The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-11-17
MINE, MILL AND RAILROAD.

lies near that city. the capital of Lu-
zerne Is yet destined to outstrip Scran-
ton. The Record hints at this possi-
bility in the following allusion to the
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western
Coal company's lands near Button
wood. EVERY seam found in the val
ley from Hanover to Nanticoke," 1t as
serts, is located on this magnificent
property, and the coal runs to depth
of 1900 feet. No other basin in this sec
tion lies deeper than 800 feet. The
seams being so far from the surface is
the reason why they have not been
worked long since. 1t will cost more to
get the coal than that composing super
ficial veins, but that factor no longer
cuts ice, for 1t is wanted now to sustain
the capacity of the company and very
soon it will find its way to market. The
seams and their thickness are as fol-
lows:
George ..................."....... Az feet
Mills (KidneY. Y...................... 6l2 rect
Hlllman .....".............'..'..' Ieet
baltlmore ........,..............'' 10 leet
Ross "".....'...'...'''.'''. teet
1.-THE last one lies very deep, but 1t is
Of excellent quality. The Baltimore Is
split in two and the Hillman Is very
fat to use common expression. AT
present three shafts are being sunk,
the Bliss shaft and the Auchincloss, Nos
] and 2. The latter are named after Mr.
Sloan's son-in-law. They are fitted up
with superb machinery, a magnificent
Corliss hoisting engine-the only one In
this section-having been purchased for
one Of the openings. A first motion
engine built by the Dicksons-anG a
beauty 1t Is TOBIAS been put up at one
of the other shafts. The size Of the
openings are AZ by II. All the work
done thus far is of very solid, superior
character, as beflts an undertaking of
great magnitude and possibilities. AS
the coal touches the deepest point In
the Wyoming coal fields the danger In
mining will increase very much, the
gas alone promising to give unusual
trouble. But then, anthracite Is being
mined more scientifically every day
now and the elements and treacherous
strata will be confronted by brilliant
minds and skilled hands reducing all
danger to the minimum. How soon
the great plant will be in full operation
and how much fuel will be mined day
are questions that will soon be answered
now and in the meantime the company
and Wilkes-Barre can be congratulated
on the prospect in sight. 1t Is a nest
egg inspiring to think of and no matter
what other forms of wealth the city
has or may have, this one is bound to
give 1t great prestige and be JOY and
a blessing for the next hundred years."
While the Record does not in so many
words voice the common Luzerne be-
lief that as a consequence of this large
natural resource Wilkes-Barre will yet
surpass Scranton, we suspect that 1t
had this thought In mind. There Is,
however, little or no foundation for
such q delusion. Speaking of this sub
ject recently, Mayor Connell saids "Do
think Scranton will cease growing
when its coal Is exhausted? Not bit
of it. To begin with, our coal, by the
most pessimistic estimates, is good for
at least quarter of century of con-
tinued mining activity. Some esti-
mates triple this period. But assum-
ing that the first estimate is correct, we
have yet left to us the consolation that
twenty-five years hence, at our present
rate of increase, Scranton will be city
with 100000 to S50,0OO population A
city of that magnitude has never been
known to fall backward. BY its own
momentum 1t will keep on growing, al
though perhaps not so rapidly as at
present. Then, too, there's our culm.
1t seems quite clear to me that these
immense culm banks will be the mag
nets which will some of these days
draw to Scranton large number of
electrical industries, not to speak of
miscellaneous shops and factories. By
the way, that coal land down in Lu-
zerne county which they brag about is
owned chiefly by Scranton capital; and
nearly the whole Of the coal, when
mined, will have to come to this city
before 1t can be shipped to tidewater.
Consequently, Scranton will in any
event remain the principal shipping
center of the upper coal fields.
and am entirely satisfied
that by the time Wilkes-Barre
shall have passed the hundred
thousand mark we shall have here
city three times as large" Similar pre-
dictions have lately been made within
The Tribune's hearing by such men as
Lieutenant Governor Watres, Major
Warren and William Connell. There is
evidently no immediate occasion for
Scrantonians to worry about the ex-
haustion Of their coal supplies, or about
the threat that Wilkes Barreans may
surpass them in the race for CONNER
cial supremacy.
The Herald has information that
George Van Keuren, superintendent of
the Jefferson division Of the Erie rail-
road, may soon leave Carbondale to
assume the office of superintendent of