Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-01
FREIGHT TRAFFIC
SLUMPS COMP AIRED
Present Trend Differs Widely
From Conditions Noted in
1921 Depression.

'"rhe trends Of freight traflc during
the depression Of 1s21-22 and Of
19sO-31 have differed in an interesting
way says the Railway Age. The
number Of tons carried mile is the
true measure Of the volume of freight
business, and statistics of ton mileage
are now available for the first Ave
months of 1881.
Freight business in 1920 set Q new
high record. The number of tons car
ried mile in the first FIVE months
of 1921 was 81 n per cent less than IN
the first five months of 1920 In the
entire year 1921 ton mileage was %
per cent less than In 1920. In 1929,
the second year Of the last depression.
ton mileage was only IL per cent less
than in 1920 Business began to I'M
prove early in 1922. and. in spite Of
serious strikes m the railways and
elsewhere. had become almost normal
At the end of the year.
New Nigh Record IN 1929.
The volume of freight movement
also set a new high record In 1929. In
the first Ave months of 1880 II vas only
IN per cent less than in the CORE
SpUluulE FlCIliHS w 1919. OuH III IIS
entire year 1880 was - per cent less
than In 1929 In the frst FIVE months
Of 1881. however, ton mileage was rs
per cent less than in the fret Ave
months Of 1929
The worst Of the depression Of
1922, as the foregoing facts show
was during the first wear Of II. In the
depression Of le30-31 the hrst wears
decline Of freight business has been
followed thus far by a second years
decline Of much greater severity How
ever, there Is not much difference rela-
tivelv thus far in the total effects pro-
duced by the two depressions on freight
business, the loss Of II per cent in
freight volume In 1880 having been
exceeded by the loss Of 10 per cent In
1922, while the loss Of % per cent in
1921 has thus far been exceeded By
the loss Of 26 per cent in 1881.
utetandins Differences.
The most outstanding difference
has been between the lengths Of the
periods during which freight business
has shown no substantial signs of re-
vtval In the depression of 1922
II began to increase after having been
abnormally small for only IA months
while in June, 1881. the tventv-tfird
month since carloadings began to de-
cline, they showed relatively the largest
decline during any month Of the pres
ent depression Since the middle Of
June los dings have shown tendency
TO improve. but this tendency has been
too slight as yet to warrant any op-
tlmlstic forecasts.
In May carloadings we're only one
tenth Of ] per cent greater than IN
May. 1921 hut later statistics show
that the volume Of trafFlc, as measured
by ton miles, was 50 per cent greater
than In Nav, 1921 In June carload
ings were actually 4 per cent less than
in June, 1921, but apparently the ton
mileage did not quite decline TO what
IT Uas in June, 1921, In the first Ave
months of 1891 carlosdings we're only
~ per cent greater than in the corre-
spending part Of 1921, but ton mile
age was 10 per cent greater The
volume of freight business, measured
both by the number Of tons hauled and
the average length of haul per ton.
has. therefore. not as vet declined TO
what II was in 1921"