The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-03-09

Solicitor General Maxwell has asked
the United States Supreme court to
construs the tariff act Of 1890. Tho
court of appeals of the Ninth circuit
had given judgment in n case in favor
of Charles r. Allen for $S7.24, moneys
alleged TO be due as drawback on i'm
ported bituminous coal, used on veS-
sci engaged in the CoRstwiss trade of
the United States. 1t was contSnded
on behalf of the plaintiff that the
right to drawback was preserved
by Section 25 OF tho Tariff
Act of $780, while the United
States contended that the acts Of 1888
and 1885, under which the plaintiff
claimed drawbacks were repealed by
Section 55 OF the tariff act of 1890
The question" said Mr. Maxwell, "is
one of very great financial Importance
to the United States, involving. IL the
Judgment Of the circuit court OF ap-
peals iS correct, the refulding Of large
amounts Of money heretoSors regarded
as the unqu'stioned property Of the
government"
Information from q prominent Off
cial Of the H. G. Frick Coke company
is to the effect that within two weeks
nearly every coke oven in the Connslls.
Vile region will be fired up The move
will cover at least ninety per cent. of
all the ovens in the region, more than
have been in operation at any time for
three years past At the very lowest
estimate G,0O0 men will be given en-
ployment. men who are idle now. The
Hungarian and foreign element gener-
ally in the region, it appears, was
never so scarce as now because
hundreds have left within the
past few months for their for
eign homes. This fact will tend
largely to the employment of Am eri i
can workmen at the works. The com -
pany, the same authority states, will
favor American labor and are receiv.
ing hundreds otapplications daily from
Americans for work. This move on
the part of the Frick Coke company is
brought about through the great vol
ums of orders coming from furnace
companies and mills in various parts
Of the country The Mcclure Coke
company. it is stated, will increase the
percentage of working ovens fully 90
per cent, thus giving employment to
at least 800 men.
The Pennsylvania lines have = class
of employees who are known as hill
watchers Their special work is tc
watch in cuts that rocks do not roll
upon the track when the ground is soft
from heavy rains. or as a result from
freezing and thawing. Within the
last four years the work has been sys
tematizsd Expert quarrymen are em.
ployed by day aud by night wherever
there are dangerous embankments oil
deep cuts where there is a possibility
Of trouble. There is not II year they
do not save to the roads many thou
sands of dollars by discovering loose
work or sliding EN- mbankmsnts. All are
expert climbers and feel perfectly al
home when suspended by rope sound
ing the tirlnness of threatening bowl
der.
An affidavit Of Frank Carter land
agent of the Reading Coal AMI Iron
company, was submitted to the Schuyl
kill county court by John f. Whalen
certifying that the company had an
nnlled it's contract to keep in repair tbs
roads of West Mnhanoy township and
that the roads would be repaired BY
the supervisor, as her etOfore, Al
order OF cou praying for the surren
dering of the b nds as filed by the com
pany was prayed for.
The local freight agents held anothe
meeting in New York on Tuesday.
was less Lively than the one held at tn
= Reading Terminal two weeks ago, bu
not entirely harmonious, as the effor
to adjust spring rates TO tidswate
( again failed. Another meeting will b.
held on the 22l inst
The Pennsylvania Is making care
ful experiments to test the valu
( of the Harvey hardening process as ap
piled to tires, crank pins. axles an,
other parts of the rolling stock subj.c
to rapid wear. The indications Of ma
terial reductions Of wear are yer,
( prominent.
MINOR INDUSTRIAL NOTES:
Suits for $50, 600 damages for injuries r,
Z ceved by Robert Smeltz nt Lancastt
were brought against the Pennsyluani
= Railroad company.
Boards of trade at Sayre, Athens an
Waverly protested against the removal {
Z Lehigh Valley train crews from thos
towns.