The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-11-26
NINE, MILL AND RAILROAD.

Conflicting reports are in eircula- |
tion as to what was done at last Fri
days meeting of the railway presi-
dents In Philadelphia, at which Mr..
Maxwell, of the Jersey Central; Mr..
Wilbur, of the Lehigh Valley; Mr. Har-
ris, of the Reading, and Mr.. Roberts,
of the Pennsylvania railroads, dis
cussed measures for the Improvement
of the antracite coal trade. The In
quirer says not much progress was
made. 1t adds: 1.-THE Lehigh Valley
is tied up by its contracts with indi-
vidual producers, which have not been
very profitable, and their aggressive at
titude and possible appeal to the Inter
state Commerce commission are very
important factors in the situation. 1t
is understood that another meeting Will
be held in New York, at which the |
presidents of the anthracite companies
doing business in that city will be pres
ent." The Record prints rumor that
the great coal railroad companies had |
agreed between themselves to an aban-
donment of the Mcleod plan of buying |
producers coal and to the substitution
therefor of fixed rates of freight to all !
points, thus leaving the sale price to |
be settled by each producer with his |
own customers while the railroad COM |
panies will adjust freight rates so as TO |
absorb to themselves a greater profit |
than they have been receiving within |
the last few months. In this way 1t |
was contended that the railroads could, |
through united action, speedily pro-
n af ba imam
gurated by individual operators" The |
Times, after reviewing the subject ut
length, announces that ION Tuesday |
next the sales agents will hold their
regular monthly meeting in New York,
and 1t Is thought that some definite
plan of action will then be proposed, |
the secret meetings of last week simply
being preparatory to final adjustment
of the trouble at the meeting" An |
other Philadelphia paper says that
"the absence of representatives of the
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western,
and the Delaware and Hudson railroads
prevented the reaching of any agree
ment."
Despite Mr.. Wanamaker's qualified
denial, the Philadelphia Press reiter-
ates that John Wanamaker is candl
date for the presidency of the Lehigh
Valley railroad company, passively, If
not actively. 1t says: Demand is to
be made within a few days upon the
Lehigh Valley Railroad company by
those who are opposed to the present
management for a copy of the stock
Oh L., a l., 4. t.,
than probable that the courts will be
asked to intervene. The request for
this list Is to be made by parties in
this city and New York as well. In a
few days u meeting Of a number of
prominent stockholders is to be held for
the purpose of organizing a committee
with view of making fight in the
coming election" Notwithstanding
this, Scrantonians who are close to
Mr.. Wilbur ridicule the idea that his
tenure of the office is in danger. There
are kickers in all companies, they say.
This talk of opposition, in their opin-
Ion, is merely the expression of few
dissatisfied ones.
MINOR INDUSTRIAL NOTES:
Chicago coal dealers say they do not
expect any advance in the price of coal
at this time.
The Leesport, Pa, Iron company's
plant will soon resume, after an idleness
OF several years.
The Pennsylvania Railroad company
is experimenting with new style loco
motive, which, it is said, can make 100
miles an hour
President Miller, Of the st. Paul, in
letter to the mayor of Dubuque, is quot
ed as saying that earnings have fallen
off $2,25 900 in little over four months.
Unless something can be done to re-
strain the individual operators, who are
forcing low prices for coal in all mar
kets, all the anthracite roads will suffer
heavy losses is the way the Philadel-
phia Inquirer puts it.
A Buffalo dispatch says: "There is a
boom In lake coal freights, which is
without precedent for the last ten days
in November. There are 5000 tons Of
fering for shipment, nearly all for Chi
cago. There are thlrty-seven vessels
under charter now"
superintendent laval, of the Lehigh
and Wilkes-Barre Coal company, which
employs 5000 men, says the anthracite
coal trade is just beginning to feel the
effects of the Wilson bill On account
of 1t the demand for buckwheat and pea
coal in the New England states has al
most ceased.
The Lackawanna is shipping good
deal of coal west, and will continue to
make shipments until lake navigation
closes, about Dec. l. After that time a
large tonnage will have to be placed
somewhere, or else the output will have
to be restricted. 1t is this prospect, 1t Is
said. that keeps the dealers timid and
renders all efforts to place coal'difficult.
Lehigh Valley officials on Saturday de-
MED that the company had accepted the
demand of the individual operators to
equalize line and tidewater prices, but
1t was intimated that some scheme was
afoot between the two interests, which
would end the present difficulty. No
idea of its character could be learned,
but there is little doubt that the com
pany will yield, If it has not already
done so.
The new line by which the Reading
railroad Will obtain part of the coal traf-
flc Of the A. s. Van Wickle Coal COM
pany was opened last week. The new
branch is about three miles in length
and connects with the Tamaqua, Halle
ton and Northern railroad at Audenried,
which was abandoned at the time of the
abrogation by the receivers of the Coke
coal traffic lease. The Reading will re-
ceive several hundred cars of coal daily
by this route.
The official vacancies mada hv the