The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-05-28
GENERAL NEWS
OF INDUSTRIES

Vi nILU
In the Luzerne court of common
pleas Saturday, in the damage suit Of
GeorIe Pickering against the Lehigh
and Wilkes Barre Coal company, the
jury returned a verdict awarding the
plaintiff $500 This case was one Of
uncommon Importance, and was fol-
lowed with keen interest by coal men
generally, Mr.. Pickering sought COM
pensation Oh account of the coal dust
arising from the Lance breaker in Ply
mouth, which is in close proximity to
his residence. Pickering was repres-
ented by Attorneys Bennett ana Nc
Gahren. Attorneys Palmer and Nc
Clintock appeared for the company.
Several other cases of a like nature are
pending. The result may revolutionize
the present dust tanning process and
compel all companies to use water and
steam to deaden the dust, which ia 80
successfully employed in the South
Wilkes-B IRE breaker Of the Lehigh
and Wilkes-Barre company.
One Of the most indefatigable work.
ers in this city, among those interested
in the anthracite trade. is A. +. Law.
secretary and treasurer of the business
interests Of Simpson g. Watkins. To
have intimate supervision of many OF
the details connected with the manage.
ment OF seven prosperous collieries,
enid NV nrnlrtu ~ h.. uInnnn thn haat
conducted mines anywhere, and to
bring 10 that task incessant attention
for eight years ID the record made by
Mr., Law; and in the opinion of his
friends it fully entities him to the brief
vacation which he proposes to TAXI ten
days hence, in the form OF u journey
across the water. Mr.. Law will pass a
scant fortnight in London, and will
then return. The main purpose Of his
voyage is to sniff the tonic ocean breeze
aud forget, for q time, business cares
which have for eight years deprived
him of any respite.
The fact has developed that the an.
thracite sales agents held an i'm.
promptu meeting a few days ago and
decided to increase production during
the second half of the present month
from 80 to 70 per cent, SO as to average
60 per cent. for the month, Reliable
authorities say that the coal which is
being mined is not going into stock,
but is being consumed by interests
which heretofore burned soft coal. 1t
is said that the months raturns will
show that stocks have decreased rather
than increased The sales agents meet
again tomorrow. The general opinion
is that prices will be advanced % cents
per ton.
There is a possibility that the Lee
high canal. which was severely injured
by the recent floods, may be abandoned.
To repair it will cost a large sum
many say larger than the canal is
worth as a means of revenue to the LIE.
high Coal and Navigation company. 1t
is recalled as O significant circumstance
that after the freshet of 1862 that part
Of the canal from White Haven to
East Mauch Chunk was abandoned.
Coal shipped by rail is a better revenue
maker than coal shipped by boat; and
the Lehigh Coal and Navigation COM
pany will not, it is believed, 90 to great
pains to preserve the water way which
bears its name.
Trouble is being experienced in Phil
adelphia to get an adequate supply of
bituminous coal. Steamship companies
are importing coal from Nova Scotia,
which adds about a dollar to the Ordin-
airy prices. West Virginia coal, which
usually sells for 50. rs, has brought as
high as So q ton. Anthracite coal is
expected to rise in price this week,
both on o Of the floods aud also
because of the scarcity of bituminous
coal. The Pocohontas operators are
the only ones that have any soft coal
and they are saving it for their own
trade. Very little Poeohoutas coal
reaches the Philadelphia market on ac-
count of the freight charges. 1t Is
handled by the Norfolk and Western
and is loaded on vessels at Norfolk for
direct shipment to New England.
Many Philadelphians who have been
using bituminous coal are now uaing
anthracite, particularly glass and
chemical manufacturers.
ULd.r the pains taking sup.
ervision of Richard P. Roth
well, the Engineering and Min.
ing Journal has just compiled the only
complete and thoroughly accurate tai le
Of statistics now available shown @ the
dimensions and growth of the mineral
industry In the United States during
the years 1892 and 1893. The labor in
volved in such a compilation and the
nicely Of calculation required to bring
out its varied and numerous points Of
popular interest are poorly understood
and for that reason little appreciated
by the average reader. Those who
have labored in that direction will I'M
derstand properly, value and marvel at
the efficiency of Mr.. Rothwsll's work.
The compilation demonstrates, among
other things, that during the year 1893,
American mineral and metal produc-
tion deprecated in value to the extent
Of $40, 900, 900. The mineral production
alone, although almost one-third
greater in value than the metal pro-
duet, decreased one.half as much. OF
the total decrease, over $50, 900, 900 was
in the decreased production aud shrink
age Of values in pig iron; 80, 900, 900
was in coke and SO, 900, 900 in bitumin-
Gus coal, both Of which were largely
due to the decline in pig iron produc-
In silver the decrease In value amount
cd to sc. 600. 900. In but few cases Was
there any increase. Anthracite coal
gained "a, 900, 900 in value, thus partly
offsetting the decline in bituminous.
and gold increased $4,000 0O.
The growth OF the mineral industry
of the United States, as indicated in
this compilation, has been so rapid as
to be wholly beyond comparison with
any other nation. Fifty years ago this