The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1916-09-27
GROWTH
OF Export Trade In Rail Equipment
Made In Year Is Large-lncrease
In Value Amounts 10 Nearly
100 Per Cent.--Financial
Leaders Predict Vast
Expansion Of Car
rierS

thorities In Washington report that
the money value OF materials entering
into the construction and operation of
railways which were exported in the
twelve months ending June 90, were
SIS, OOO,O 900.
The Significance contained In these
fiugres is discovered when comparison
Is made with earlier exports. For in
stance, in the preceding fiscal year
American manufacturers of railway
material and equipment sold to other
nations commodities of that kind of
the money value of little under $40,-
100000 Therefore, in a year the In
crease in exports of this kind is nearly
100 per cent.
Presumably there will be heavier
export of commodities of this kind in
the present fiscal year and It will be
continued after the European war is
ended.
France Makes Inquiries
France has had representatives in
the United States who have been max
ing inquiry respecting railway equip
ment, and Russia will need and proba-
bly, will buy very large amount of
equipment of this kind, since that ma
ton will depend chiefly upon the Unit
ed States not only for the repairing
of her railroads, but for new construc-
ton.
The growth of our export trade In
railway supplies is assorted with the
development of the great foreign sales
departments of the leading industries
in the United States. Before these
departments were organized, we ex-
ported little il any railroad supplies
excepting to Canada and to Cuba.
Years ago, the elevated railroad sys-
tens of New York were operated by
little locomotive engines, and it was
with Russell Sage, the chief obstacle
to the changing of the elevated rail-
road operateing methods from loco
motives to electricity, that If this were
done a greet number of locomotives
would be sent to the scrapheap. Mr..
Sage was mistaken. These locomo-
tives found markets in all parts of the
world. Some of them operate in Cuba
and some are reported to be operat-
| ing railroads in Brazil. This was the
first heavy export of American loco
motives.
In the frscal year of 1916. our loco
motive manufacturers sold to foreign
countries locomotives of the money
whereas in the fiscal year of 1914 the
value. round numbers, of $12,6OO,OOO
money value of locomotives sold to
other countries was only $3,7OO,OOO.
Meet Severe Competition
Our manufacturers also are selling
in large amounts engine parts of all
kinds, and were able in South America
TO meet severe English competition for
material of that kind. The chief item
in our export of railroad supplies in
the fiscal year of 1916 was railroad
cars-curiously enough a considerable
part or which went to Europe. These
were all freight cars. Our money
value of the export of railway cars
for the fiscal year ending June 80
was $26,600,000, round numbers, and
this was more than twice as much as
the money value of the exports for the
fiscal year of 1914.
American steel rails have gained
great favor in some parts of the world
This equipment has been one of the
chief epochs of the foreign sales de7
partment placing in foreign markets
commodities. A little
more than so years ago the United
States was importing all Of its steel
rails. The Pennsylvania Railroad was
the first railroad company to impor;
steel rails, and the consignment which
~ iCSciNSu rum NlShl DIiNdiu Oll lidt
first order was laid upon the road
bed of part Of the Pennsylvania sys-
TEN that went to Pittsburg.
Now the United States is competing
with England in the markets Of the
world for rails, and the manufacturers
sold in the year 1916 rails of the
money value of nearly $4,000. 900
more than they sold in the fiscal year
of 1914.
II is the belief in the financial dis
trict that after the European war has
ended the United States will be called
upon to furnish railroad equipment
and supplies. the aggregate amount OF
which will be very large and win con-
stitute one of the chief items In our
list OF exports.
TO Sell Electric Engines
In South America and in Russia we
are sure to sell many electric locomo-
tlves. The success OF the test made
by the Northern Pacific Railroad Com
pany in eQuipping nearly $50 miles of
its track with electric apparatus. the
section extending over four ranges of
mountains, has reached the ears of
South American railroad builders
Both the locomotive plant at Pittsburg
have obtained large business in South