The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-10-27
Industrial and Commercial.
NINE, MILL AND RAILROAD.

NINE, MILL AND RAILROAD.
George Giles, of Carbondale, accord
ing to the Leader, is the inventor Of a
device for washing coal and culm that
promises in a short time to supersede
all other machines intended for that
purpose. The manner in which he
came to devote his attention to devising
washer is somewhat out of the ordin-
airy. w. p. Williams was coal opera
tor who had small breaker on the
Fallbrook side of the city near the Muir
rim colliery. Mr.. Williams coal fell
into disrepute on account of the large
amount of dirt mixed with it. Sales fell
off and one day he found himself with
about 1000 tons of mined coal on his
hands but which it was necessary to
wash before purchasers could be OBJ
tained He was man of limited means
and could not see his way clear to pur-
chase outright one of the expensive
washers in use at other collieries. Mr..
Giles was sought out and his figures
asked concerning the cost of erecting a
simple one at the Williams breaker.
This lead him to planning cheaper
washer and the result is that he has
obtained one that will cost but tenth
part of any machine now in use and the
b IGSultS VI WulCil are AhA .
Giles has applied for a patent for his
invention and it is but a few days be-
fore the letters patent will arrive, asin-
vestigation of the different devices
already on file at Washington show
that there is nothing with which this
conflicts. A company will be formed at
once and the washer manufactured and
put on the market. All who have seen
its operation are delighted with the
simplicity of the machine and the work
1t does.
The experimental washer constructed
by Mr.. Giles was erected at the Will
liams' breaker and has been in opera
tion for some time in the most salts
factory way A number of prominent
men of Carbondale have witnessed its
workings and were so impressed that
none Of the stock of the new company
will be allowed to go out Of the city.
Mr., Williams coal is again in demand
and Mr.. Giles has invented an article
which will soon bring him a handsome
revenue. 1t consists of a cast iron tub
varying in sizes from three to twenty
feet in diameter according to the
amount Of coal to be washed. 1t is es-
timated that the twenty feet tub will
wash one ton per minute Through the
centre of the tub runs a shaft having a
number of wings. The dirty coal or
culm drops from chute through an
opening in one side of the tub and is
revolved in it's interior till 1t reaches a
second opening through which it passes
on to a perforated sheet. The tub Is
keep constantly filled with water from
pipe overhead and this water leaves
the cleaned coal as the latter strikes the
perforated sheet. The coal is passed on
to the screen and thence into the chutes
I in marketable shape. A coal washer of
the intricate pattern recently erected
near Carbondale cost $4,000. The cost of
one manufactured under Mr.. Giles pat
ent is estimated at $500.
Report from all quarters show that
the general condition of the anthracite
business is better now than it has been
for months past, and the outlook ahead
for further improvements is good.
Prices are being well maintained. The
corporations mining and carrying an
thracite are now working in closer har-
mony, and the restriction of the output
of coal is being more rigidly adhered to
than at previous time this year. The
demand for egg, pea and buckwheat
coal Is an excess of the immediate sup
ply.
1t Is proposed to construct a tunnel
from Jersey City to Brooklyn connect
ing the Pennsylvania railroad and the
Long Island railroad, and forming a
link in the line Of travel from this con-
tinent to Europe by new steamship
route from the eastern end of Long
Island to England. There has just been
made an application to the aldermen of
10
the shore Of the East river to Flatbush
and Atlantic avenue. The tunnel will
be not less than fifty feet below the sur
face, and buildings would be undis-
turbed. There are some important
structures in Brooklyn along the line Of
the proposed subway. The Hotel st.
George, the city hall, the court house,
and hall Of records, all the big Fulton
street dry goods houses, and other great
buildings will stand partly over the un-
derground route.
President Borg and party of fifteen
directors of the Wilkes-Barre and East
ern railway on Thursday made an in
spection tour of that property. A
Wilges-Barre Record reporter in con-
versation with one of the directors last
night learned that the visit had Moth
iu6 W w Will tilC' ihpbuiS III
the coal combination. 1--WE have no in
terest in the matter that know Of" he
said. $50 far as our own tonnage is
concerned, we are satisfied with the re-
suits already attained. We are getting
new business every day, the coal traffic
on the Wilkes-Barre and Eastern being
particularly satisfactory. OF course, we
are devoting special attention to coal
and freight on this end of the line just
now, but we don't intend to stop there
by any means. We recognize the fact
that we have the shortest route from
Wilkes-Barre to New York city, by two
hours. That means a good deal in these
days of fast travel. We also recognize
the fact that the resources of this city
and vicinity are well nigh ineXhausti-
BILE, and that, in the near future, you
will have increased your population
two-fold. Our road Is little crooked
Just now, but we're Strengthening out
the kinks, and this will reduce the time
still lower. We mean to push our ad-
vantage in this respect, without delay.
And talking about quick travel" he
added, what would the business men
of Wilkes-Barre think Of first class
fast passenger train that would take
them to New York in four hours or
less? Leaving here at, say a. M, they
GENFh