The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-11-04

the largest September shipments since l90l. Shipments for the nine months of the year, 49,645,616 gross tons, are about 2S per cent in excess of the correspond ing 1906 figures and likewise represent the largest season figures since 1901.
 Coal and coke traffic originating on the Pennsylvana Railroad companys lines east Of Pittsburg and Erie during the four weeks ending September 2s, 4,645,1l5 net tons. show a II per cent increase over the corresponding 1906 and a g per cent increase over the 1905 figures, though being somewhat below the total for the preceding four weeks period 4,6s0,3l net tons. Figures for g weeks of the year, 42, 329, 651 net tons, are over I millions in excess of the 1906 season figures and over 10 millions larger than the eorre- spending 1905 figures.
 Movements of coal and coke during Sep tember over the Baltimore and Ohio "ail- road totalcd 2,770,Ss1 tons, or over 200,00D tons less than in August. September figures of coal and coke traffic originat- ing on the Ptsburg and Lake Erie rail road and short lines, 1,3963l3 net tons, while considerably above the September. 1906, total, show. however, q decline as compared with the figures for the sum mer months, and the same is true of the figures of coal carried by the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburg and the New York Central and Hudson river railroads.
 The estimated coke production at Con- nellsvile. including the lower district for the 39 weeks of the year, 16,062.O23 net tons, is per cent in excess of the 1906 output of l4,764, 428 tons, the average rate of output for the month being probably larger than for any preceding month in the history of the district.
 Coke Pig Iron.
 Production of anthracite and coke pig a...s. f... QD ,fg., ,.res a rate Of output equal to that of the earlier months, the production figures for the various districts exhibiting but few relative changes. Figures for the nine month of the year, 19,9l6111 tons, are 10 per cent in excess of the corresponding 1906 figures.
 The traffic movement Of the Great Lakes, as measured by the volume of shipments from the various lake ports 11,342, ,565 net tons. shows 10 per cent decrease compared with the like move ment during August, though being over q half million tons heavier than the September. 1906 movement.
 Reports of 35 Car Service associa- tions received during the month in dicate a total of 3.092,43 cars handled compared with 2.7s4923 cars handled during the same month in 1906. Fig ures for the nine months of the year
 
 excess of the corresponding 1906 total. While the number Of localities from which smaller car service operations are reported for the month is not great, complaints on the part of shippers of the insufficiency of the car supply are becoming more numerous. A shortage of coal is reported at Lake Erie ports, due to lack of cars. In the middle west the scarcity of cars is said to restrict the movement of coal, while in the northwest the grain shippers--find 1t difficult to obtain the necessary car supply, with the result that in some localities many elevators have been forced to close down for the time be- ing All abnormal accumulation ot freight at the important traffic cen ters of Buffalo and Pittsburg is also ascribed to the inability of the rail- roads to handle with proper dispatch the freight offered.