The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-08-14
GENERAL NEWS
OF INDUSTRIES

anu lls expectations are not being eX-
cssded In current business. From the
south comes the report that one large
producer secured an advance OF 30
cents In recent sales, but this is Offset
by some cutting from quoted rates by
esrtain western producers Of foundry
iron Eastern consumers OF Bessemer
are In the market, but have not yet
been able to get Pittsburg producers to
meet their ideas. Sales at Pittsburg
are of small volume, with prices ap-
proximatsly at valley basis of S11 for
deliveries three months ahead. Buyers
who ordinarily enter the market for
round lots OF Dillets have confined
themselves to small contracts of late,
the condition OF the billet market. as
we'll as that Of BeSsemer pig, making 1t
out of the question for buyers and sell
ers to agree in their forecast OF the
next three months. Latest Pittsburg
transactions indicate less firIhness in
billets. with nearly all the mills III
Plttsburg and Wheeling districts run
ming to full capacity. With q tariff
bill substantially agreed upon, as now
seems to be the fact, thsre may be an
attempt to emerge from the uncertain
ty that has SO long bound business.
The final disposition of iron ore and
ether items Of interest to the iron trade
bodies no Improvement in prices, to say
the least, if latest reports as to terms
Of agreement are to Ge accepted"
General Manager Henderson, of the
Reading Coal and Iron company, says,
IN response to 3 request for information
regarding the report that readjust-
ment of anthracite percentages Is con-
ysmplated: There is nothing unusual
now going on. The anthracite mana
gers are continually agitatiug this
question. At present there is no intsn-
tion OF adopting radical measures. At
ihs meeting Of the anthracite coal sales
agents, TO bs held this month, 1t Is
probable that the question of readjust-
msnt will be discussed, and the mana
gers Of the anthracite companies will
then consider 1t. 1t is true, as stated,
that President Harris ID opposed to a
reduction of the Readings allotment,
and think it can be said that be will
not consent to 1t. 1t Ia foolish to ssy
shat because the company mined 2O3
per cent Of total last month, when
only seventeen colieriss were working,
ahat its regular allotment should not
exceed twenty-one per cent. l think
that ia reason for giving the Reading
larger allotment All the collisries
have been closed for the balance OF the
week, and n number Of them will be
closed next week"
For the year ended June 80 the Illi-
nois Central railroad reports gross
earnings of $50, 357 ,464, an Increase Of
$562, 274; expenses, $'4,S69, 4l6, an in
crease Of $S5, 4S2; and net, 80, 2SS, ,O4S,
an increase of $476,7 792. For the six
months ended June 80 the Nickel Plate
road reports gross earnings of $685.
O75 a decrease of $G06, 1853; expenses,
g. 215 296, decrease of 1914. 527; aud
net 1922, no a decrease Of $352, 226
For the first week Of August thu Wab-
ash road earned $277, 900, an increase of
$4,000; Texas Pacific, 500, 395, an in
ereass Of $11,30S; Canadian Pacific,
1850, 900, q decrease Of $780, 600; and
Toledo, Ann Arbor and North Michi-
gan, $2l, 260. an increase Of 1867
The submarine torpedo boat project
has again come to the front, The
board Of naval bureau chiefs have bssn
looking into the past action of the de-
partment and has taken steps to have
the construction bureau examine the
plans for the Holland boat and report
on their feasibility. There is an ap-
preparation OF 5000, 900 available from
last years appropriation bill for this
purpose, but the ordinance officers,
who carefully examined three COM
petitive designs for this underwater
craft. decided that they were impracti
cable. and, moreover, would be of no
service were they operative. because of
lack OF light under the water to navi-
gate them,
Statement of shipments Of anthra-
cite coal Approximately for week
ended Aug. 4, compared with the COR
responding period last year:
Differ.