Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-11-10
CROPS PAY BIG RATES.
Railroad Revenue From Farm Pro-
ducts of 1904, Placed at
$463 ,644,O51.

For moving the principle crops of
the country grown during 1904. the
railroads will receive a gross revenue
estimated at S463, GA ,O51 This esGl-'
mateis the result of a careful compila-
tion made by the traffic department of
one of the largest eastern railroad
systems and submitted for the con
sideration of men who are influential
in Wall street and who own either a
controlling or IA substantial interest in
many OF the large railroads East and
West
The statistics from which the prob
able revenue to be derived from the
crop movement of 1904 is
estimated were compiled after the la
Dor of hundreds of trained experts
from all parts of the country. The oh
iect Of the compilation was to inform
the railroad magnates regarding the
probable income of 1905, and the
amount of equipment and power that
will be necessary to transport the
principal agricultural products of the
present year.
In arriving at the estimate of the
given to the fact that much of the
property will be transported by the
railroads several times in diffe.snt
forms-that is, to and from the manu-
factories and the general markets
Crop Worth Billions.
In arriving at the total vaule of the
principal crop products the traffic ex-
perts have taken conservative figures
which in almost every case are un-
der the present market values of the
products. The total crop valuation is
estimated at s5.335 900 900, and if all
of 1t moved, 1t is shown that the
crops would fill .9OS freight cars.
which are now of an average capaci-
ty of thirty tons II is also shown that
the transportation tax on the whole
amounts to about per cent of the
valuation
To transport the entire crop of
2,400, 100000 bushels of corn alone
there would be required total OF
2.4O0 900 cars, while the estimated
production of 62.5O0.O0 tons of hay
would require 5.6S1S1S cars If it was
all moved at one time, To transport.
all of the estimated 10000 900 head of
cattle would require 100000 cars.
while the estimated wheat production
of 6l1. 100 cars
Not all of these farm products. how
ever, will be moved by the railroads.
as great deal of them are destined
for home consumption. 1t is said for
example. that not more than rs per
cent of the various grains will be
moved by the steam roads. probably
only 20 per cent of the hay, 90 per
cent of the potato crop, 90 per cent of
The cattle and rs per cent of the hogs.
the production of the latter being es-
timated at AZ 900 900 head.
Need Millions of Cars.
In arriving at the number of car
loads, based upon this estimate. it
Is found that the total cars needed
to move the crops at once would be
5,3SS,1sS. Corn is the largest move
ment, the cars estimated being 800
900. and hay comes second with 1886
363 cars
In computing the revenue an aver
age revenue per 100 pounds per ton,
and per car has been struck. These
average revenues are taken as the
result of experience of years in moving
farm products. and therefore can be
taken to be as near the actual rev.
enue as 1t is possible to estimate.
Wheat is shown to be the third most
truthful of the farm source of revenue
to the railroads, the crop of 1904 be
ing worth TO them at least 40 9.449,100.
tax. which this year will amount to
about s201 500. 900, Second on the list
in the amount of transportation tax
stands hay. which will bring reven-
ne of about s62 2.499.9 .95l, while at the
bottom of the list stands rye. which
will bring the roads $2,100,0O0.