The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-02-22

tlOn in Washington, bat who IL now
entirely absorbed by bxiiness matters,
to u gentleman who has familiarity
with the coal trade due to many years
experience as q railway manager OF
lines leading into a coal territory. The
purpose Of the visit WAS to get soma
expression Of opinion which might be
used with eff Ut with senators when
the tariff bill is under discussion in the
senate. The visitor said: al have
just come from Washington and have
seen nearly all OF the senators. with
some of whom you know, my relations
have been very close for \ number
of years. My opinion ia that 1t is
doubtful il coal is taken off the free
list, upon which the house put 1t, and
| find that all Of the senators who
are in favor OF retaining it upon
the free list say they ought to
be no complaint, since 1t will not make
any difference with the coal business
or traffic whether coal is or is not sub
jected to duty" "Aud you find sena-
senators expressing that opinion? the
visitor was asked. well, If that be
their opinion, | have only one sugges-
tion to make Tell your friends IN the
senate that II it does not make any diff.
ference whether coal bs on the free
list or not, there can be no good rea-
son for not leaving it exactly where IL
is today. II it is not going TO matter,
then it is not worth while to make any
changes in respect to coal The visi
tor seemed pleased by this suggestion
and said that this evening he would
send IL to some Of the senator's with
whom he has talked. Nevertheless
upon further conversation and some
examination of statistics it was found
that the placing of coal upon the free
list was going to make difference in
one direction alone of So. 900, 900 aysar.
90 per cent Of which represented la
bor
A LOSS OF TWO MILLION TONS
There is no doubt that with free coal,
the Nova Scotia mines will be able to
supply the entire amount used in New
England, which comes by water That
is to say, it will be impossible for the
coal miners of Pennsylvania, West Vir.
ginis and Maryland. shipping to New
England by water, to meet in competi-
ton the coal which will bs brought
from the Canadian provinces by water.
1t is easy to determine what that
amount is. 1t approximates two mil
hon tons year. At 50 ton. this rep
resents 81. 900, 600. much the greater
proportion of which is payment to la
bUr, so that by so much as that, lack
ing two or three hundred THOUSAND
dollars. the miners of Pennsylvania,
West Virginia and Maryland will be
eurtailsd in their earning capacity.
What the effect will b9 in tins future
is hard now to make any estimate Of.
The soft coal syndicate. which includes
men who had close relations with the
Democratic national campaign, men
who are on terms OF intimacy with Mr..
Cleveland, and who contributed largely
TO the Democratic campaign fund, are,
inspired BY the promise of free coal,
planning TO construct railway which
will make swift and economical con-
nections with the mines OF the pro.
Yinces, so that there can be quick haul
age into ports of New England remote
from the harbors Of the coast, and
when that Is fully done they will be
able to meet in western New Eagland.
The inevitable result, therefore. OF the
placing OF coal upon the free list, AS
/ the syndicate looks at it, and az bust -
ness men here not interested either in
the syndicate or in politics look at it.
will be to cut off the New England mar
| ket from the American miners That
/ is a market so extensive, 50 profitable,
that 1t has been the aim OF railway man
ayers so to conduct their business as
fully TO meet its requirements.
The announcem mt that tho West
/ Virginia Central & Pittsbur2 railroad
company, was going to build line
| from Cumberland to Hagerstown,
where a connection was to be made
with the Pennsylvania railroad, gave
rise to the rumor that the latter com
pany was back of the scheme. Officials
of the Pennsylvanis railroad company
DENY the report that the Pennsylvania la
is either directly or indirectly financial.
ly interested in the proposed extension
of the West Virginia Central 4 Pitts
burg railroad. The funds to build the
new Inns have been raised elsewhere
by President Davis, OF the West Nir
ginia Central. and it is expected that
the road will be completed within tw1,
or at the most, thres years. 1t will
give the West Virginia Central a snort
er route to tidewater for its coal ton
mage, which now goes over the Hunt
ngion IL Broad Top. The loss to the
latter will not be serious, rs the traf-
fic from that source amounts only TO
about $50, 900 tons annually. on watch
the profit is very small, The new line
will not take away the Cum berlanc
coal shipments from the Broad TOT
road. as these are secured by longtime
contracts nor will 1t enter the Broad
Top coal fields
The Wilkes. Barre Record says that
the National Express company has cap.
tured the express privilege over the
New York and SusQuehanna railroad
extension, the Wilkes Barre and Elst,
ern, aud will extend Its ssryics ovei
the line as soon as passenger traffic l
commemorative in oil probability
will be much hastsned. This will Civ,
the National Express o direct line tC
New York-a thing 1t has not enjoyed
befoIe--and place its express facilitis
equal to the other express companis
here The National Express company
Is also the American Express company
one management governing both, 1t |
understood that Mr.. Smith will repre-
sent the Wilkes Barre aud Eastern a
city ticket agent In Wilkss-Bar
II Is stated that the Connellsvile COX
situation is 30 bad that a change Is ex
pected soon. Coke was aold at So cent
during last week. There is no profit II
II for operators. and the wretchedly 10,
wages is very hard on employee Tn
demand is improving somewhat, an,
an Increased price is expected to follow
but no change In wages Is looked for
4 According to the stockholder 1t require