The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-08-07
GENERAL NEWS
Of INDUSTRIES

VI huSSS hstSS
There Is a large fund Of shrswd sense
In the following extract from recent
speech by Governor Knuts Nelson, OF
Minnssotai
A study Of our statistics and an exami.
nation OF our agricultural and industrial
Development makes it plain that the rapid
growth or our nation in commerce, in
transportation facilities and in manufac-
turing has been not at the expense or de-
triment OF our agricultural interests. but
rather to their great advancement and
benefit The great army or men engaged
In these other pursuits have been the chief
consumers Of our agricultural products
But for them the demand would have been
very limited and the home market exceed
tngy scant. Our chief reliance would
have been in the foreign demand, which
ts uncertain and quite limited. and where
we have to compete with the entire world,
both as to prices and quantities. Today
scarcely 20 per cent Of all our agricultural
products find market abroad. In truth,
our agricultural interests needed, above
all things, that which Is now complained OF
the imployement OF extensive capital In
other Industrial pursuits, in order that the
field Of labor might be enlarged and the
demand for agricultural products greatly
increased. And without our extensive
network of railroads, radiating in all di.
rections and extending to the outermost
verges of our country, agriculture would
have been kept within narrow bounds
and would have been confined to the lands
within easy reach Of our seaboards and OF
our inland lakes and water courses. Our
railroads are today the indispensable dis
tributors Of our products and com.
merce. Without them all traffic
and intercourse would be at stand.
still, and society would be in state OF
apathy and helplessnsss. The recent
strikes have demonstrated how entirely
dependent We are upon the transportation
facilities Of our railroads. IL was FORUM
ate for our farmers that the strikes did
not occur at time when crops were 70 be
sold and marketed. Had they occurred at
that time and continued at considerable
length, much hardship and distress would
have been the result. Tue capital
which built our railroads and estab-
lished our great manufacturing on
tsrprises and furnished work for
Thousands Of worthy and industrious la
boring men was not capital abstracted or
withdrawn from agricultural pursuits, nor
capital raised by taxation or government
loans; but capital gathered from the sur
plus funds OF people from all over the
world; some Of them very rich many OF
them Of moderate or limited means.
This capital, when it came, came as en-
investment and not In any spirit Of hos
tility, for 1t depended for its reward,
more than any other capital, upon
the general prosperity Of the entire
country. And at the time when 1t
came IL was overmuch needed and could
scarcely have been obtained from any
other source, and 1t has brought TO Us In
its wake u large army Of unemployed and
furnish thsm with labor. Now what good
can be accomplished, what immediate and
substantial relief can be obtained by ar
raging the farmers against the capital
which has developed our railroads aud our
manufacturing establishments Capital
may become tyranuous and 30, too, may
labor. But neither the one nof the other
should therefore be suppressed.
There seems to be some foundation
according to HOLLAND" for the report
that capitalists have in contemplation
the extension of various trolley systems
and the building Of new ones SO that
In the course Of year or two II will
be possible to go by trolley car from
New York city to Albany or Troy, $50
miles away. The plan contsmplates
system similar to that one which has
in view the connection OF the cities
intermediate. so that one who chooses
TO do so may 60 from New York to
Philadslphia by trolley line. At the
next session Of the Connecticut legisla.
ture legislation will be sought which
will make 1t possible to build trolley
line across the state, with view,
doubtless, ultimately of connecting
the cities lying between New York
and Boston. Some Of ths electricians
here do not fear to predict that by the
beginning Of the next century all OF
the considerable cities east of the ALE.
ghsnies and north Of the Potomac will
bs united by trolley wires a. they now
are by telegraph ones, and there 10 lsas
belief in the feasibility OF s6pplansiug
steam by electricity when swift and
long distance ssryles-such, for in
stance. an uninterrupted trip between
New York and Philadslphia-is the one
the traveller desires The New Haven
railroad, however. In its recent great
Improvements has so constructed Its
track and roadbed as to make 1t pos
sible to utilize electricity il satisfac-
tory motor Is ever invented.
The annual report Of State Gas In
spsctor Jordan. Of Indiana, contains
much that 10 interesting. The amount
Of capital invested In the state, due to
the discovery Of natural gas, he says,
Is $500, 1000, 900 and the influx Of invest
msnt continues. The gas has been
drawn upon 30 heavily that there Is no
more productive territory to bs had.
He says that already the limit Of sup
ply has been reached and that
the initial rock pressure has fallen
from $50 pounds to 240 pounds. Many
wells have been abandoned and the end
is only question Of time. The report
points out that during the frat four
years Of consumption the waste of gas
was equivalent to &20, 1000 900. The
waste still continues In the domestic
use, which ought to bs dispensed to the
consumers in meters instead Of through
mixers Cheap piping and cheap con-
nections have already caused much
waste Of gas
MINOR INDUSTRIAL NoTEs:
Lehgh Valley car shops at Easton, en-
ploying 800 men, will hereafter operate
four days a week.
The Chronicle states that railroad earn.
ings afford evidence Of an improving tend
ency In the general situation.
By order Of Attorney General Oluey the
suit against the Southern Pacific railroad
at San Francisco was dismissed.
1t was stated on Saturday that the Phil
adelphia' Reading reorganization commit
tee controls about 65 per cent. of the out.
standing general mortgage bonds
President Fowler, of the New York, On.
tario and Western, ssys that the annual
report soon to be issued will show on in