Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1908-01-06
INLAND GRAIN
MARKETING
DECEMBER MOVEMENT THE
LARGEST EVER KNOWN
PORTLAND LEADS ALL COAST
POINTS IN BULK OF TRADE

PORTLAND, Jan. 6.-Several
conditions entered in making De-
cember, 1907, the record-breaking
month for the movement of grain
from the Inland Empire to tidewa-
ter, says the Telegram, and in this
particular factor in the commercial
life of the Northwest Portland ranks
far ahead of Tacoma, the Rose
Citys nearest, and, in fact only
competitor. Seattle, doing little or
no business in this line, is not con-
sidered.
Figures for last month have just
Conan, assistant general freight
agent of the o. R. & NJ, covering
the movement of wheat from the
territory tapped by that road and
tributary lines. The number Of cars
moved by this line to the Portland
terminals during the 81 days of De-
cember aggregated $500, an average
of 113 carloads every week day,
Sunday and holiday during the
month. This means the movement
Y>f conIsi Ierably over 100000
bushels of wheat by one road u a
single month, Mr.. Conan estimating
that each car contained 10000
pounds, or 1900 bushels.
The comparison with December,
1906, is hardly fair basis of esti-
mat ION, for the reason that the
movement of wheat was unusually
light because of the serious car
shortage, caused by the great &C
tivity in other lines of commerce
but the movement for last month
was close to 200 per cent above that
of the corresponding month of the
previous year.
The showing made by Tacoma last
month was a trihe under 5000 cars
or three times what it was for De.
cember, 1906, and far in excess oil
any month in the history of that
port. The movement of wheat tt
Tacoma terminals was therefore &
little less than 100000 bushels
for last month, over 100000 bush
els short of Portland's record
which, of course, stands as a banne
month for the local port.
"This season we have been for
tunate," says Mr.. Conan, in tina
we could supply plenty of cars TO
the movement of the huge crop. II
fact we have had more cars in serv
ice than we really needed, becaus'
the exporters have been unable t,
handle the wheat at this end as fas
as we have been delivering it T.,
them. The falling of in business ii
most lines caused by the recen
financial stringency enabled us t
divert hundreds of cars to the ship
ment of grain that we could no
have done had conditions been a
they were year ago. At that tim
the industrial boom was on in full
tilt and the crying demand for NOR
cars in every part of ire countr.
was greater than we could supply
That, of course, made December
1906, a light month in the grail
movement"
In response to an appeal made b,
the farmers IN the Palouse countr.
who ship their wheat over the Snak
river route. the o. R & N. has il
the last few days dispatched 4;
"empties" into that territory Il
move the several hundred thousan,
bushels of grain stored there and II
: the warehouses at Wawawai, Al
mota, Penewawa and other points.
Others will be rushed forward a
rapidly as the warehouse men cal
load those already forwarded. Tn
complaint in that district hccame s.
strong for the reason that buyers re
fused to invest on account of tn
uncertainty of getting the wheat t
: tidewater, that General Manage
lO'Brien made a special side trip o.
D his last tour of inspection of tn
Hartman lines, into the Palous
country to see what could be don
to relieve the situation. He foun
the warehouse people fully prepar
ed to load cars as soon as they wer
laid down there, and that the o. F
!. & N. had large number of cal
| available for the movement of tn
| grain out of the Snake river cour
| try. and he issued an order that tn
| crop be moved out of there withou
| delay.
/ AS soon as this first train Is OF
| of there second one will be sent Il
/ Up to January / the o. r. 4