The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-07-03
GENERAL NEWS
OF INDUSTRIES

day. There has been no agreement
reached. and Secretary John Jarrett,
OF the Manufacturers association, said
that about thirty sheet mills and forty
tin plate mills closed down that even
ing The American Tin Plate COM
pany and the Gas City Tin Plate COM
pany have signed the scale. With
these exceptions no other tin plate
company has signed. Secretary Jar
rett Is unable to tell why these COM
psnies ignored the decision Of the
Manufacturers association to hold out
for lower rate than that demanded
by the Amalgamated association. Both
companies are In the free gas belt of
Indiana and it is presumed that the
temptation to resume was too
great for them to resist. The
item to which there was the
greatest objection raised was the wages
of the shearman. They now receive 81
per ton, or So per day. The manufac-
turers were willing to pay this rate,
provided that when the tariff bill was
passed another conference would be
held and readjustment of the scale be
made to conform with the new duties.
The workers object to this and de-
mandel that when the scale was signed
it should remain in force from July l.
1894, to July /, 1895, and that the
suearmeu receive 81 30 per ton. which,
the manufacturers say, would amount
to 81 per day. IL is thought that those
manufacturers who have refused to
sign will make another attempt soon
to have the trouble settled Repairs
will be made at nearly all the mills
during the shut down. and it is ex-
pected that the suspension will bs of
short duration. The resumption of the
Gas city and American Tin Plate COM
panies is expected to create a bitter
feeling in the Manufacturers ass ocia-
ton.
Coke production will soon be back to
its normal condition again. Las. week
the operators made big gains all around.
ln production there was an increase of
over II, 600 tons and the output was al-
most l25 cars more than in the preyi-
GUS week. The average time made by
the different plants in operation in the
region was As days last week, Sew.
eral of the works which were fired
produced no coke, except the old charges
that were left standing in the ovens
when the strike began, The shipments
for the week aggregated 2,31l cars.
consigned as follows: To Pittsburg and
river tipplos, 334 cars; to points west
of Pittsburg, 743 cars; to points east of
Counellsville. 294 cars. Compared with
the shipments of the previous week,
this was net increase OF 1873 cars. The
increase was mostly to eastern points.
Some statistics in current newspa-
per article descriptive of the work and
trials of the ticket agent are interest
ing From these it appears that the
total number OF ticket agents in the
United States during 1898 was 30, 900;
that the number of employees in the
railroad service for the previous year
was sci, 4l5 actively engaged by 1929
railroads. the mileaged of all roads
was III, ,5G3, and the passenger train
mileage 3l7, j3S, SS3; while the number
of passengers carried was $50 9jS. 2l1.
and if each passenger had made sep
arate journey the total mum her Of
miles covered would have been 13 362,-
sos 300, this indicated that the aver
age distance per passenger was twenty
four miles and the passenger earnings
$2S6, 500. 10S, or an average Of 81 cents
per passenger.
One of the soundest comments on the
Pullman boycott that W. have seen ap.
peared recently in the Richmond. Va,
Times, and was in part as follows: No
matter how great the loss OF freight
perishing on the way, or how severe
the suffering of men, women and chill.
dren, who may be stopped by this arbi-
trary action, the Railway union relent.
lessy puts a stop to the movement of
all trains in their po--y II because George
NJ. Pullman and few hundred of his
employees cannot agree on the scale of
wages. The inconvenience, loss and
distress arising from this arbitrary &C
tion is beyond computation, but as
we believe the whole power of
the United States should be used,
regardless Of the expense of blood
and treasure, to liberate one American
citizen unlawfully and unjustly con-
tined by foreign power, so we do not
estimate the loss and Inconvenience in
this case II the object TO be attained is
lawful aud just one. But we De,%eve
that the underlying principle OF this
railway union is wrong-essentially
wrong and tyrannical, ana will newt.
ably .ead. il it prevails, to an organ
lied tyranny as oppressive and more
heartless than any that has ever af.
hicted Russia or Persia We plant our
feet firmly on the rock Of individual
liberty-the indisputable and unim-
paired right of every single individual,
be he mighty or be be weak, to work
out his own destiny without the arbi.
trary and overbearing interference of
any man or set Of men"
The recent plan of Reorganization
proposed by the Reading receivers was.
as is well known, defeRted by the gem
eral mortgage bondholders committee
The opposition Of the committee it
has been ascertained. arose not to the
plan itself, but to the fact that it was
under the impression that the commit
tee was to be denied representation on
the board. This was an error on the
committees part, however, and an
understanding, it is said, has been ar
rived at and the receivers plan will prob
ably be promulgated in the fall and
perhaps earlier. The arrangement as
1t is now said to exist provides for the
representation on the board OF directors
of the general mortgage bondholders'
committee, the income bondholders'
committee and the stockholders, such
interest to be represented by two di
rectors. Should voting trust be de-
cided upon, those interests will only be
allowed one member to represent them
on the board.
The Philadelphia and Reading Rail-
road company yesterday for the third
successive time defaulted on the semi
annual interest Of its general mort
gage A per cent. bonds. The semi-an-
nual interest which is due January 1
and July | amounta In ohont eQnn nm