Las Vegas optic., 1913-09-23
\ TRAFFIC loss
west OF THE
MISSOURI
BUT RAILROADS ARE cHEERED
BY A BIG INCREASE EAST
or THAT STREAM

VT I tn OitR-FNW
Traffic returns are showing in
creases east Of the Missouri river, and
losses west, according to findings of
the New York Evening Post. This is
due to the rush of grain in Kansas,
Nebraska and Oklahoma being over
and to its increase in Iowa, Illinois,
and in the northwest Loadings on
all roads, taking the aggregate, show
substantial gains over last year. when
they were decidedly heavy A crafty
ing feature is the increase in the
movement Of merchandise and miscel-
laneous freight, and prospects of a
good movement Of grain from now on.
The latter, however, depends a great
deal upon prices, as farmers are dis
posed to hold corn at around 70 cents
in Illinois for both old and new.
There is less of a pessimistic feeling
as regards future business in the cen
trail west while in the northwest
where the wheat crop is an average
one, following the record yield oflast
year, the feeling in general is good
except in sections of South Dakota
end North Dakota, where crop losses
were serious
The outlook for the corn crop is no
better than two weeks ago, and future
business in some respects does not
promise anything big, but indications
are that there will be an unusually
wide distribution of grain from sec
tions having a surplus, to those where
failure or a partial failure exists.
Indications point to a decrease in
earnings on some Of the roads this
month. as compared with last year
A traffic official on ono road says
this is due to a falling off in the grain
movement west Of the Missouri river,
which has not been overcome by the
increase in the states east Of it or by
sufficient enlargement Of the merchan-
disc and miscellaneous traffic. An
enlargement in the coal business is
reported on nearly an roads. On the
Illinois Central the lumber business
shows the best increase. On the San
ia Fe total loadings last week were 2
per cent larger than last year, gains
being mainly in live stock, lumber and
greatly to the surprise of railroad Of.
ficials. refrigerator freight from the
Pacific coast is showing gains, and
the outlook for the fruit crop there
lis satisfactory
Conservatism prevails among job
bers and manufacturers, but there is
the regular seasonable gain in busi-
ness that usually comes at this time
in the central west, and dry goods
iobbers say that where some cancel
lations were made in the states west
of the Missouri river last month, they
have in numerous instances been rein
stated by interior distributors.
A good business in grain passed
over western railroads last week,
there being an increase in deliveries
at Chicago Of LS6O,OOO bushels, or IS |
per cent more than the previous 1
week. decrease Of $4,000 bushels,
or 81 per cent from last year, but an
Increase Of 100000 bushels, or 24.S
per cent as compared with the aver
age for the past five years, Wheat re- !
ceipts decreased 129, 900 bushels, while /
corn made the best showing in recent |
years, and gained 1,459,OOO bushels
for the week, and oats showed gain /
Of 10000 bushels. The wheat deliv
cries were $4,000 bushels less than
last year and oats were off 106S,OOO /
bushels, but corn made a gain Of
$4,000 bushels.
The northwest had the best Of 1t in
the grain traffic last week, getting 20
per cent. The Rock Island was sec
ond with 16 per cent. The Burlington
secured IA, st. Paul and Illinois Cen
trail had 1S per cent each. The Great
Western 6, Alton and Santa Fe 4, and
the Wabash and Eastern illinois 9 per
cent each.