Arizona republican., 1909-02-08
INLAND FIELD IF COMMERCE Accomplishments ofLastYeaP
 Not Brilliant THE END SLIGHTLY BETTER
There Was Hardly a Line of Commercial or Industrial Activity Which Did Not Show Marks of the Gener- al Paralysis.

Washington, D. C., Feb. 7.-Lead- ing commercial movements in the domestic field during the calendar year 1908, as reported by the bureau of statistics of the department of commerce and labor, disclose to some extent the effects of the October, 1907, crisis and the general depres- sion following the financial disturb ance of that month. These effects are more clearly shown by the move ments of coal, iron and lumber, the main raw material used by the build ing trades and the railPoads, though the partial cessation of building op- erations and the temporary suspen- sion of capital improvements by the leading railways of the country somewhat preceded the crisis of Oc- tober, 1907. The depression in the building trade continued during the greater part of the year 1908, while the additions during the year to the railroad mileage of the country amounted only to about 3,2OO miles, total smaller than for any year since 1897. The smaller traffic ac- tivity of the railroads, as shown by
 
 cars handled and of idle cars report ed, also illustrates the reduction in industrial activity, which was the most characteristic feature of the past year, especially during its ear Her months. The movements of live stock, grain and cotton show more normal totals, partly in response to the heavier export demand.
 Aggregate receipts of live stock at seven primary markets for the year, 42,731,306 head, were in excess of the l corresponding 1906 and 1907 figures of 40,727.657, and 4O.21S,455 head. The total for the year was composed of s,S27,360 head of cattle; 22,s63. .7O1 hogs; 9,SS3.64O sheep; S54,6S7 calves, and 1918 horses and mules. A characteristic feature of the live stock movement for the year was a decrease in the cattle receipts and considerable increase in the re- ceipts of hogs at practically all the leading interior markets.
 Live stock receipts at the four principal Atlantic seaboard cities dur ing the year as reported to this office from week to week, aggregated 9,SS3,276 head, compared with S,7S2,- 3S3 head reported for the twelve months or fifty-two weeks of 1907. Of the total for the year just passed l. 150,773 head were cattle; 3,365,973 sheep; 4,760,432 hogs, and COG, ,09S calves. Just as in the case of the primary markets, a considerable de- | crease is shown in the number of cattle received at these large con ! suming centers, while the number of hogs shows a corresponding increase. Shipments of packing house pro ducts from Chicago during the year, 2,461 ,SOT,233 pounds, while differing but slightly from the 1907 total were l2 per cent below the 1906 total As compared with like figures for the later year, large decreases were shown in the shipments of fresh beef, pickled beef, canned and cured meats. The shipments of canned beef. which as late as 1905 aggre- gated 15O,397. 800 pounds. were but | 70,s70,725 pounds during the year just passed.
 Combined grain receipts for the calendar year at fourteen primary markets. 747,399,209 bushels, were be- low like receipts in 1907 and 1906 of l The decline in the total is due main- | ly to a loss of about 50,O00,OO0 bush | els in the corn receipts, only par ! tially compensated by heavier wheat receipts. The relative importance of the larger market remains unchang- ed, although receipts at Chicago and St. Louis show more than proportion ate losses, owing to the considerable shrinkage of corn receipts. Duluth and Minneapolis. receiving but little corn, show hardly and changes of total grain receipts for the year, as compared with those for 1907. The flour shipments during the year from these leading markets, 39,991,45O bar
 rels, compare favorably with like 1907 and 1906 totals of 3S,1S7,247 and l 39.009,642 bushels.
 | Receipts during the year of grain and flour at four principal Atlantic seaboard cities, 203, ,507,915 bushels, were considerably below the like 1906 and 1907 receipts of 242.OS5,951 and 256,34S,S76 bushels. The combined receipts of wheat during the year appear to have been 64,269,426 bush els, compared with 77,39S.O94 bushels reported for the corresponding twelve month period in 1907. The quantities of flour received, 15,397,767 barrels, likewise show a decrease from the | 16,144,919 barrels reported for the preceding year Corn receipts at these points, show the principal decrease for the year, the respective figures being 27,450,712 bushels for 1908, com