The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-03-24
anon.

The Lebanon Report of Wednesday
contained the following article which
is of great interest in this city:
THE long-hoated rumor that Leban-
on is soon to have a steel plant re-
ceived a sudden and very perceptible
impetus last evening when an egineer
corps, headed by C. C. Conkling, c. T.,
or scranton reached this city
and registered for the most
part at the Eagle Hotel. Their COM
ing had not been heralded and the few
on the inside" knew of their arrival
though boxes of instruments and those
weapons suggestive Of surveying had
already aroused suspicious that some
thing unusual was in the wind. But
neither Mr.. Conkling nor any of his
party seemed over communicative and
the wondering public has still the pri-
Vilege of guessing-and guessing it is
THE facts in the case are that an
engineering party of some nine or ten
is here that is employed by the Lack
wannan Iron and Steel company, that
Mr.. Conkling, it's chief has been to
Cornwall "to look around" that data
relative to the geology of the South
mountains is being gathered, maps are
Kept closer than does a miser his cher
ished store.
TO DRILL FOR WATER.
Another chain in the evidence is
that on the way is the outfit of a drill
Ing machine, wherewith the corps will
seek to find what the city has so long
desired in the South mountain-that
thing that topers sometimes take ON
the side to wit: water.
What else Mr.. Conkllng and his
corps may do prior to their flight from
these delightful climes is a matter Of
hearsay.
inquiry at headquarters avails prac-
tically nothing. What they know or
what they do not know is for them and
not for the public. When their plans
are complete or when they are prepared
to drop any plans that they may have
regarding any local developments, the
Scranton managers will take the pub
lie into their confidence. Until then
those who find pleasure in unraveling
mysteries or choosing blindfolded be-
tween two unknown matters are right
in it-and these several dealers in fu-
lures are not slow in outlining the
whole scheme, provided always that
I'm kept out Of it, you won't quote
me- and don't say told YOU
All premise these statements with the
declaration first made some five years
ago, that the LaCkawanna Iron and
Steel compny must build a steel plant
somewhere-if not here, then else
where. AS the company owns a num-
Der of shares in the ore banks, two
large furnaces and a part Of the Corn
wall and Lebanon railroad, it is ad-
Vanced that Lebanon is the proper place
for this new steel plant on account
of the cheap assemblage of raw ma
terial AS any steel mill, water is n
sine qua non, the fact that these en-
gineers are first delving after Adams
ale is taken as conclusive evidence of
the long dreamed of steel plant.
MATTERS NOT KNOWN.
What Mr.. Conkling and his corps
are here for, what they will do, where
they will investigate, what they will re-
port, what the Lackawanna company
will do with that report-are matters
| locked up somewhere beyond the scent
| of reporter or bloodhound. If condi-
| tions in Lebanon are favorable to the
| economical making of steel billets and
a plant can be erected here at a cost
within the natural commercial limit
| ii may be concluded that a steel plant
| Is among the probabilities.
| But the suggestion is wisely held
out that landlords before raising rents
| had better collect back dues and wait
to see the mill foundations in"