The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-12-20

TO the one who would make a close
study Of trade aud industrial COndi-
tiOns for 1898 i'm this city an interesting
fund of information would surely be
opened up. a comparison of results
between the year just drawing to Il
close and 1897 would stll further pro-
duce interesting results
Dealing with the subject in gem
eral way and basing conclusions upon
information at hand. it might he said
that this year while very good in many
instances in the Industrial phase, has
fallen behind somewhat. In other
words. conditions have maintained
themselves in a fairly advantageous
position and, as compared with 1897.
are but little better, The ending of the
war has given an impetus to business
and the outlook for 1899 is encouraging.
The indications are that 1t will be- an
Improvement on several Of its i'm
mediate predecessors.
Naturally, the first thing to
be considered i'm touching upon the
question of the better condition of the
industrial classes is that state Of af-
fairs SO far as the coal trade is con-
cerncd. Though not the only one. it
the Electric City is concerned and TO
arrive at perfectly satisfactory con-
cluson is made harder by the fact that
the coal trade is always about one
year behind other industrial trades.
ABOUT THE MINES.
The largest operating company here
abouts is the Delaware. Lackawanna
l. Il, hlf !.
in operation i'm or about the city. All
I'm all up to the present time the com
pany has done fairly WELL and partic-
ularly so during the last two months.
If good cold weather is the rule IN
stead of the exception during the
winter months great results are an
tiCipated. Last year the Collieries aver
aged between fifteen ana eighteen days
apiece for the whole year. This year
SO far. the general average has been
less This fact il accounted for by the
operation of two large Colleries
during the greater part of the year
and the idlesness of another large one
| for several months. Thus lS9S's results
| may possibly he less than those of 1897
or even up. either condition being sat
| isfactory considering everything.
The above summing up applies very
closely To the Delaware and Hudson
| company, probably the next larges
| operating company hereabOuts. In &
| general way it was computed that VI
| To the present time. their collier.
! les had worked about three quarter
time for the general average and this
| is considered very good. The 1898 re
| cord will hardly exceed that of 1897
| The individual coal operMors hav,
! about the same to tell.
Next in point Of general benefit t,
| the laborers in the industria
world comes the Lackawanna Iron ant
Steel company's big plants. Here, too
is found that if the general result
! of 1897 are equalled satisfaction will b,
felt. Last year some parts of thei
plant was idle some part of the tim
, and this year parts not busy last yea
| were working continuously. The re
| building of the south mill kept an i'm
portant part of the plant idle for
long period. During the last tw
months everything has been WORKING
mp to the limit. Every available MAJ
is employed, but how long this stead,
| work will continue is not known. ]
was said in Dun's Review last wee
that the Lackawanna company ha
received an order for 100000 tons q
steel rails from western roads.
MANUFACTURING PLANTS.
The Dickson Manufacturing com
pany has done very well. even littl
better than in 1897. The securing o
several large sub-cOntracts on govern
ment work has helped considera bly,, in
| asmuch as ii kept men on VIII
would otherwise have been laid off. Th
company is crOwding the big competi
tors in the worlds market for thei
products and SO far have been forum
ate. This good condition will no doub
last well into the spring.
The electric light companies doin
business in this city have so far hel
their own. The big lumber merchant
ana planning mills all report an eN
cellent condition of affairs. Th
| other industries, such as I'll