Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-13
AN IMPORTANT DEAL.
Thirty-four Acres Secured for a Race
Track and Training Station.
A ROUND MILLION IN HOUSES.
Inside Information Concerning the Plans
of the East End Syndicate.
EASTERN MONEY SEEKING INVESTMENT

A real estate deal of some Importance was
consummated yesterday. A prominent
horse trader, who passes much of his time
in Pittsburg, purchased "a acres between
Shields station and Leetsdale, down the
Fort Wayne Railroad, for which he paid
$210 an acre. He proposes to enclose it in a
substantial fence, lay out a race track, and
put up suitable buildings for boarding and
training horses. He has several more plants in
different parts OF the country, but will dispose
of them and concentrate his business here.
The land upon which the Stewart Booth
Flinn-Magee syndicate is building, or about to
build. 200 houses is part of the old Negley
estate, the venerable mansion-she birthplace
and home of several generations-being used
as boarding house for the workmen. All the
houses will be irst-class, and the material
brick which will be furnished by the COM
pany's own works. situated on the back part Of
the ground. They have Is buildings well un-
der way, some under roof. Permits for these
were taken out on Saturday, the law in this re-
spect appearing to be elastic enough in some
cases. at least, to allow Of the taking out per-
init after the building has been commenced or
even nearly completed.
Five of the Is houses front on Negley ave-
nue. and ten on Stanton. The rest Of the 200
will be in the immediate vicinity. The policy of
the syndicate is to keep Is or 20 houses going
all the time. As fast as one set Is completed
another will be commenced 1t is the intention
to finish as many as possible this season and
the rest next spring. The entire cost will be
about 81, 100000 The Hiland Park Railroad,
chartered a few days ago, will pass within a
square Of this property, and will leave Negley
avenue-one OF the handsomest drives of the
city-unobstructed.
The common 'cow-catcher" attachment to a
locomotive is about the only article of univer-
sal use that was never patented. 1t was in
vented by d. B. Davies, of Columbus. o.. still
living and quite aged. He borrowed the idea
from the mold board of the pillow which is used
to throw the soil to one side. but was so busy
he neglected to patent it until 1t was too late.
1t is in use to-day as originally invented by Mr..
Davies, without deviation or change from the
original plan, and has saved millions of dollars
to railroad companies and probably thousands
of lives, but not penny to the inventor. Red
lights on trains were adopted on the suggestion
of the late Mrs. Swisshelm, after an accident
in which she had o narrow escape.
Twenty six mortgages did very well for blue
Monday. The largest was for sS,O0O and the
next in size for 5000. A gentleman who does
a large amount of this kind of business re-
marked: Business in mortgages shows some
shrinkage when COMPARED with last month
While there is considerable home money avail
able for this purpose, it is not inexhaustible.
This is shown in the hardening of rates. A
month or two ago ~ or per cent was COM
mon. Now it is almost impossible to get rate
lower than and tax. l understand there is
some Eastern money floating around at ~ and
l%I,, s& sa ha;,, n1a har or,1f -,
small amounts at those figures. I look for
per cent to be the ruling rate when business
opens up in the fall"
The Ohio Inspector of Mines reports the
amount of coal mined in Ohio for 1883 at 10 297,-
sos tons. This is an increase of more than 600,-
900 tons over 1887 and 2 479. 500 tons more than
was mined in 1885, In other words, the product
of Ohio coal mines has increased over 30 per
cent IN the past two years. In view of the ap-
pearance of natural gas fuel in many sections
of the State, this is considered a remarkable
showing, and indicates the satisfactory quality
of Ohio coal. Ohio ranked second among the
coal producing States in 1887, but in the past
year Illinois has taken second place and Ohio is
third. Pennsylvania being first. During the
year So mines were opened in Ohio, % sus-
pended operations and IA were worked out or
leaving net gain for the year of Is
sSs
To obtain cool, fresh air and other comforts
deemed indispensable to the summer season, it
is not necessary to take a long journey from
home to the seaside or mountains. They can
be found almost anywhere in the suburbs. A
prominent real estate broker realized this fact
SO fully that he built a cabin in the woods in
the vicinity of Swissvale, where he and his
family have been living for several weeks He
says it heats the fashionable resorts out of
sight. There is a freedom about such a life
that is infinitely more enjoyable than the re-
straints imposed by fashionable society His
children enjoy it immensely. The expense is
trifiing. This gentleman's experience may be
Of service to those who are wondering where |
they will spend the rest of the dog-days.
Sixty years ago railroads were unknown in |
this country, and the population of the United |
States consisted of 100000 people. To-day |
we operate upward of 165000 miles of railroad |
and our population has increased to 65,OOuOOO. |
Sixty years ago the aggregate wealth of the |
United States was less than 81 600 OOO OCO: at |
present 1t is estimated at $4,000, ,OOO OOO Over
Dur l65, 900 miles of railroad there was carried
asst year 475 600 900 people, and COO 600 900 tons
If freight were transported. Upon these lines |
ire engaged 100000 employees Their eauip-
nent consists of 10000 locomotives. 2l 600 |
cars, ZeO0 baggage cars and ], ,00O, 600
reight cars. The capital invested in construc-
ion and equipment amounts to 81, 600, 600 900,
Ind the yearly disbursements for labor and sup |
,lies exceed 6O0,O00,00O.