The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-01
CAR MOVEMENT SHOWS IN
CREASE OVER LAST YEAR
Number of Cars LOaded Here Past
Year, 1~,e3e,747, as Compared with
1,493,I12 I'm 1902 Statistics.

The appended figures, which are compiled
weekly from the fifteen roads centering at
Indianapolis. show that there were received
and forwarded a total of 1.6Ss,7 al cars dur
ing the year ending Dec. 81. 1903. OF this
number 1.f91. 0l9 were loaded cars. an in
crease of 27.9O2 cars over the number ham
died In the year 1902.
One noticeable feature of the loaded car
movement is the fact that in the first six
months there were handled SOS, $50 loaded
cars. while in the last half of the year
there were handled 5s2,1 1879 loaded cars. 1t
IS well known that these figures would
have been even more favorable were the
railroads able to have furnished cars or
motive power to move then in either month
OF the year just closed.
The average load per car was much the
same as in the year 1902. with the excep-
ton that a larger per cent. of the cars were
OF larger capacity. the grain cars carry
ing $500 and some 1900 pounds. when
the marked capacity is but 10000 pounds.
AS yet there are but few cars of 100, 600
pounds capacity in use OF the Indianapolis
lines and these are utilized largely in ham
ding coal. All the roads have adopted the
system OF loading cars by which every foot
OF space is utilized. and as a consequence
10 to y per cent. larger tonnage per car
has been handled on local lines, aside from
the large increase in cars carrying through
business, which are estimated to carry -
per cent more tonnage than before the Co.
C00-pound car capacity was introduced.
The train records show that the largest
number OF loaded cars were handled in
April. 1908. when Hosp were handled at
Indianapolis. The smallest number of cars
was handled in February. So. $50. The Zig
-Four lines. the first ten months OF the wear.
did much the heaviest business in the his
tory OF that system. but the last two
months their traffic fell off fully 40 per
cent on account OF car shortage and lack
OF motive power while on the other hand
the Pennsylvania lines. the last half of the
year. had many thousands OF new cars in
service and a large number OF new heavy
freight locomotives, and their increase
largely made up for the falling off with the
Big Four.
INCREASE IN LOCAL TRAFFIC.
An analysis OF the traffic shows that in
local business about Is per cent. larger
traffic was handled than in any former year.
due TO the fact of the year having been
most prosperous with the various industries
OF the city, and also TO the increased move
ment OF coal. The consumption OF the last
year was much heavier than I'm any year
since the discovery of natural gas and its
failure. AS was the case in the year 1902,
the grain movement was. as compared with
former years. light. being fully 40 per cent
lighter than IN 1901 and about 70 per cent.
lighter than in 1902. Last year the roads
had the anthracite coal strike. which COW
cred a considerable portion Of the season
greatly reducing the tonnage Of that Iine
OF traffic.
With each year west-bound business is
Showing a large increase. During the pros
porous times the merchants have been large
buyers OF dry goods. heavy groceries and
like articles. The shipments east-bound IN
IrOviSiOns, produce and flour were fully as
heavy as during the year 1902. Another