Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-20
August Weather at the Bottom of the
Prevailing Dullness.
LATEST RAILROAD STATISTICS.
Scarcity of Coke Producing Alarm to
European Iron Manufacturers.
HOW TO MAKE BAD WATER HEALTHFUL

| stances d lusnluS udoe Is uot W oe eApecteu
The performance of routine. duties is abou
as much as the average man cares to e
through with. August is sort of middle
ground between the summer and the fall
business, affording weary brains and bodie,
an opportunity to recuperate. If men were
to go on the year round at high pressure
they would soon break down, enterprise
would languIs h, and the marvellous develop
ment of the country cease entirely, or go for
ward at a snail's pace.
Pittsburg is laboring under this depressing
influence. but to a less extent probably, than
any other city in the country. Still it is no
| ticeable in the smaller volume of transactions
as compared with previous months. There Is
no other reason for this thar the weather. In
ancient times it was said to affect the gods.
Jove's thunders were less ominous and the
assem- blies of the deities on Mount Olympus
were characterized by less vivacity. Money
Is plenty. The same people are here.
There is no scarcity of merchantable
com modities, and yet there is little de-
mand comparatively for the one or desire to
| do anything on the part of the other. The con-
ditions of trade have undergone no particular
change, certainly not enough to account for
| the general apathy.
Business is not fat on its back. There is a
great deal going on In the concrete. but there
is no snap in it. Nobody wants to expand, or
| do more than is necessary to keep things NOV
ing. This condition will soon pass away. Au-
tumn is near at hand. There is a crispness in
the air of September, as it comes down from
the snow-clad mountains and icy lakes and
rivers of the North-a suggestion OF frost and
good appetites-which makes men feel the
thrillings of a new life and gives them greater
capacity for work. 1t is gratifying to know
that the business men of Pittsburg are full Of
hope and faith in the future. which is full Of
promise Of greater things than they have yet
been called upon to do.
According to the introduction to Poor's
Manual of Railroads for 1889. just issued, the
total number of miles of railroad in the United
States at the close of 1888 was 156, 082 of which
7.02S miles were constructed during the year
the rate of increase being At per cent The
mileage of lines making returns of their share
capital and funded and floating debts equaled
154 6 against 117, 800 for 1857, the increase be.
ing 6.277 the rate Of increase being 424 per
cent.
The gross earnings or receipts of all the lines
(including elevated railroads) from which re-
turns were received for the year equaled $780,,
256, 20, of which $25l 356, ,l67 were received from
transportation of passengers; $3.50, ,200, ,723 from
transportation of freight; and SIS, SOS. $50 from
the transportation of mails and express matter,
profits of leased lines and other miscellaneous
sources of revenue. In the latter sum are in
cluded the gross earnings of elevated railroads.
The gross earnings of all the lines for the year
ending December 81, 1887, equaled s94O, 0702;
the increase for the year 1888 equaling s20, ,l05-
56S or 214 per cent
The number of persons transported in 1888 by
all the lines 45l 35s 655 against 42s 2255 5l3
fos 1887, the increase for the year being % l2S,-
l42, the rate of increase equaling 54 per cent.
The number of passengers carried one mile in
1888 equaled IL lso, ,5l3 679 against 1057o 9O67 no
for 1887, the increase equaling $40 306, $50 per-
sons carried one mile. the rate of increase
equaling very nearly per cent.
The number of tons of freight transported on
our railroads in 1888 equaled $50 S9S sl7, against
552074, ,752 tons in 1887, the increase equaling
81, ,3S 565 tons, the rate of increase being about
81 per cent. The value of the tonnage m owed
in 1888. estimating its value at SIS the ton.
equaled s14, ,63S. .957,9 ,925. The number of tons
transported one mile in 1855 equaled 20 423. .OO5-
9SS against 81. 56l, ,069, ,996 tons moved one mile
in 1887, the increase of service performed for
the year equaling SS6l ,935 992 tons moved one
mile. the rate of increase being about IA per
cent
1t is not only in England that the scarcity of
coke is causing serious inconvenience to iron
manufacturers. In Germany, Belgium and
France the limited supplies of the fuel are pro-
ducing something akin to CONSERVATION among
iron masters. 1t is in Germany. perhaps, that
the threatened coke famine has been most
severely felt, for in that country metallurgical
progress has. for some years past, been pro-
crossing by '1eaps and bounds" The demand
for coke has consequently grown proportion.
ately, but as little or no provision has been
made for this 'boom" in the German iron in
dustries the coke supplies fall far short of the
requirements of the iron masters.
This peculiar turn of affairs in the Father
land says the Iron and Coal Trades Journal
seems to have been reproduced In Belgium,
where the improvement In the iron trade has
recently become almost as pronounced as in
Germany. Though the price of coke in Bel
gium has not yet reached the figure that it has
touched in England, the advance is vet suffi-
ciently great to give cause for serious alarm to
the Belgian iron masters. Coke In the Liepe
district, we believe, is now quoted at about IS.
3D.. but for forward delivery as much as l4s. is
demanded, and l5s. has in some instances been
obtained. 1t is quite probable, however, that
the price will reach l6s. LIS. before the close
of the year, SO limited are the supplies at the |
present moment. 1t is no secret that some of |
the furnaces now out Of blast, both in Belgium |
and the Grand Duchy, would be put in opera |
tion tomorrow If only the needful coke supply !
were forthcoming. but that is now out of the |
question.
The erection of coke ovens involves consider |
able outlay, and uncertainty as to the duration |
Of the demand must necessitate extreme eau |
ton on the part of the coke manufacturers who |
are naturally chary of incurring expense, where |
the extent of the requirements may collapse at |
any moment 1t is true that up to the present
the demand for coke shows no signs of falling
of, thanks to the marvellous activity of the iron
trade abroad as well as at home, but that the
future is not viewed without misgiving is
shown by the fact that coke producers still re-
fuse to provide facilities for increasing their
output, although the indications favor the
that the demand for most descrip-
ions of iron is far more likely to increase than
diminish for some time to come.
The Iron Trade Revieto, of Cleveland, gives
ome excellent advice to these engaged in hot,
leavy work, in regard to the use of water to
lllay their thirst. 1t is especially applicable to
mill men. The RevfetO says:
I'm Pittsburg there is necessarily an immense
quantity of water drank, inasmuch as mill men |
must drench their innards, whereby to supply
he wherewithal for perspiration. The water
upplied the city from the two rivers is not
Iearly SO defective in purity as seusationalists
ave asserted; but, however that may be. il
ould be improved as q thirst allayer and at
he same time be- in q great measure made as
ealthful as the costly mineral springs waters.
his can be accomplished by the use of salt.
Enough salt in drinking water to be percepti.
lie to the taste removes the inslpidity and is
ot only wholesome, but tends to keep the
tomach and bowels in good order, When