Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-07-08
TRAFFIC REPORTS
Show increase in Amount Rock
Island Exports and
Imports.
GOOD YEAR FOR RAILROADS
Heavy Stone Shipments - Plans for
Train Yards at Natick and
Rock Island.

The fiscal year of the railways pass
ing through Rock Island has just clos
ed, and the traffic agents have COM
pieted their annual reports and for
warded them to headquarters. While
the detailed Information contained in
these reports is guarded most care
| fully by the officers of the railways.
owing to the constant jealousy between
the different roads, some general tnfor-
nation has been obtained as to the
| facts indicated in these reports.
The statistics of freight tonnage
through Rock Island, Moline and East
Moline show that in all commodities,
with the exception of the lumber bust
ness, there has been a healthy increase
m traffic, both incoming and outgoing,
during the last year. over that of 1904.
The most notable difference is in the
general merchandise, and traffic men
regard it as remarkable that the ship
ments of general merchandise have
held up as well as they have during
the last year, and up to the present
time. The summer months are re-
garded as the slow season of the year
in these lines, and yet the shipping
holds up with remarkable regularity.
Increase 10 Per Cent.
The increase in freight tonnage and
revenues in general with all of the rail-
ways, and is due to larger consump-
ton, growth of local industries, and
greater demand in some lines. 1t is
estimated that the total increase will
reach 10 per cent, though no definite
figure can be given, owing to the close
guarding of the statistics. Two months
February and March-shOw marked
decreases, and this is of interest from
the fact that this is the heavy ship
ping period. The decrease is explain
ed by the fact that during those two
months this year there was experienced
general car shortage throughout the
country, and it was impossible to Sc
cure the equipment to handle the i'm
mense business. The roads were at
this time also handicapped by the bad
weather conditions. The increase in
the other months was more than sufii-
Client. however, to overbalance the de-
creases of February and March.
shipments of stone.
These reports strikingly show the
magnitude of an industry in Rock ISL
and which has attracted comparatively
little public attention. The shipments
of stone are referred to. 1t it is esti-
mated that over $500 cars of stone
were shipped from the quarries of this
city and Moline during the last year.
IL is said that the stone QuarrieS near
the Sylvan tailrace. on the border be-
tween Rock Island and Moline, ana
Iyze nearer pure lime than any stone
to be found in this part of the coun-
try, and this fact makes it very much
in demand. 1t analyses 81 and % per
cent lime. For some time the greater
part of this material was used in the
steel industries in this section, in flux-
ing, the stone being powdered and
used in the process Of refining the met
al. At the present time, however, a
stone recently discovered nearer Chi
ago is being utilized. While more of
the stone is required, the great differ
ence in freight rates makes it more
profitable than to use the Rock Island
stone. With this important market
closed the stone dealers were COMPEL
to look for new outlets, and one was
found in the beet sugar industries.
Now the quarries ship between 1000
and 5000 tons annually to each of the
beet sugar plants, where the lime is
used in the secret process of the re
fneries. The stone is used largely in
concrete work, and in building, and
big market for the local quarries was
created by the Hennepin canal. hun
1reds of tons being delivered annually
to the government for this work.
sand Export.
Exporting sand is a kindred industry
to that of handling stone. and the com
panies in this city ship annually be-
tween 500 and COO cars of this material
TO inland cities where live sand can
not be procured for building purposes.
The freight tariff on this material is
charged per hundred pounds. and
though high the business continues to
thrive The figures given above do not
include the amount of sand used last
year at New Shops, amounting to near
ly 300 cars.
The decrease in the lumber traffic is
the natural result of the moving of the
cutting points north and away from
the rivers. Rock Island is now one of the
most southern point on the Mississippi
where mills are operated, and this year
will probably be the last of that indus
try at Rock Island. Mills have been
steadily abandoned along the river, and
during the last year two mills were
closed at Clinton. Muscatine no Ion
ger cuts any lumber, the mill there
having been shut down last year With
the removal of the timber cutting from
the rivers, il has become cheaper TO
saw the lumber where the logs are cut,
and the manufactured material is ship
ped direct from the forests.
other shipments.
In all other lines, and especially in
vehicles, heavy machinery, general
merchandise. agricultural implements.
and other lines of manufactured goods.