The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-08-02
SIGNS OF THE TIMES.

A New Orleans dispatch to the Sun
dated July 30, said: Leon Godchaux, the
owner of seven sugar plantations In
Louisiana and the largest sugar producer
in the United States. today telegraphed to
the manager of his places to advance the
wages of all field labor 16la per cent, the
advance to begin on Aug. ], in conse-
quence of the passage of the Dingley
tariff law. In sugar circles the opinion is
general that this advance Will be con-
ceded by all the planters to labor en-
ployed in sugar culture or manufacture.
The skilled labor employed in the sugar
houses or refneries is paid according to
the price the sugar commands, and will
get an increase on wages of from twenty
to thirty per cent. as compared with last
year. ID. ID. Colcock, secretary of the New
orleans Sugar exchange, who has been
in Washington for a month, watching
the interests of the producers there, de-
clares that the Louisiana sugar crop will
more than double itself in the next five
years, as the planters find now that they
can get all the capital they need to ex-
tend their planting and improve their
machinery"
The Wholesale Grocer, of Chicago, prints
some interesting statements in it's cur
rent number from grocery jobbers in
various parts of the country regarding
the Improvement in the business outlook.
Out of the total number of communca-
tions received from jobbers in twenty
seven states, 20 per cent. report signs of
definite Improvement. The proportion is
60 per cent. in the Eastern states, GA per
cent. In the Southern states 20 per cent.
in the Western states, and 80 per cent. in
the central states. The very large per-
centage from the central states the
Wholesale Grocer finds particularly en-
couraging, and regards as evidence that
crop conditions and the tariff situation
during the last few weeks have given
decidedly hopeful views to a very large
proportion Of the jobbers in those states.
A Miami, I. T., dispatch says: "Recent
ranfalls in Southeastern Kansas and
Northeastern Indian Territory inJure the
largest corn crop ever grown. Some
fields will give 100 bushels to the acre.
Wheat Is turning out twenty to fifty
bushels an acre. and Is moving freely at
63 cents a bushel. Miles of wagons load
ed with the grain may be seen any day
now going to the elevators. The pros
poets for good times were never better.
Money is circulating more freely now
than for five years, and the good results
are being felt by all in trade, from the
farmer to the banker"
Announcement was made on Friday of
last week that the Boynton iron foundry,
Jersey City, will be re-opened next
Thursday. One hundred and twenty five
men will be employed Very little work
has been done in the foundry for about
two years, and it was shut down for
months at a time. The re-openng is
looked upon as sign of the coming pros
perity.
The chartering of steamships to load
grain for Europe continues on an enor-
nous scale. Additional charters have
been made of forty steamships, to load
at New York. Philadelphia, Baltimore and
Newport News for ports in the United
Kingdom and the continent About 4,0O0-
900 bushels of grain will be required to fill
these vessels. Many ocean freight car
riers are leaving English ports in ballast
for this country to load cargoes of grain.
The total charters in two weeks are es-
timated to represent 100000 bushels.
A Lewistown, Pa, dispatch says: 1.-THE
Standard Steel works are running night
and day and workers are making fair
wages. All other local industries are
running full time"