The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-10-11
GENERAL NEWS
OF INDUSTRIES

Each year witnesses an increase OF
speed Of both passenger and freight
trains, says the Indianapolis Journal.
On both the Pennsylvania and the Big
Four lines the run from Indianapolis
to New York is now made in two hours
quicker than ever before. This is six
hours quicker than ten years ago, four
hours quicker than three years ago and
two hours quicker than under the
schedule which was in effect up to
Sept. 80. and this speed does not seem
to have reached its highest point. Re-
Gently the new fast express over the st.
Louis division of the Big Four arrived
at Indianapolis twenty minutes late.
owing TO delays in getting out
of ST. Louis. and in that case
made up fifteen minutes time.
Tine train left Indianapolis twenty
minutes late and arrived at Gallon on
time, covering the 204 miles in four
hours and ten minutes, making eight
stops at county seats and railroad
crossings, which makes the speed of
the train fully fifty.four miles an hour
the entire distance. A comparison of
schedule Of twenty-five years ago
with the present schedule of the Van
derbilt or the Pennsylvania lines will
show that from year to year there has
been steady increase in speed. This
increase is by no means confined to
passenger trains, although local pass.
epger trains are now scheduled az fast
as were express trains fifteen years ago,
but in the speed of freight trains
there has been marked increase.
The Pennsylvania has of late
made some very remarkable runs with
live stock trains. During the Debs
strike live stock train and one
loaded with dressed meats was run
from Chicago to Jersey City at an aver
age speed of twenty.six miles an hour,
and all the lines, on westbound bust
ness, are bringing freight through two
or three DAYS quicker than ten years
ago. The Erie is making great re-
cord on time freights. being able to
move them more rapidly than are its
competitors, owing to the fact that be-
tween New York and Chicago or New
York and Indianapolis it has no delays
W pdns4lB bnlOuSu ihIBO IdllWdy OOn-
ters, where freight often gets blockaded
and delayed day or two. On the Erie
train is made up and runs solid
through, only changing engines and
crews, there being no shifting TO delay
the movement. Twenty years ago.
were it stated that the two important
lines between ST. Louis and New York
would cover the distance in twenty
nine hours, the person would have been
thought to be beside himself; now it is
predicted that the improvement to
track and equipment will be such that
the 1,06j miles will be covered In
twenty-five hours, or even less.
AS soon, says the Hazlston Standard.
as the old shaft, which served for many
years as water way to No. 2 new and
old slopes. had been abandoned by the
managers of the Coleraine colliery, pre-
paratory arrangements were completed
for the development of the Primrose
vein, which up to the present date has
extented prosperously. The average
thickness Of the vein is five feet and
the coal is Of extra quality. Situated
100 feet from the foot of the shaft or
half the distance to the top, affords the
lower portion to be used as schute
into which the coal is dumped and then
loaded into cars In the main slope.
Workings were opened in four direc-
tions from the shaft where the vein
was discovered, proving satisfactory.
Extra EFFORTS are now being put fourth
to complete arrangements for the intro.
duction Of large cars instead Of the
buggies now in use.
The demand for anthracite coal has
increased recently, but the financial
editor of the Philadelphia Press thinks
the latter fact is nullified by an in
creased production of coal, which has
unsettled prices again. Following the
last meeting of the coal sale agents. Mt
which it was agreed to ship 5000. 900
tons OF coal this month. there was
some attempt to steady prices. Ship
ments OF 972. 900 tons in the week end
ing Sept 29, and large shipments last
week, indicate clearly enough that
there will be no serious attempt at the
kind Of restriction the trade needs. and
it is already plain that there will prac-
tically be a go-as. you. please race.
There is now no hope Of any marked
change for the better in the anthracite
trade for six months or more.
An order has been issued at all the
shops of the Reading railroad in Read
ing, which. it is said, applies to all the
shops in the system, stating that here
after all the employees will work ter
hours day except Saturday, when
they will work but nine. This order
restores the hours of labor as they ex
listed previous to the eurtailing of ex-
penses more than year ago. 1t ap
plies to all departments except the
machinery department at the ear shopi
where the men are working double
turn, and in the machinery department,
where they are working five days q
week.
Coke Bros. & Co. have at last sue
ceeded in pumping all the water out O
their Beaver Meadow No. 5, old slope
and are now about to put things il
shape for the mining of coal. A larg,
force Of men will be put to work clean
ing the sump and another force placing
the pumps in position Material for The
laying Of track in the slope has ar
rived and it will be constructed imme
diately. 1t has not as yet been made
known in what way the coal will b,
transported to the breaker.
The anthracite trade, while not ma
terially improved, is in somewhat bet.
ter shape. The larger producing com
panies are holding down their outpu
nearer to actual requirements. IL no
to the tonnage, it was agreed should b
mined this month. They are also ad
herring more closely to schedule prices
but considerable quantity of coal i
going forward on old contracts. Th
western trade is demoralized, but the
prospect Of improvement is reported to
be much brighter.