Show Railroad Freight Traffic I Breaking All Records In History of U S Business Carriers Transporting Even More Than in War Var Time Cars Are Being Loaded More Heavily Million a Week Average Dy fly HARDEN IL COLFAX Special Corre of ot The Tho lx Standard Copyright ht 1926 Consolidated Press PreB Association GrO Sept IS 18 Mea 18 Meas Meat Measured by freight traffic being handled by th the railroads this Ithe Is the most moat active business year ear ln In tho history of ot th the United state Stales All previous trans transportation n records Lords have been smashed thus far And 0 as tho lh carriers carrier approach the tho season when In former former years cr crap p movements movement plus coal move move- movements ments plus ordinary traffic usually u ally u-ally ally spelled car shortage they have havo what promises e to b be an ade ade- ade adeQuate adequate Quate supplY of ot equipment avail abl able to tG meet orders with no In Indication In- In Indications of ot a famine In any dis district dIs- dIs dIstrIct EXCEED LIST ST YI R Figures Fleure mode made mad available this week reports report submitted lIy by bythe byth the carriers carrier to the th American rail nail Railway railway way association and affiliated or- or organizations or elmow how that loadings of revenue freight In the tho th tint first eight months of ot 1926 l were mor more than 32 per cent ahead of ot thos those for lor the period of ot 1925 25 which In turn exceeded 1124 1924 by 54 per rt tent cent and 1322 1923 by 27 21 percent per percent r cent Were Vero business conditions paral paral- parallel parallel lel lei each year ear there there would bo be b some or increase In freight movement each year ear due du to growth to In population but the tho tb peaks peak and val val- val valley Icy ley of ot commerce throw such ouch uch con- con out of Joint An In- In Increase In crease of ot 11 In th the num number num- num number be ber of ot car care can loaded with freight which pay pays payo Its way In th the period perlo from January 1 I to September 4 this year over th the tho lame samo am period of 1925 1923 which In Itself woe w a I re- re remarkable re year Indicate Indicates nothing less leas than greatly really increased activity activity It ity In business THAN TIL WAR WAIL TI TIME m mAt At no time during the tho th World war were vero American railroad called upon to f handle handl th the tho vast vat volume volum of freIght now being belne transported In- In Ind Indeed deed d ed war records were low com corn compared compared pared to tho those established since The peak of ot railroad freight move move- movement movement ment In what hat might hs termed theold the theold theold old days day was wa reached during the tho piping boom months month of ot 1120 1920 the th year yar the th carriers carrier were returned by bythe bythe byth the government nt to private privat control and ond In tn which war post Inflation stretched itself beyond the th danger point and burst transport In 1920 th the tho railroad transported car cars care of ot revenue freight freigh Readjustment during during- 1921 1321 caused a drop to cars Partial recovery reco In 1922 saw core cars loaded much better beller times time In 1923 brought a new v high record of There Ther was a II slight 10 ro- ro ce cession slon to In 1924 then along came 1925 with a a II leap to Li 51 51 It If freight loadings continue dur- dur during Ine dur-Ine Ing th the tho lat last third o of 1926 1920 In pro proportion pro pro- proportion portion to thosa of th the first eight months months tit It wilt will mean th that t th tho rail railroads roads will transport this thi year yar oJ- oJ almost al almost most moot a half halt carload of freight for every man woman omon and ond child In Inthe inthe the United States State MILLION WEEKLY During the tho th first 36 weeks week tills this year eor th the railroads railroad loaded cars with revenue freight This fe 10 only less lees than th the to total to- to total total tal for tor th the tho full 12 months month of or 1921 Taking a as a measuring Inc Ing rod business In this thin year of grace graco Is almost 50 per cent more active than In tho th year oar ot of do- do depression de depression 19 1921 21 The Tho Th showing Is made mad more mor re- re remarkable re by the th fact that nt not only are ore more mor cars being loaded with freight this year than ever before but each car Is la being load load- loaded loaded ed mor more heavily on th the 10 that th tho tonnage Increase 1 than th the car fIgures Indicate A remarkable showing Is 18 being made by the th movement of ot general merchandise In than carload lots carload lots Iota and ond by traffic In miscella miscellaneous freight In la carload shipments ship ship- shipments hip ments ments these theBO two classifications In I general manufacture manufactured 1 products Both Doth ar are far tar ahead of any previous year on record thus tar far LIVESTOCK Ll LAGGING L Coal cok coke and or ore ora hav have been loaded In larger quantities during the first eight months of o 1920 than In any ony corresponding period excepting that of 1923 Forest products u are ar about equal to the 1924 period but behind 1923 and 1925 the livestock movement has been lagging lag gln b being lne th the lowest lowet In five year years Th The train rain and grain products loadings hav have exceeded my any recent year excepting 1122 1922 Th The week ended September 4 showed th the highest revenue car loadings of ot freight of any week weel In any ony year Railroad management Is In or these records would not have hav been boen b en set let et The Th dally average movement of cars care car Is I 21 27 miles longer loner than even last year Care Caro ar are being handled through ter terminal ter- ter minal loaded end and nil unloaded quick quick- quicker quicker er tr Mor Moro More use la is I being belne made ado of low 10 lo locomotives with a reduction In fuel consumption at th the tho came rame cam time Limo Yet Yet th the railroads railroad on th the average ge I ore are not earning the th 76 per cent cen return on their Investment fixed by the Interstate talo tat Commerce Com Com- CommIssion Commission Com mIssion as a fair Latest show how that for tor the th seven months this years class 1 railroads had a return at ot the th annual rate rato rat of per cent That the tho th record movement move move- movement movement ment o of freight this hi year yea mean means something to th the carriers carrier how however v rI Is shown by tho the fact that for tor the same sarno nio period o of 1925 th the rate rat of return wa was 6 per cent |