The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-11-03
RAIL ROADS
WAS A BIC MONTH
Western Freight Traffic in Oc-
tOber Showed Increase.
Shipments of Ore and Manufac-
tured Goods Were Heavy.

A general increase in freight traf-
fic on western railroads for October
indicates an advanced prosperity for
the nation, according to railroad
analysts of the west.
In addition to a steady growth in
grain movement that sent records
from the west and northwest well
ahead of October, 1914, the general
traffic movement for the month was
excellent. Ore shipments from the
west were heavy and the freight
movement from east to weSt-chiefly
manufactured gOods-showed a big
increase for the month.
Much of the traffic was of the long
haul class, as indicated by a COM
parison of car movement records. The
Missouri Pacific-Iron Mountain report
showed the total loaded cars from
own line sidings and connections was
12O,258 while the car movement,
counting the shifting of a car from
one division to another, was 451,564,
nearly four times as great. The roads
freight movement for October, eX-
ceeded by 1871 the number of cars
handled in October, 1914, and by g.
923 the cars handled in 1913, hitherto
the record for October.
St. Louis Reports.
st. Louis, Mo, Nov. 3.-Phenome-
nal freight movement, indicating a
great increase in the business of the
country, is indicated in the October
reports of the trunk railways which
have their general offices in st. Louis.
The freight movement on the Missouri
Pacific-Iron Mountain system for Oc-
tober. 1915, was the heaviest in the
history of the road, exceeding by 1928
loaded cars the number of cars
handled in October, 1913-the pre-
vious record mOnth--and by 3,7S1 the
number of cars handled in October,
1914. The total number of loaded
cars received from Gown line" sidingS
and from connections during Octo-
Der, 1915, was 100, 25S; and the car
OVementS-cOunting as a separate
movement the shifting of a car from
one division to another-waS 451, 656.
This number, nearly four times the
number of initial car movements, in
dicates that the long haul traffic was
heavy. Not until october were the
car movements for a single day l 600.
Last month, however, on four days,
the 10000 mark was passed-on Oc-
tober %, October %, october % and
October 80.
Reports for % days in October
showed that the St. Louis and San
Francisco railroad handled $3.50 more
loaded cars than for the entire month
of October in 1914 and 919 more cars
than for the full month of September,
1915.
The October traffic movement of
the Missouri, Kansas and Texas, how
ever, showed a decrease over that of
October, 1914. This was attributed to
the fact that the cotton movement has
been late and also to the grain move
ment from the southwest. This tar
diness is attributed to exceptional
market conditions.
Union Pacific.
Omaha, Neb., Nov. 3.-Freight
traffic for October showed a material
increase over previous months, accord
ing to a statement issued by A. L.
Mohler, president of the Union Pa
cific railroad.
IT attribute this said Mr.. Mohler,
largely to the unusually wet summer
which delayed grain shipments; the
closing of the Panama canal by slides;
the exceptionally large fruit crops and
to somewhat increased movement of
coal. A considerable part of the in
crease is in west-bound freight which
canal"