The Washington times., 1903-03-14
PROSPERITY PROVED
BY TRAFFIC FIGURES
January Shows Increases
Over Two Preceding Years.
HOGS AN EXCEPTION TO RULE
Wheat Receipts Considerably in Ez-
cess Over 1907 and 1eoI-Same
True of Coal and Coke.

The January Summary OF Internal
Commerce" issued by the Treasury Blu
reau OF Statistics. throws some light On
the question OF whether the level of ma
tional prosperity shows any tendency 70
recede. when judged from the standpoint
OF traffic operations for the first month
Of three succeeding years.
The live stock movement at the five
most pominent markets of the West may
be taken as an index OF the conditions
in that section OF the country. For jan
uary. 1903. a total of 2.724 400 head of
cattle. calves. hogs. and sheep was re-
ported, in contrast with 2.947 ,631 head
for January. 1902. and 2.7ss. 2O9 head for
January. 1901. continuous increase
has occurred in these three years in the
case or the receipts OF cattle. calves. and
sheep, but very marked falling off in
the case Of hogs.
Lighter Shipments in Hogs.
At Chicago. Kansas City. Omaha. ST.
Louis, and St. Joseph. the combined re-
ceipts OF cattle in the first month OF this
year were 632.122 head. compared with
5S6,611 head in January, 1902. and 552.-
GIG head in January. 1901 Receipts Of
calves were respectively % e24 head.
1880 head. and Il. 432 head not includ-
ing January receipts of sheep. which
were in 1903. 600, al; 1902, 529. 900 head.
at Omaha and St. Joseph.
Receipts OF hogs in January. 1908. were
1.4ss.952 head. The much higher figures
OF 1,S14.520 head for January. 1902. and
1,719,054 head for January. 1901 show
how much of a decline has occurred in
this feature OF the live stock trade.
Nevertheless. the traffic receipts for
January for three successive years be-
ginning with 1901 have lost but little.
the number OF ears arriving being re-
spoctiveIy 52.051 cars. 81. 500 cars. and
52.s09 cars.
Increase in Wheat Receipts.
A comparison Of the wheat receipts at
eight winter wheat and spring wheat
markets fer three seasons 10 the end
of January shows that this year the re-
oeipts were considerably in excess of
either OF the two preceding seasons. the
total being 1s9.661 .36s bushels. compared
with ia ,4S3,763 bushels to the end of
January, 1902. and 1853. OLA 2s3 bushels TO
the end OF January, 1901. Trunk line
shipments OF grain OF all kinds from
weeks
amounted TO Is. $4,000 bushels. compared
with 11.673.OOO bushels in 1902. and H.
600 bushels in 1901 The provision
shipments from Chicago are this year
notably in excess of the two preceding
years. For the first FIVE weeks OF 1903
there we're shipped 133, 1886 tons. com
pared with 127.94S tons for the CORE
spending period OF 1902. and 1O4s4s tons
III
-four movement from Minneapolis for
five weeks ending with January amount
ed 20 AZ 900 barrels. compared with
223.i75 barrels for the corresponding
period in 1902. and ST.. 800 barrels in
1901. The total shipments from this
point. however have not been quite
equal to those OF the corresponding pc
riod in 1902. though largely in excess OF
those OF 1901.
Coastwise Coal Shipments.
Coastwise commerce at the Atlantic
and Gulf ports for twelve months end
Ing with December. 1902. shows that the
four ports OF New York Philadelphia.
Baltimore. and Newport News shipped
16.210.31S tons of coal 70 coastwise des-
tinations OF this quantity. 10.224 .s34
tons were reported from New York.
2.771 .230 tons from Philadelphia. .923. 81
tons from Baltimore. and 1.2so,5S3 tons
from Newport News. These figures com
prise about 70 per cent OF the coal han
died IN coastwise traffic. Coal receipts
at Boston for January. 1903. amounted
90 594 .22s tons. of which 252,S5S tons
were foreign coal by sea. and i.47o
tons domestic coal. nearly all by water.
In January. 1902. the grand total OF re-
eeipts was 37O.56 tons, OF which only
81 302 tons were foreign by sea. and
$40. 262 tons domestic coal
Coal and coke traffic for representa-
tive railroads is reported as follows:
On the Pennsylvania lines east OF Pitts
burg and Erie. for January, 1908. 1885,
400 net tons. compared with 32sS.i5o
tons for January, last year, and 3,l7l,7H
tons for January. 1901. over the Chesa-
peake and Ohio Railroad. 4.2Si.463 touS
Of coal and coke were carried in the
year 1902, compared with 5.723.02l tons
IN 1901 The Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road carried y. 322. T16 tons in 1902. OF
which 1886 91 tons were bltuminous.
$500. III tons coke. and the balance an
thracite coal.