The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-08-28
GENERAL NEWS
OF INDUSTRIES

present condition was caused by the
enterprise Of Simpson & Watkins. who
are among the leading and most sue
eessful individual coal operators in this
section. Their knowledge of coal land
and OF mineral deposits was Of great
advantage to them in this in.
stance. Being confident that the
immense tract Of land extending
from the river to the top of the
mountain. and being over mile in
width contained valuable veins OF
coal which had not been operated.
they, while others wero negotiating,
secured the lease of the property from
the Lehigh Valley Railroad company,
the latter having become the control
ling owner at the death OF j. ID.
Swoyer. Before leasing the property,
however, and in order to make assur-
ance doubly sure, Simpson & Watkins
had number Of bore holes sunk, and
in every case the result Of the boring
more than surpassed their expectations
and satisfied them that their Judgment
Of the value Of the land had been cor
rect
Upon securing the lease the work Of
remodelling the two eolliOriss upon
the property was commenced and
prosecuted with vigor for the past
eight months. No expense was spared,
all the modern improvements were in.
trodueed into the collieries and mines.
new boilers were erected, new engines
and new care purchased, two new
shafts sunk and needed repairs made to
the collieriss, and when operations
were commenced over $500, 900 had
been expended in Improvements, all
of which are of substantial and
durable nature. calculated to resist the
ravagss Of time and use and be OF ser
vice for years to come.
Nothing but the best material was
secured for the improvements Miles
of steam pipe covered with asbestos
were laid, and thousands of feet Of
water pipe were placed in the mines as
protection against fire. Stirling
boilers of the most improved water
tube pattern were erected. Siegler
slate pickers. elevators, .conVertors.
new rolls and screens and other
modern improvements were supplied
for the breakers. and the coal prepared
for market at present is so carefully
cleaned that the inspector mas no rea-
son to object
The owners are gratified beyond
measure by the coal output. From the
start the coal has been of an sxcep-
tional quality and easily mined. Four
veins of coal undsrlie the fertile sur
face. They are the 11-foot vein, Of
which only about fifty acres have been
worked and from which $50 cars are
being daily mined; the two Ross veins,
81 feet and feet thick, respectively,
and the Red Ash vein from s to IA feet.
Tbis last vein was never worked and
was only reached few weeks ago. 1t
has exceeded the expectations of the
owners. The property covers an area
of about /, 400 acres, Of which 1850
acres is within the coal measure, and
conservative estimate by very careful
and reliable engineers fixes the amount
of coal the property will yield for mar.
ket at 20, OO0,0OO tons.
For many years the Pennsylvania
railroad has been awarding what is
called coal premium and which is in
reality bonus for coal saved under o
certain limit. The coal premium is
little known outside of engineers aud
firemen. but the system is an interest
ing one and annually saves the company
thousands OF dollars. at the same time
making 1t possible for engineers and
tiremen to increase their monthly sal
aries by practicing economy in the use
of fuel OH locomotives. The saving to
the Pennsylvania railroad was so ap-
parent that on May 1. 1887, the Penn
sylvania lines west introduced the sys-
tenn, which has been in vogue ever
since with good results 1t is practced
both in passenger and freight service
and the inducement offered by the
company has stimulated the men
TO save fuel wherever possible.
\ The limit Of coal allowed is placed at
Nour pounds Of coal per car mile, or, in
oeher words, the number Of cars multi
plies by the miles travelled, and that by
four, would give the number of pounds
of coal which, at the ouside, is deemed
necessary TO run train. This being
the limit, II has been found possible to
keep within this amount by economy,
and carefql fireman and a judicious
engineer may save over ton of coal
daily. For every hundred pounds OF
coal saved. within the limit. there Is a
bonus .Sfs "a .csnts allowed by the com.
pany, ~ father, Of this amount, the
engineer gets ,ons.fourth, the fireman
one.fourth and the company one.hslf.
This bonus may at first seem small, bui
1t has been demonstrated that the fire.
man and engineer can make $40 every
month in addition to their regular
salaries, at the same time saving $50
for the company by the coal bonus.
Many of the boys are doing this every
month on the Panhandle and Fort
Wayne.
1t is probable that the movement of
BARS over the Pennsylvania railroad at
Columbia will be the heaviest the pres
bnt month of any during the past
eighteen months. So far the cars
boueseN ~ sN"s pVihv skSiobhbOt hDuut
l200 day, exclusive of SUNDAYS. when
the movement is not over /, 500 ears.
: On this basis, however. providing the
Jame average is continued to the end OF
The month. which 10 deemed likely, the
number OF cars handled should reach,
in round figures. not less than 1870, 900.
This would be an increase of over 49,
300 over last month, and the heaviest
movement for nearly two years. bow
Il will offset earnings cannot be
Eaugsd, as the proportion Of loaded
,ars is no. known. That the effect
will bs beneficial is. Of coure, admitted,
md 1t is believed the eompany's earn
Ings for August will exceed those Of Z
rear ago.
MINOR INDUSTRIAL NOTES.
The Federal Council has approved the
lcheme submitted for Jura-Simplon rail
way tunnel through the Simplon. Th,
ost Of this work will be 81, 600, 900 francs
rhe plans will now be submitted for th,
approval of the Italian government.