The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-05-23
GENERAL NEWS
OF INDUSTRIES

The coal operators of the Clearfsld
and associated Pennsylvania districts
assembled In Philadelphia yesterday to
consider their position toward their
striking employees. After q thorough
discussion OF the situation the follow
ing resolution was adopted: I'VE, the
operators of Clearfisld and associ-
ated districts. after mature con.
sideration, have unanimously decided
it is impossible to pay our employees
any advance over the scale Of
wages now in force, namely 40 cents
per ton Of 2,240 pounds for digging coal,
and we pledge ourselves and the opsr-
ators we control to act as a unit on this
basis. We prefer to have our old EN-.
ployes at work, but in case they do not
resume within a reasonable time we
reserve the right to put in force such
measures "a we snail deem best to our
W interests" After adopting the
above resolution the operators decided
to give their old men until May 2S to
return to work, and if they have not
done so by that time to take such
measures as they may deem advisable.
The Electrical Review says that the
electrical business has reached that
point where the margin of profit is such
that an increased production and a
wider market are necessary before large
dividends can be earned. The present
cost OF manufacture, generally speak
ing, ia as low as is consistent with sal
able quality, and a be further re-
dnced only by increasing the quantity.
The decline in prices has been steady
for two years and has not been offset
byan increasing market.
The Merchants Warshousing COM
pany, which is practically q Pennsyl.
vania railroad corporation, has ar
ranged to double its present capitalize
tion, the authorized amount OF which
is 1926, 600. The object in making this
increase is to add to the facilities of
the company, and vat least one or two
large warehouses will be built in Phil
adelphia.
A western genius has invented a
machine for making gas for illuminate
Ing purposes out OF wood instead of
coal, The machinery is very simple,
consisting merely Of a retort and puri.
Tying cham Der, with a tank for holding
the gas. He claims that the machine
can be used for domestic purposes. and
that by attaching it to an ordinary
cooking stove enough gas to last q day
can be made by the fire necessary to do
the cooking.
Under an opinion handed down by
Justice Mitchell in the supreme court
yesterday, the Philadelphia Traction
company and not the property owners
are liable for the cost of having the
spaces made bare by the razing Of the
old market sheds on Spring Garden
street, The work was done by Con-
traitor Nestor under an order Of col.
Letting from the property owners abut.
Ing on the street. He was unable to
collect his claims, however, as 1t was
contended that the railway company
was liable. Nester will now probably
have to bring another suit against the
company.
In the Pocahontas mines, in Virginia.
nearly all the miners are negroes. They
have kept right on at work during the
strike, and, 1t is said, when approached
recently by agitstors, ran them out of
the district by threatening them with
tar and feathers. 1t is understood that
when the strike first came on the Poea.
hontas operators made a voluntary ad-
vance Of 3 cents per ton to these negro
miners. aud thus executed a flank
movement on the agitators.
As . color-produeer coal tar has no
equal. From that apparently useless
substance perfumes, medicines and
sweeteners have been formed which
hsve startled men. But color appeals
to the eye. Only thirty.six years ago.
says Longman's Magazine, Perkin
gathered up the fragments" In coal
tar and produced the beautiful ~
dye. Now, from this greasy material
which was considered useless Is pro-
duced madden, which makes coal tar
worth e100 a ton. This coloriug mat
ter alone now employs an industry of
60, 900, 900 per annum. One ton of
good camel coal, when distilled in gas
r%etorts, leaves twelve gallons OF coal
tar, from which are produced q pound
Of ~benzine,a pound of %toluene, a pound
and a half Of phenol, six pounds OF
napthalene, q small quantity of xylens
and a half a pound Of anthraesne for
dysing purposes. According to Roscoe,
there are sixteen distinct yellow colors,
twelve orange, thirty red. fifteen blue,
seven green and nine violet. besides a
nuIpber of browns,and an infinite mum
bel \pf blendings Of all shades.