The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-10-22
MINE, MILL AND RAILROAD.

The street car fender problem has
been vexing the spirit Of the city au-
thorities of Baltimore, Nd, and they
have finally turned for relief to one of
their most distinguished fellow citi-
zens, Mendes Cohen,who has been chief
engineer of the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad and president of the Ameri-
can Society of Civil Engineers, besides
holding a number of less noteworthy
but more lucrative offices. Mr.. Cohen
has just made report on the matter,
which Is full of interesting notes. Mr..
Cohen believes that the public Is en-
titled to the protection of two tenders,
one external and in front of the car to
save the victim from being thrown to
the ground, and the other beneath the
car and Immediately at the wheel, so as
to save him when he first falls. The eX-
ternal or front fender must be arranged
that If it fails to catch or pick up the
victim, it shall yield and pass over
without crushing him, leaving the work
to the wheel guard, Mr.. Cohen eX-
amined over seventy different forms of
fender, among which he finds five
which will probably meet his require
ments in all particulars.
Here is some information from the
Philadelphia Inquirer which will be
news to residents Of the anthracite
region: ut is now admitted by every
man experienced in the coal trade that
the end of this long downward trend or
prices Is near at hand. For twenty
years the market has been steadily
with the buyer, the supply of coal hav-
ing been larger than the demand But
in that time the consumption of coal
has more than doubled, while much
available anthracite land has been
worked out. 1t Is admitted on all sides,
and by no less an authority than Jo-
seph s. Harris, the president of the
Reading company, that the production
of the Lehigh region has reached its
maximum. Indeed, the output of that
district Is only kept up to its present
proportions by rescreening the great
banks of dirt that have accumulated
from previous years. operations. Simp-
son and Watkins, the Wilkes-Barre (sic)
statisticians, say that in the western
end of the Wyoming region there is
no room for q single additional colliery.
The only companies owning any virgin
coal lands of considerable area are the
Reading and Delaware, Lackawanna
and Western, although the Delaware
and Hudson and Lehigh and Wilkes
Barre companies own some small tracts.
The statistics of the trade show that
the consumption of coal Is increasing
at the rate of 1,250,000 tons a year, and
1t Is only question Of comparatively
few years more when this ratio Of in
crease will produce most astonishing
results to the companies that still have
undeveloped coal lands.
AS illustrating the tendency toward
the consolidation of competitive inter-
ests 1t Is interesting to note that a
combination has just been formed In
West Virginia including all the coal
and coke operators In the Kanawha
and New River valleys. The organiza-
tion Is not close trust, but the busi-
ness will be governed by one set of Of
flcers and apportioned among the
mines. The object is to reduce the
selling expenses and to relieve the oper-
ators of the domination of the rail-
roads. The capital represented in the
aggregate is over $5,OOO,OOO.
That was a good bargain which Fish
er A. Baker, president of the First Ma
Akron, o., the other day, when he pur-
chased a $1,265,00O railroad for $S44, ,0O0
paying only $4,000 in spot cash. 1t
was a sherlff's sale, and the road was
the Pittsburg, Akron and Western rail-
road, which extends from Akron to
Delphos, 1873 miles. Its appraised value
was $1,265,000. The bonded indebted
ness of the road amounts to over 81, $780,
600, on which there is defaulted interest
amounting to $S0O,000. The labor claims
amount to $S3,00O The road was sold
by order common pleas court, as the re-
suit of an action brought by John w.
Creech, contractor, for money due for
work. Many others became parties to
the suit. Certificates have been isued
by Receiver W. A. Lynch amounting to
$24l, 900. The labor claims and costs
will be paid first. The buyers of the
line will attempt to put it on paying
basis, where 1t has never been. The line
from Akron to New Castle, commenced
some time ago, will be finished as soon
as possible.
MINOR INDUSTRIAL NOTES:
The Yorktown colliery will increase
its working time this week to eight
hours daily.
The next annual meeting of the
Street Railway association will proba-
bly, be held in Philadelphia.
W. 1. Robinson has been appointed
and Ohio Southwestern lines.
]. H. Coleman has been appointed
supervisor of the east end of the Chi
cago division of the Panhandle lines.
Beginning today the western and
southwestern railway lines will issue
no free transportation whatever until
1895.
The Illinois Central recently let the
contract for nineteen new locomotives,
and Is now in the market for five hun
dred freight cars.
A larger amount Of coal was hauled
from the Schuylliill region to Packer
ton on Friday last than on any single
day for year past.
The Louisville and Nashville earnings
for the second week in October in
creased s64,675; from July 1 to latest
date they increased $780, 1S1.
Jersey Central track-men are relay
ing part of the Tresckow branch with
new 7O-pounds steel rails. The new rails
are much safer than the ones formerly
in use.
On Friday last No. 4, Audenried col
1iery prepared 526 cars of coal and
twenty-six cars of rock, in nine and
one-half hours, breaking the plant s
record.
The withdrawal Of the Illinois Cen
trail from the Western Passenger asso-
citation is thought to mean further
trouble through the withdrawal of
other lines.
Petroleum exports In September were
75,656000 gallons, compared with $685.
600 last year. From jan the total is
65o,971 900 gallons, compared with 644,-
100000 last year.
The Pullman shops are now running
regularly and are employing about 1000
men. There are enough contracts on
hand to furnish work all through the
winter, and more are under negotia-
tion.
An official Of the Reading company