The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-09-21
BUSINESS IS
 NOW RENTING The Panic Is Passing
 Into History. FREIGHT BUSINESS INCREASES South Has Rallied First From
 Depression. In the Past Week the Business In- crease Has Been Remarkable Freight Movements Are More Than Railroad Men Expected.
FREIGHT BUSINESS INCREASES

At the present steady rate of in- crease of railway trafflc in this section of the South there is remote dan ger of a car shortage and the roads are redoubllng their efforts to meet the emergency. A few days ago the rapid increase of business caused the roads to take active measures to be on the safe side and the demand with some effort was met. Hurry calls have been sent out to get every locomo- tive available Into commission and the shops are hun1ming with business. In spite of this the demand increases a continuous cry for cars. cars. more cars Is heard and the end Is not in sight. Shipments at this time of year are generally heavy. but 1t was thought the dregs of the panic would keep down anything like a shortage, but the guess was missed and the rapid revival of Southern industry. which was not hit half so hard as some reports would seem to make out, has caught the traffic systems in a great degree unaware.
 Shops throughout the South are talk ing on new men every day and will continue to do so until a sufficiency of rolling stock Is available. This fact seems to have reached the vicinity of the, to a great extent idle Northern shop centers and machinists are com ing Southward in response to the de- mand for work they have smelt afar. Having been out of work. or having just enough to do to keep soul and body together, the ship men are com Ing the best way they can make the
 distance and an influx of capable workmen. forced for the time being to be tramps. Is pouring toward the Southern manufacturing railway cen ters. Daily in Montgomery these men appear. some unlucky enough to be arrested. but many are arriving. and there Is work for them.
 Hundreds of freight cars were han dled here Saturday and yesterday, the
 locomotives being hard put to handle
 instances cars had to be held over for lack of traction. The locomotives as fast as they came in were inspected
 and If passing muster, were fired back out again with fresh loads.
 As has been said. lumber Is one oi
 the main factors In the car demand
 but cotton, and other farm produce
 fertilizers fruit. and other stun are
 creating a heavy demand. Box and
 case goods also are figuring to a great extent in the trafic and machin. nry of various uses Is seen in ths freight depots.
 With this increase in the freight the passenger traffic is also picking up. business sending men here ane there to work up territory that ha, been Idle during the panic. The hote registers show a steady Increase O. business from travelling men. and fal
 buyers from the rural districts are not a few. The opening of collegei is also helping the passenger business and with 1t all the railways have tc hustle to have enough locomotives ir running order to haul tho cars The settlement of the Birmingham strike sends many coal and ore cart back Into that work, which were oth. erwise being used and the advent oi several new fertilizer factories in tht | State has created demand for car. | to handle crushed stone. Building ma | terial for the many new houses now i going up in all parts of the city | county. and State has forced the hand I lers of material to buy quantities o brick. lime. cement. etc, and the wave of demand for paving In cities through | out the South Is also responsible to degree for the increase In freight.
 Just how the roads will manage tt handle the business. literally being | forced on them, is causing the man | agers of the roads no little worry | and the demand for workmen in al | lines of labor has increased the basi | ness of retail and wholesale mer | chants. These are laying in suppliet | of stock In a greater degree than wal
 believed would develop this fall an< | the roads have to take care of then
 also.
 From the Gulf imports are increas | ing shipments of mineral phosphate material are becoming heavier, the