The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-02-26
INDUSTRIAL TOPICS.

II Is r,lmored that the ontario ana
Wester railroad is leasing lands along
as line in WAYNE county, from For
est City to Pleasant Mount station, anu
that borings will be made at an early
date to ascertain whether or not coal un-
derlies the surface.
If the Philadelphia Inquirer tells the
truth, anthracite prices are again on the
toboggan. 1t says: THE Lehigh Val
lev is reported to be selling stocked
stove coal at 50 alongside in New York
harbor, equivalent to S2S5 free on board
The I.ehigh and Wilkes-Barre company IS
also charged with selling at the same
price. There is little difficulty in purchas-
ing first-class. freshly-received coal at
81. .45 free on board, a cut of 10 cents below
the circular. The sales agents meet on
Thursday to fix the output for March
The noteworthy feature of last week in
iron circles was the purchase of 10000 tons
of PASSENGER iron by the Carnegie Steel
company The iron was taken In divided
lots The sales were made by three firms
and the average price was $40, or total
of 100000 with deliveries running until
July l. This Is by large odds the most
important transaction in months, and its
execution has left the market in an un-
settled state. 1t is believed that Bessemer
iron has touched bottom and that the next
change in prices will be upward, with a
relative improvement In steel
The annual report of the secretary of
Internal affairs for the year ended June
3O 1884, fully illustrates the depression IN
business which prevailed in Pennsylvania
during that fiscal year. 1t is found upon
examination of the report that the farm
ers suffered less than any other class Of
producers. This Is evident by the fact
that the tonnage of agricultural products
decreased only G27 tons, compared with
the preceding year, while the decrease n
the tonnage from the mines was 81, ,252, 232
tons; the tonnage of manufacturers pro-
ducts decreased S,6j6,is0 tons, and the
tonnage of miscellaneous merchandise de-
creased 9,SO7, 1870 tons, The total number of
tons of freight carried during the year
was 233, 1857 tons, a decrease compared
with the preceding fiscal year of 4S,i30, SiS
tons, while the decrease In tons carried
one mile was Ass, l09 ii0 tons. This de-
crease entailed u loss upon the railroad
companies of s2g, 4Si, 3y7 There was also
q heavy loss from passenger traffic, as
the number of passengers carried de-
creased no less than l7,GG2.2GO.
The prospect of material improvement
in the demand for iron products has in
spired the Commercial Advertiser to say
that 1t Is evident that the hard times in
this country, while absolutely preventing
the undertaking and completion Of consid-
erable work Of all kinds, have necessar-
ily postponed the making or renewals,
both of rails and equipment, by practically
all the railroads of the country. Further
there is not a single railroad In the coun-
try that renewed as many steel rails dur
ing 1893 as 1t did during 1892, or during 1884,
| as 1t did In 1888 Now. the renewals of
| steel rails may, under the stress of neces-
sity. be postponed for year or two, but,
sooner or later, the necessity for renewal
| Is imperative. Here and there railroads
which are in the hands OF the United
| States courts for protection against their
| creditors have been compelled to obtain
| the sanction OF the courts for the borrow
| ing of money to lay steel rails. There is
| not the least doubt that, taking the
| United States as a whole. q vast amount
of steel rails should have been laid last
year which were not laid. In addition 10
| the rails which should have been replaced
| last year there In n certain amount of rails
which should naturally be- replaced this
year. The railroads cannot stave Off re.
| newals forever, and It can only be a short
| time before large orders must Gbme on
| the market.
Philadelphia Stockholder: Shipments