The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-04-04
GENERAL NEWS
OF INDUSTRIES

The Lehigh Valley Railroad com
pany has not YET withdrawn its cheap
rate tickets. 1t 10 not likely to do so
unless it 10 guaranteed an equitable
business. This action on the part OF
the Lehigh Valley company only af-
fects the railroads doing business be-
tween New York city and Buffalo
The regular fars between the two
above cities is 50 rs, but as the Lshigh
Valley company 10 allowed different.
ial of 81 Is, the fare by this rout- is S.
I. Is contended by the Lehigh Valley
people that they are willing to enter
Into any contract for the maintenance
Of rates, but 1t has got to be on an
equitable basis, that is each road to DO
allotted certain percentage OF the pas.
senger traffic, and when one company
exceeds Its quota then that company is
to be compelled to advance its prices.
The officers claim that the company
has for many years been worked on
conservative basis and the conse Quencs
was that all the competing roads
charged what they liked aud broke in
to the company's business. Now this
i, changed and they intend to stand up
for what they consider their rights.
The nav railroad between PittsbuAg
and Fairmount, West Virginia, was
thrown open to traffic Monday. The
new line will be known az the Fair
mount District The distance Of the
new line between Uniontown and Fair.
mount is travarsed by the State Line
railroad from Uniontown to the state
boundary. and from there to Fair
mount by the PitlSburR Fairmouut
and Morgautown railroad. The line
opens hundreds OF square miles that
are wealthy In minerals. and for =
noun famous country fertile. The new
line will divert to PittShurg trade
witch has heretofore gone to B,lti-
moro, for Fgirmount is now 1866 miles
from Pitts6urg by rail. where before it
WAS sevt raj hu qdrel mils:. 1t 10 prob.
able that the Pennsylvania railroad
will try to top thi, new field soon. 1t
il thought that the Pennsylvania line
will 10 extended 10 Morgantown either
from Brownsville or Fairchance. Grad
ing is likely to be commenced this sum
mer. Surveyors are said to be out at
present along one Of the proposed Penn
sylvania routes With low freight
rates west Virginia coal 10 likely to be-
come strong competitor with Hook
ing Valley coal. The West Virginia
coal lies mostly in veins close to the
surface, making mining comnarativsly
easy and cheap. At Van Vorhis. on
the new line, there are 10000 acres of
black diamonds. At West Run. not
far from Morgantown, there are 25. 900
acres Of coal.
The freight traffic on the Pennsylva-
MIA railroad is gradually improving.
Since thS beginning Of February it has
increased 90 per cent. and while it is
not as heavy as year ago, it does not
show much loss when the impetus
given TO freight shipments by the Chi
cago exposition is taken into account.
While the traffic is materially heavier
than that of two years ago the receipts
have diminished materially besause ths
depression in business has decreased
the tonnage from industries which
contri ributed largely to the revenue Of
the great corporation. The tonnage
traffic of the company is also increasing
aud will probably soon reach its nor
NAL condition The company has dis
charged very few men on the line BE-.
tween Philadelphia and Pittsburg, but
has been obliged 10 reduce the time of
labor from ten to eight hours to con-
tiuue them in employment The mum
Der of woikmen in the service of the
company between the two points ap-
proximates $4,000.
At the coming sheriff's sals of so
much OF the abandoned South Penn
sylvania railroad US extends through
Somerset county the farmers who sold
rights Of way through their farms will
be able to buy back the land at one
fourth OF what they received for it.
There was more than "a. 000 600 ex
pended on this road before the Wander.
bilts got sick Of attempting oompsti-
tion IN Pennsylvania and abandoned it.
The reorganization OF the Pennsyl.
vania and West Virginia Railroad
company has excited renewed interest
in that project. The proprietors have
agreed to put up $500, 900 to complete
the road from this place to Cessna,
Bedford county,. and thence by the
Baltimore and Olio railroad into West
Virginia. The road WAS projected sew.
eral years ago. and rights of way OBJ
tained. The grades aud bridge abut-
ments are finished. II Is expected that
the line will be finished In q year. 1t
will tap some Of the richest mineral
aud timber lands In the state. which
have been practically undsveloped on
account OF their distance from rail
way
The new eastern passenger agree
ment recently entered into by traffic
officials at Chicago has not been Bigned
by the Lshigh Valley. Grand Trunk
or Wabash. The $40, 900 penalty at.
tached to rOte cutting or commission
payment under the agreement 10 csf-
tain to break 1t. No line has the
slightest intention Of paying such q
/, ! ptnAlLg. IL EANoo ulo Cut no buoy are
and will be members will find means
to withdraw from the agreement be-
fore they sail in to equaliz3 matters.
MINOR INDUSTRIAL NoTEs:
The various collieries OF Coke Bros
u Co. will work only three davs this week
Oaly one days work was made last week
an unusual record for this Arm.
, Business on the Erie and Pittsburg rail
road has been increasing to such an ex
tent in freight traffic that 1t has beer
,, found necessary to add an additional crew
! to each division.
a The Cancelled railroad tickets Of tn,
Pennsylvania railroad are first reduced Il
pulD before disposal to the paper mills.
w. b. Leeds, division superi ntendept o
the Pennsylvania lines At Richmond, Ind.
has resigned, having been elected presi
dent of The American Tin Plate company y
The capital invested in iron and steel iu
= dustries in this country Is equal to $3.50,
OOO.0 0U0 In lumber SGSn, 900, COO. In texti
Industries S7OO 000 600