The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-01-17
INDUSTRIAL TOPICS.

The shipments of bituminOus coal for
1894 show a decrease of Si,471 tons COM
pared with the previous year.
The Huntingdon and Broad Top
Mountain Railroad and Coal company's
coal tonnage for the week ended Jan.
~ increased 1,907l5 tons, making the
decrease for the year to that date only
4,495.03 tons.
The coal shipments over the Read
ing railroad for the week ended Jan.
II was 2i2 06S tons, an increase of II ,G6l
tons over the same week of 1894. For
the fiscal year Ito date THE shipments
are 1,36l,776 tons, a decrease of 126, ,293
tons compared with the same period
last year.
Wilkes-Barre Record: "The commit
tee on percentages may make a report
sooner than expected. There is talk
again of a single central agent selling
everybody's coal. The policy of dis
tributing the entire output among the
railroads in an equitable manner is
being insisted upon no matter how
badly it may affect certain roads that
have had more than their share hereto
fore"
In 1888 the Lehigh Valley. with a coal
tonnage of S,65O,S26 tons. received In
gross revenue slO3l9, ,S0i; in 1894, with a
coal tonnage of II, ,165, 157, it received
only $S,39l ,541. In other words, while
the company moved 2,45233l tons more
than it did in 1885, it received $l,92S, ,26S
gross revenue less. loss of nearly !
per cent. upon the capital stock of the
ppp ha httC al
and still "A greater loss Is found in the
rates on the combined traffic of the
company.
The anthracite coal trade Is very
quiet. During the first week in Janu.
airy there was fair restriction Of ton
mage, but the demand for coal is eX.
tremly light and the new movement Is
small, The leading companies are al
trying to maintain rates. Coal is of.
fered at Buffalo or the bridges at 81
per ton or SO at the mines, which is q
cents below the official figures. The
anthracite subcommittee Is still work.
ing on a plan to unite the trade on some
scheme covering future business.
Numerous branches of the United
Mine Workers OF America have beer
established recently in the anthracite
mining region of Schuylkill, Northum.
berland and Columbia counties. The
organization has a total membership In
the Schuylkill region of about $4,000 Ir
Schuylkill county there have been es.
tablished sixty different branches OF
the organization. There Is now a lodge
in almost every mining village and
hamlet in the county. The work of or.
ganizing Is being done quietly but ef.
fectively.
Carbondale Herald: Joseph Ste
phens, a blacksmith employed at the
Rlchmondale breaker, has invented 2
device which will make his name fam.
Gus as an Inventor. He has gained foi
himself a reputation by the many in
genous devices which he has invented
but his latest bids fair to eclipse any,
| thing previously attempted. 1t Is o
hollow Journal bearing for mine cars
and great Improvement upon the ole
style. Mr.. stephens has applied for @
patent and Is assured by persons who
have become interested. that he will bo
| successful. The invention Is the result
of many weary hours of study and labor
| and II is hoped by his friends that his
device will meet with universal favor
Mr.. Stephens lately received a letter
from his attorney IN Washington, stat
| ing that his device has been looked ovei
and found ITO be perfect. He is alsc
the inventor of drop bottom self
| dumping cage which lis now used at lth,
Rlchmondale breaker. 1t is "a great la
Dor saving machine and in time will M
doubt be used extensively in all Goa
! breakers In this section.''