Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1900-10-09

| hhlrohu Shob-, tostoince busihoss "h"
Bank Clearings
Talking about prosperity, space will
not suffice to tell all the evidence of
what is now in progress all around
us in this respect. For instance, take
the report recently made TO the In
dustrial commission, at Washington,
D. c., by Hon. NJ. d. Ratchford, com
missioner of the Ohio state bureau of
labor statistics, covering the compara-
tive condition of coal mining in Ohio
for ten years past. Every figure in it
is eloquent, but the concluding para
graph must suffice, because it is so
strong and clear. Mr.. Ratchford shows
by complete and elaborate tables that
1.-The mining rate of 20 cents per ton,
though maintained until 1894, was re-
duced to the lowest point, 45 cents per
| ton, in 1896, showing reduction of
50 81 per cent. 1t will also be seen
that the mining rate for the current
year 1900), so cents per ton, is the
highest paid during any year of the
decade, showing an increase for the
last four years of II 10 per cent. 1t
might also be stated that the hours
of labor are much shorter, having been
reduced in 1898 from 91s to s hours
per day, which is equal to a reduction
of Is 1919 per cent. in the length OF
the working day.
"The shipment of the Ohio Coal
Traffic association also shows a mark
ed increase during 1899 and 1900. 1t
will be seen that the coal moved by its
lines for the first seven months of the
current year exceeds its total shipment
for 1880, 1894 and 1897. and that it more
than doubles the shipment for the
same period of 1890, 1894 and 1895. 1t
will also be seen that the value of Goa.
at the mine shows a steady increase
from the lowest price, $.7s7 per ton,
in 1897, to S1.07S in 1900 which is also
the highest value shown during the
decade"
This is one Ohio interest. Another
official report recently made Is for the
railroads of Ohio. by State Commits
sioner Kayler. This shows an increase
VI Sf.fVo,-'o III "uSto paiu "
ployes for the last fiscal year, as COM
pared with 1896; an increase of 9.4O5
in the number of employees under Nc
Kinley; an increase in gross earnings
of $9,263, ,S0,, and of $1,S76,S11 in net
earnings. The total payments for sal
ary and wages were more than s32,-
900 900
| Another Ohio official report Is that
upon new buildings, made by the as
SCISSORS to Secretary of State Kinney.
They report 2G,949 structures erected,
at a cost of s18,528,376 This is an in
crease over the previous year of 5,797
buildings, and nearly s4,000,0O0 in
crease in their cost. OF the increase,
81 .60O0 900 was in dwellings, and over
81 900 900 was in factory buildings
the latter numbering 592. Among the
factories not included in this report,
because only now in course Of erection,
is that at Mt. Vernon, by J. S. Coxey,
the former leader of the Commonweal
army. He is erecting steel casting
plant to cost $250,000 and to employ
| hundreds of men, and complains that
he can not find men enough to finish
his factory as fast as he would like.
| The recent settlement of the wage
scale of the Amalgamated Association
of Iron and Steel Workers has set co.
600 men to work-S.00O OF them in the
Mahoning valley alone. In conse-
quence. heavy orders are being placed
for steel rails-the Philadelphia &.
Reading having ordered $4,000 tons;
the Baltimore & Ohio, 10000, and the
Pennsylvania, 1875, 900. The latter
company is preparing to spend also
$1,O00,000 on its new passenger station
at Pittsburg. Foreign inquiries for
steel rails are also frequent, with large
orders expected. The Pressed Steel
Car company has recently taken a con-
tract for cars aggregating 81 900 900.
In this connection, is the settlement
of the wage-scale between the Amer
lean Tin Plate company and the Tin
Workers association at 10 per cent.
advance. All reports show that the
demand for finished iron and steel
products is showing Improvement.
hN ldlilOdu ltDpllS Itdu IKE lnUSb
from steel and iron. The Wheeling &
Lake Erie shops at Norwalk, as re-
ported in the Columbus Democratic or
gan show that line to be enjoying
greater prosperity than for years, and
the shop forces are being increased.
The st. Louis Republic the Missouri
Bryan organ, has Bloomington, ILL.,,
special about a freight blockade on
the Chicago e. Alton there, the like Of
which has never before been known.
A TeXarkana special to the same pa
per reports a shortage OF cars, on ac-
count of a sudden increase in the cot
ton traffic.
The general business of the country
has an infallible gauge In the postof-
flee business. The money order trans
actions for the year increased more
than S62,OOO,O coo, or over IA per cent.
The total number Of postage stamps
of all kinds issued, including ordinary
stamps, postage-due stamps, stamped
envelopes and postal cards, reached
the enormous total of five and one
third billions. valued at sos, 900, 600