comprehend the vastness O
the present prosperity one must do so
Yet as large as these figures of 1901 were
they will be greatly exceeded by thos'
of the current year. There is in this out
look no reason to appre bend a diminu
ton but rather an increase. of the pros
perity. It will be increased if the crop
do not fail us
Watchful are the railroad manager
of the signs of the times and energetic a
they unquestionablv are in efforts to nee
the dividend situation, they seem to hav
underestimate the ratio of increase. Thi
does not mean that they have been supin
and have stood upon experiences of 1901
AS a matter of fact. the railroad man
ayers operating a mileage of 1875 900. hav
expended over 5000, 100000 in equpmen
during the year 1901 to meet what it wa
supposed would he the demands Of 100:
When it is pointed out that this was a