Evening journal., 1892-04-25
THE READING COMBINE.
How 1t Has Already Affected
the Country.
THOUSANDS OF MEN ON HAIF TIME


Per Cent.-Enect Of the Pennsylvania
Railroads Fight Against Its Rival
New YoRK, April 25-The Herald says; |
When the clever gentlemen Of Philadelphia |
and New York devised and carried out the |
Reading deal they laid a heavy hand upon
all the industrial and material interests Of
the east. The results OF tie'ir performance
are Just beginring to appear. The combi-
nation has been in active existence three
weeks. In the great Lehigh Valley coal
region it has thrown G0,OOO men out Of their
employment half Of the time. In the
fiourishing cities Of the lower valley it has
deprived 1900 workmen Of half Of their en-
ployment and saved from their wages
S75,O 600
An Advance In Price Certain.
It's restriction of the coal product is a sure
forerunner Of the coming advance OF coal
prices, which is to increase the cost Of man
ufacturing in all the eastern states, the
price Of manufactures for the whole coun-
try and the cost of living for the people of
New York. The only cause for all this dis
turbance Of business and misfortune TO the
make an Improbable railroad pay excessive
dividends for two other railroads which 1t
has no right 20 possess.
At Packerton, which is the first station
below Mauch Chunk, the Dehigh Valley
sorts and makes up all its coal trains from
the various brances in the mountains In
the yards and the repair shops are 500 en-
ployees, who formerly received about 5000
week. Now they are receiving only $3.50
| At Delano are 40 repair shop hands who
| formerly received 81, 600 a week Now they
are receiving 81 200. AT Weatherly there
are 400 shop hands, whose $4,000 week has
been cut TO S2 600 At Wilkesbarre there
are 80 shop hands, whose s., 500 a week has
been cut TO 81, $50 At Hazleton there are
| 800 shop hands, whose 5000 has been cut
| TO $500. At Mahanoy City there are 300
shop hands, whose $1,000 week has been
cut TO 81 900 At Sayre there are 400 shop
hands, whose $4,000 has been cut 10 5000
Total number Of shop hands and train
shifters on the Lehigh Valley system thrown
out Of work half the time, 2,i5O. Total
weekly reduction Of expenses on this item
alone about s2l 600
This has been going on three weeks.
| Total saving affected ON this item, 100000.
Adding what has been saved from train
I
say, $1,000
But take So, 600 every three weeks from
the business of the cities along the valley
largely dependent upon the railroads aud
railroad men, and II is no wonder that the
people are alarmed. From one end Of the
valley to the other there are feelings Of dis
may and disgust. In the mining towns
where every kind Of trade hangs absolutely
upon miners wages, the result Of a 80 per
cent. reduction in those wages is simply
paralysis.
what the Rise May he.
3 Coal is about ten cents a ton higher thar
year ago on an average, taking in al
grades This is not enough to pay the com
binatiOn for its trouble II would be bu
100000 on a total output of 5O,OOO,OO0, o.
$S75, 900 for the combination. The genera
belief is that the advance win be twenty-five
} cents when made. That would mean in
, creased receipts on every ton Of coal mine
and sold over 1891 Of thirty-fve cents a ton
An increase like that would mean fortun
every month. Let us consider that the out
put for May will be restricted 2, 500, 900 tons
OF this the combine" considers itself en-
! titled 70 mine and sell ,S75, 900 tons II th
price during May is advanced twenty-hv
cents then the increased revenue Of the COS
combine and the operators it controls wi
! amount 10 SGi6, $50.
The only obstacle in the way, so far a
the local trade can see, is the attitude Of th
, | Pennsylvania in making the reduction
I freight a week ago.
! To Make Coal Scarce. EYF7
One Of the largest middlemen, in speal
( | ing of the situation, said: II do not kno'
whether or not the Pennsylvania can pr
vent the advance In the price Of coal
they do, it is only TO hurt the combine fC
4 the present The Pennsylvania has bee
y left out Of the deal. They want TO get in !
q As soon as they are in position to dictat
8 terms we will see them accept the term.
q then every thing VIII be at peace and a
4 the companies viii divide the profits. Bu
q that is far in the future. Now, you kno'
that the favorite way Of the combine
n keep up prices will be TO make coal scarce.
4 "They will simply stop mining all throug
the anthracite region in order 10 restriC
production. OF course the per cent {
output which has been allowed the Penn
sylvania is not enough to seriously distur
/, the market even if sold lower than combine
u tion coal is sold, but it is not likely il woul
be sold lower But If the mines which tt
9 the Pennsylvania reaches continue on fu
< time while the combination mines are SHIT
| uoWu ~ az W Ahibot9 lutietAcc bhe tuhHl
:, vania percentage, that would stir things u
d and keep the combination just where Il
Pennsylvania recent cut in freight tolls r
Gently threw it."
The Herald says that when the owners
ls the Improbable Philadelphia and Readin
e railroad got possession Of the Lehigh Vale
r and the Central OF New Jersey they qua
a anteed large dividends on the stocks Of II
D. consolidated lines. To secure the none
n for these dividends, TO say nothing Of Il
interest on bonded debts and other matter
Il is necessary that the three roads be MAD
10 earn very much more than they hay
: earned heretofore, hence the cut down
h time at various shops and mines and Il
: limitation OF the coal output.
"a The Herald says that the next step vi
be TO lay the whole country under tribut
increase the cost Of manufacturing an
therefore the price Of manufactures and aC
TO the expenses Of every household in u
- - eastern states. The depressing fact abol
= all this is that il can serve no other end b.
the enrichment Of few men already 4
10 beyond the possible reach Of want.
Thirty French soldiers Drowned.