The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-03-20
INDUSTRIAL TOPICS.

Reports that the Lehigh Valley is
selling anthracite at tidewater at SO are
current, but have no basis in truth
Assistant General Passenger Agent
Boyd. of the Pennsylvania, announces
that his company has no intention of
abandoning the use of clergymen' half
fare permits. This will end the effort to
abolish the use of such permits in trunk
line territory.
President Ashley. of the Wabash, pro-
poses new plan for pensioning and in
suring Wabash employees. His idea is
to set aside certain sum each year as
a fund from which to pay 1000 for each
five years service until a maximum is
reached to the families of deceased en-
ployes, and also to pay proper pensions
to disabled or aged employees.
At the Altoona shops of the Penn
sylvania a number of new locomotives
are being constructed. Among these
are several shifting engines of a new
class, U, with sylinders II by "a inches.
weighing 80 900 pounds, and carried on
four wheels. They are also getting out
q new consolidation compound after
the style of the S-wheel compound built
at the Pittsburg Locomotive works,
which did remarkably good work when
tried on the Pennsylvania. They are
also working on the drawings for a new
fast express engine, which will be much
different from anything now in use on
that road.
A report was current Saturday to the
effect that an agreement of some sort
had been reached by the leading inter
ests in the anthracite coal trade, where
by Il settlement of the differences that
have been the immediate cause of the
unsatisfactory state of the trade is to
be effected No official confirmation of
this rumor could be obtained. although
some color of plausiblity was given 1t
by the strength of the shares of the
coal-carrying companies in the stock
market In the morning. One version of
the story was to the effect that the
presidents of all the companies inter-
ested. with the single exception of the
Lackawanna. had agreed upon basis
for the division Of tonnage in 1895.
At the Reading and Lehigh Valley
Offices nothing was known about the
rumor, and 1t was generally discred-
tied.
General Manager Provost, of the
Pennsylvania railroad system, has is
sued his report of the 1894 operations OF
the Northern Central railway and
branches. a comprehensive summary
of which follows: Gross earnings,
So, ,O31 ,26O; decrease, $S5O,5l5 or 1886 per
cent. Expenses. si,234 ,llC: decrease,
$500. .O39, or I'LL per cent Net earnings,
S,797, ,li4 decrease, 1927 sos or 1918 per
cent. Passengers carried, il29,905: de-
crease, 5O2 0Gi, or 1884 per cent. Pas
sengers carried one mile. 51,G92, ,311; de-
vre9se, S9,93I02l, or 1919 per cent.
Average earnings per passenger per
mile, 2,lS1 cents: increase, .G7 cents, or
317 per cent. Average expenses per pas
senger per mile. 2.02S cents; increase,
.173 cents. or 9.33 per cent. Average
profit per passenger per mile, 1853 cents;
decrease. .l06 cents Tons of freight
moved, 1200S,9i0 decrease, 1,2S7. .2G3, or
96S per cent Tons moved one mile,
7i6, ,32S, $40: decrease 1lO,S65O7S, or 1898
per cent. Average earnings per ton
per mile, .6O2 cents, or .496 per cent.
Average expenses per ton per mile, .427
cents; increase. .0O5 cents, or 1.lS5 per
cent. Profit per ton per mile, .175 cents;
decrease .00S cents.
when A. A. Mcleod was president OF
the Reading, he sent a representative OF
the company to Europe to see If an
thracite coal could not be introduced In
that country The representative paid
particular attention to London and 9TH
er English towns, but for some rea-
son he did not meet with much success
The great trouble he had to contend
with was that the British were used
to burning bituminous coal and had not
been educated to the use of anthracite.
Beside this, their stoves are not of the
kind suitable for the burning of the
hard COAL as nearly all the houses use
open crates. During the last two years
the climate in England has undergone
a great change, as It has been found
impossible to heat the houses with the
of anthracite burning stoves were or
dered from this country. and shortly
afterward the Atlantic Transportation
company took a number Of the stoves
as part of n cargo. 1t Is contended by
the Philadelphia Press that this Is the
first movement Of the introduction of
anthracite coal in London. as along
with the stoves the transportation com.
pany was asked to quote rate on
anthracite coal. 1t Is contended that
anthracite coal can be placed In London
at about SO per ton. which is only little
more than the price Of bituminous coal
- Ia.