The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-03-26

taxing express companies one per cent.
on gross receipts from ali business done
in the state. The house passed bill
placing express companies under con-
troll of the state railway commissioners.
\ bill placing street railways under
the same control is also expected 10
pass.
Once more a quiet market for anthra-
cite coal has to be reported, but the
condition is in every way as favorable
as week ago. Prices are unchanged
at the full official circular. The trade
Is buying coal i'm a very small way, and
only to supply immediate necessities.
For some reason the middlemen seem
to distrust the combination, though
there is no reason to believe that the
agreement will not be carried out for
a long time tn come to the very letter.
Such distributors of coal say that the
final consumers are buying little coal,
and that until they do there is no rea-
son why they tthe middlemen) should
increase their stocks. AS long as the
combination lasts they can he assured
that all interests will get coal at the
same price. and the inducement to lay
in large stocks is therefore reduced
to a minimum.
Philadelphia Times: No figures OF
production of anthracite are yet on
hand. but ii IL reliably stated that the
output is being kept within the agreed
limit. This is fully supplying the mar
kets small requirements. Reports have
been circulated the Dast week to the
effect that certain of the smaller COM
panies' financieS have been brought into
Il somewhat stringent position by the
restriction of their output of coal. but
...t.t l,la IL. hnn 4
Is a fact. however, that under the re-
strictive policy it is not all smooth
sailing for companics that have been
accustomed in times past to meet eX-
ira requirements for interest. etc. by
rushing an unusually large tonnage of
coal to market, regardless of the price
realized for il. One of the hest features
of the situation was the greater de-
mand for the small steam sizes of coal.
which have of late been something of
a drug upon the market. Not only was
the demand for such coal larger, but
the companies We're able Ia realize for
it from 20 to 20 cents per ton above
the prices recently ruling. This was
the result of the fixing of a higher price
for bituminouS coal by the new COM
bination of producers of that cOmmod-
ity. The combination price for bitum
nous is 81 cents higher than that which
was current a year ago. Quite natur-
ally. in view of such an advance. man
ufacturers became larger buyers of the
small sizes of anthracite. which for
many purposes are almost as good
fuel as the bituminous product.
- -
The announcement that a leading
iron firm in England had ordered Il
large quantity of pig iron from sources
in the United states and was arrang-
ing for further purchases was received
with much interest in local circles. says
the Philadelphia Press. James NJ.
Swank, general manager uf the Amer
lean Iron and Steel association. when
questioned about the matter. said: I'm
all probability the order has been
placed with Il southern company, as
this is the only company i'm the United
States, as far as ! know. which has
ever exported pig iron to England. BE
sides. if any American pig iron is now
being exported ii is southern pig iron.
which is the cheapest that is made In
this country. ] account for the export
by the fact that American pig iron is
almost as low today as 1t, was year
ago, before the boom began Southern
pig iron Is of a different grade from the
northern kind. 1t is foundry and forge
make. while northern pig iron is Bes-
StIileT Ildkt. HIS lutt, tpStIHpf WITH
cheap fuel i'm the south. cheaper labor
and lower freight rates. makes south
ern pig iron cheaper than the north
ern. In 1894 Alabama and Tennessee
together supplied 31.S per cent of the
entire consumption of the United
states Of Dig iron. apart from that
used in the manufacture of steel. and
Alabama moved up from seventh to
second in progressive importance in the
industry. In 1895 the company ! spoke
of exported 80 tons to England and
supplied Pennsylvania with 27,l2j tons.
as against 6.I11 i'm 1883: Ohio 1876 49,
tons, as against G556l in 1855. and New
Jersey 3l.96a tons. as against l.S2O The
same prcportionate increase is shown
with the other states. which shows that
southern pig iron is assuming a domin-
ating Importance in certain lines. As
to the effects which large exports of
pig IRON VIII nave on O,Ir home mar.
kets, am not now prepared to say"
Nearly all the carbuilders of the
country are having all they can do at
present to meet the increasing demand
for railroad equipment. Below are Civ
on some of the most impartant orders:
The Barney n Smith Car company. Of
Dayton. O.. has recently received or
derS for LOCO freight ears from the
Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad COM
pand, and another order for 450 ears
from the New York Central Railroad
company. The Jackson and WoOdin
Manufacturing company, Of Berwick.
Pa. has received the order for building
the entire 1000 coal ears for the Della
ware. Lackawanna and Western Rail-
road company. The Ensign NIanufac-
turing company. of Huntingdon. W.
Va. has just shipped twenty double
hopper bottom coal ears to the Alameda
and San Joaquin Railroad company. of
California. The Reading Railroad com
panys order for 200 freight ears was
divided equally between the Union Car
company, of Depew. y. Y. and the
Lebanon Manufacturing company. of
Lebanon, Pa. The company also con-
templates ordering l.5OO additional ears
The Calumet and Blue Island Railway
company has placed an order for 900
ears with the Haskell and Barker Car
company. of Michigan City. Ind. The
Chicago Great Western Railway conf
pany has placed an order with the Pull
man Palace Car company for six
coaches and two combination passeng-
er and baggage ears. The Madison Car