511 
37 per cent more than in the highest pre-war year, 1913 (fiscal year), 
and slightly above the previous record figure of 1923. 
Table 3.—Freight Traffic of Class I Railways,! by Districts 
ear 
9147... 
015% 
BS 
Jom nwmn mmm 
1 eee 
925... 
‘er cent change 
from 1924__._._ 
Revenue freight originated (thousands | 
of tons) 
Total 
Eastern | 
Jouthern| Western | 
. 008, 460 
923, 428 
203, 367 
264, 016 
263, 344 
096, 111 
255, 421 
240, 183 
13, 745 
279, 030 
157, 208 
47,137 
450 
196, 101 
153, 741 
790, 301 
317, 844 
314, 704 
23, 811 
106, 786 
19, 674 
7,238 
07 892 
. -. 595 
331, 208 
174, 319 
164, 482 
196, 392 
1, 475 
216, 082 
24, 564 
24, 127 
17,258 
“586 
¥ 338 
338, 040 
315, 205 
116, 674 
134, 697 
132, 558 
377, 737 
4, 508 
43, 250 
©7919 
= 919 
£ 
181, 621 
42.3 
411. 4 
Ton-miles of revenue freight (millions) ! 
Total 
Eastern 
Southern, Western 
284, 025 
273, 913 
362, 444 
394, 465 
105, 379 
164, 203 
110, 306 
106, 840 
130, 285 
a7 
43,116 
(35, 643 
77,487 
187, 966 
190, 943 
70,118 
88, 518 
8, 503 
31,210 
13, 088 
", 039 
9, 730 
19, 524 
17,325 
31, 708 
38, 371 
72, 101 
34, 000 
6, 925 
9, 679 
‘9, 565 
1 705 
“5 
92, 285 
90, 945 
123, 251 
(38, 128 
142, 335 
30, 176 
44, 363 
08, 658 
18, 511 
27, 034 
36,025 
“49 460 
At 
n 
"4.7 
{ Includes all roads with an annual operating revenue exceeding $1,000,000; these account for about 93 
per cent of the nunber of tons originated and 99 per cent of the ton-mileage. 
? Year ended June 30; excludes some unassigned originating freight. 
Source: Interstate Commerce Commission. 
The tonnage of revenue freight originating in 1925 was 5 per cent 
greater than in 1924 and only 2.5 per cent less than in the peak year, 
1923. The increase over 1924 in the eastern and western districts 
amounted to 2.3 and 4.7 per cent, respectively, and in the southern 
district to no less than 11.4 per cent. The relative importance of 
the three districts has not changed greatly during the 10-year period 
covered in Table 3, although in recent years there has been some gain 
in the southern district at the expense of the eastern. 
While both tons originating and ton-miles are excellent indexes 
of railway traffic, neither presents an entirely accuratd picture. 
Statistics of tons originating somewhat understate the increase in 
volume of freight handled, since they do not take into consideration 
changes in the average length of haul, which has increased since pre- 
war years. On the other hand, an increase or decrease in the number 
of ton-miles does not necessarily represent a proportional change 
in the transportation burden imposed upon the railways. Neither 
“he revenue nor the expense of handling a shipment 200 miles is twice 
as much as for hauling it 100 miles. 
The ton-mileage of revenue freight carried by Class I railways 
during each month of 1925 exceeded that in the corresponding month 
of 1924 with two exceptions. Each of the last five months of 1925 
exceeded the corresponding months of 1923, the previous peak year. 
In absolute figures the eastern and southern districts showed almost 
equal ton-mileage increases; relatively, however, the southern dis- 
irict gained 11.7 per cent as compared with 5.7 per cent for the eastern 
district The increase in the western district was 4.7 per cent.