The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-04-10

a STRAW.-The Illinois Central re-
ports a net increase of earnings OF
SsG.3Sl for the month of February.
HOW WAGES HAVE GROWN
Carroll ID. Wright points out that
wages have increased from an average
of 81 1. in 1850. to Ss.iS in 1860. $50. in
1870. So. 46 In 1850. and si.ii in 1880.
-: -
NEW STEEL PLANT ASSURED
John II. Inman. of the Tennessee Coal
and Iron company. says about $50O00O
of the SSO0,000 required to construct the
new steel plant at Birmingham. Ala
bama, has been raised.
--:ii:-
RRITAIN'S FOOD CROP.-Official
returns make the total wheat crop of
Great Britain and Ireland 3S.2S5. .l05
bushels for 1895. against 50. 104. 3S3 the
previous year: barley, 15.02i, l2s bushels.
against 1S,600,635; oats. 1I4.416,1S0
bushels. against 190. .S62.7l4. and pota-
toes. i,O6a,0l5 tons. against 4,662.l41.
iii
STOCKTON COLLlERY CHANGES.
On the 30th of this month the extern
ton of the lease of the Stockton col
lieries operated by Lindeman 4 Skeer.
will expire, and at the end of that time
they will positively retire. As to who
will operate the collieries after the lease
of Lindeman & Skeer expires is not
known, but from present indications
the Lehigh Valley Coal csmnany may
take hold of it, This company has the
railroads and the loss of this tonnage
which last year amounted to nearly
100000 tons. will effect the receipts of
the company from this source, consid
erably. While the cOlliery Ia not one of
the best in the region. ii Is estimated
that there Is still from three to four
million tons of unmlned coal. and which
could be taken out with profit,
ill
WORLDS GOLD PRODUCT--The
output of the South African mines in
1884 was $S5,OoO.ooo. Since then many
new deep-level mines have been
opened. although they have not yet
reached their full yielding capac-
ity. For the year 1896 the yield will
probably be about s50.O00O00, and by
the end of the century $62,000,000. To
show how rich these mines are We may
contrast them with the output Of the
other great gold producing countries Of
the world for 1894: -
United States s......................$ .$45 0cl. 80
Austraii2. ,................',.., d9yoo'Ovo
SCuth alrlcd observation-disclosures. 3o,CoJ'Vyo
Russia .......................,.. 2o0oo.0Vo
This table makes no account OF the
smaller gold fields Of Alaska, Vene-
2uela and the other localities on both
continents where this precious metal
is found. The total would perhaps be
Sl6O 100000 per annum.
EUROPES PUBLIC yDEBT.--A Eur
opean statistician whose data receives
the approval Of the Statist, puts the
public debt of the European nations at
1928 320, 0OO,0 900, or about $64 per capita
for the population. The heaviest per
capita Indebtedness, $780, is found In
the country least able to bear It. Por-
tugai Next comes France with $l35
per head of its population. France has
a perfect genius for enduring taxation.
but the recent protests against the
proposed income tax would indicate
that the end OF Its patience Is pretty
nearly reached. England's per capita
is about Sl06 Swit2erlands is the
smallest S.. The great armaments,
which are estimated at a total Of S.4O3. e
5ii men for neace service, capable Of
being expanded TO 2l,204.251 men on a
war footing. call for the expenditure
of 81. 20 per capita, on a little more than
is called for per head for the annual
interest charged
-:l:--
/ LEHIGH VALLEY DIVIDENDS
It is, says the Philadelphia Stockhold-
eri an open secret that a resumption OF
dividends on l.ehigh Valley is condi-
toned uDon a fairly prosperous coal
trade. Developments thus far IN con-
nection with the combine certainly
/ point TO Il material increase in reve-
! nues. Stove coal Is now~selling at SO 60,
New York. net. against an average in
April last year of $3O5. or an advance
| of 55 cents per ton. Were this diff
ference maintained throughout the
year 1t would mean on the 1850, 454 tons
of coal mined by the Lehigh Valley In
1895 over half as many dollars to the
! company and its operators. There Is
| q very confident expectation that the
| difference will be increased to nearer
81 per ton toward the last Of the year.
1t is the avowed intention of the conf
| bine to obtain at least "a net for stove
coal during the stocking and winter
months. With that figure In June it
will be 81 over the June average of .Iast
year; $l.2j over the July and August
averages, and $l.2O over the September
average. The effect of this upon a
company like the Lehigh Valley hand
ling l-3 million tons can he readily
understood.