" ,n
GREATER SrT?A"N"TOX EDTTIOX.
ulxth or the cntlro proauct of tho
United States. Tho two mills when In
operation employs about 5,000 men. Tho
output Is 1,000 tons per day.
Scrnnton was -the first city east of
tho Mississippi to adopt clectrlo power
upon street railroads nnd the second
city In the world to uso the clectrlo
motor upon a street car. Tho trial
trips of tho electrlo cars were made
on Adams avenue, on what Is known
as the Green Rldgo suburban line, on
the last day of November, 18SC, and in
less than two years from that time tho
last car horse hnd disappeared from
the clty'H thoroughfares, and Seranton
became known as tho "Electrlo City."
Scranton's geographical position has
done much toward furthering her in
terests. Situated 140 miles from Now
York nnd 1C7 miles from Philadelphia,
nnd 317 from Pittsburg. It Is ensy to
sea that It la In no danger of belli!,'
checked In Its growth through compe
tition In tho way of largo enterprises
In theso thriving cities of tho coun
try. As ascertained by the United
States geodetic and coast survey of
1SS5, Seranton is In latitude of 41 de
crees, 24 minutes and 29 seconds north,
nnd longitude 75 degrees. 39 minutes
and 47 seconds west of Greenwich; nnd
Is 743 feet above tho level of the sea.
It Is within n zone of humidity, though
the rain falls are not too frequent for
pond health. The climate Is mild nnd
salubrious, with sufficient bracing
weather to Impart tonic and vigor.
NEIGHBORING GROWTH.
With tho remarkable development of
the past half century that has marked
the career of Seranton, the surround
ing towns have to a certain extent kept
pace, and In localities where the early
residents pursued game thtough (he
tangled thicket, flourishing towns have
sprung up In a twinkling, t nnd the
pathways of the deer and fox have In
many instances become tho busy ave
nues of thriving towns nnd cities. The
system of rapid transit, which has so
materially aided these hamlets in their
Ftrldes toward cltvlmod, ns heretofore
remnrked, has been among the great
est boon to progress in this direction.
T'p and down th'o valley the towns nnd
l)orough3 are gradually increasing nnd
moving their limits nearar the great
renter which in time must gather her
offspring together under one grand
municipality. Some of the most thriv
ing of these boroughs arc situated In
what was originally tho township of
Blakely. This township which, accord
ing to the eminent historian, Dr. IIol
llster, received Its name from Captain
Johnston Ulakely, who commanded tho
T'nltcd States sloop of war, the Wasp,
was erected out of Providonc3 in ISIS.
It Included Carbondale, Olyphant,
1'eckville, Winton, Archbald, Throop
nnd many other hustling villages of tho
valley. Archbald was a howling wil
derness until 1S14, and was a favorite
hunting ground for the sportsmen of
this vicinity. At this time Mr. James
Archbald, for whom the place was
named, in company with others, opened
mines in that locality. From a small
beginning In tho way of a settlement, j
wnicn consisiea or a utacKsmun suop
and a few humble dwellings, a thriving
city of 5,000 inhabitants has grown in
n few years. In addition to mining In
dustries, which are at present largely
controlled by tho Delaware and Hud
son Railroad company, th'o city has
rrany manufacturing interests which
f u -nlsh employment for a largo num
ber of women and girls. The town of
Winton, which is situated a short dis
tance down tho valley owes Its exist
ence to the coal operations of W. W.
Winton. and was founded In 1S74. Peck
vllle, the next town in tho line, which
Is now almost continuous from Carbon
dale to "Greater Seranton," Is noted
principally for Its lumber Industry,
though some of tho most Important
mining interests of Mr. W. T. Smith
nnd other Seranton operators uro situ
ated In tills vicinity. Peckville and Its
thriving suburb, Jessup, are among the
most enterprising hamlets of the
Mooslc region Peckville has good
churches, schools, stores and a class of
Inhabitants noted for their sobriety
and general thrift.
OTHER THRIVING TOWNS.
Until 1835 Olphant was lndlcnted on
tho surface of tho earth by a saw mill
nnd a couple of log homes. About this
time tho late Lewis Pughe and Edward
Jones secured leases of the coal lands
In the place, nnd the village began tc
develop and the progress has been
rapid and steady, and the town of Oly
phant, with Its various enterprises has
come to be recognized as among the
most Important of tho valley. Jermyn,
Mayfk'ld, Dickson, Throop, Priceburg,
Taylor, Lackawanna and Mooslc are
among th'o other thriving towns that
are In fuct a part and parcel of "Great
er Seranton."
The brough of Dunmore, which will
probably bo the first to become a por
tion of "Greater Seranton," was first
known to tho "business world In 1820,
when a store was opened at tho
"Corners." It was known In those days
by tho unpnetlcal title of "Bucktown.-'
This little vlllago which consisted of a
tavern and a few houses remained as a
rounding up place for lumbermen of
thnt region until the operations of the
Pennsylvania Coal company began
when a change came over the place,
nnd the Influx was composed of a
better class of Inhabitants. Schools
nnd churches soon baenme Institu
tions i.f "Bucktown" nnd In a few
years the Inhabitants began to feel
themselves above tho homely name
and the present title of Dunmore was
adopted. Indeed it may truly bo said
that the Pennsylvania Coal company
Is the parent of Dunmore, and also
that much of thf prosperity of the
borough Is duo to tho enterprise nnd
public spirit of the late cflclent head of
the company, tho lnmented John 13.
Smith nnd his worthv successor and
Eon, Mr. Georgo B. Smith, who is at
present in control of the interests of
the company, which extend from Pitts
ton to Hawlev along the line of the
Erie and Wyoming Valley railroad.
A CHANGE OP SCENE.
In mentioning tho busy towns that
should be Included In the great mu
nicipality, which Is tho dream of all
public-spirited citizens, tho beautiful
In inlets on tho line of tho reads run
ning north nnd soutli should not he
forgotten. Tho bird-eye view of the
stretch of country seen through the
Notch or from tho eastern crest of the
Mooslc range, presents a scene entire
ly different from that of the bustling
industrial nnd mining towns up and
down the valley. Looking north a pic
ture of tranquility greets the eye. Tho
grimy breakers and black smoko r.tacks
have disappeared. In summer time the
rolling meadows, fringed with wood
land, afford a view that Is ever de
lightful to tho lover of the beautiful
in nature. Along up a. beautiful val
ley, where daisy-flecked fields and
luxuriant gardens slope from wooded
hilltops to limpid streams thnt ripple
lazily on in their Journey toward the
Dplaware bay, the little hamlets of La
Plume, Dalton and Glenburn nestle in
emblematlo serenity, the Ideal speci
mens of the pastoral village, while fur
ther down, almost within eight of the
Goran ton. arc lights at nightfall, Is situ
ated Clark's Summit, whloh lias recent
ly been tho point of Interest to those
engaged in real estate speculations on
account of the parka that have been
established there by land companies,
calculated for suburbun homes for
Rcrnntnnlnns. The villages above men
tioned have become very popular as
summer homes, and many resident!1 of
Seranton pass the greater portion of
of time amid these pastoral scenes
each year from May to Octo
ber. Within a few minutes cast
lo situated Klmhurst, a delightful
suburban home town, which through
tho enterprise of Colonel U. G.
Sehoonmnker has come to be on of tho
garden spots of this locality. Klmhurst
has a fine hotel and many olegnnt sum
mer homes which nre owned ly Serin
ton business men. Many of the prop
erty owners at Elmhurst reside In the
place tho year around, while others
spend the winter In tho city proper.
In addition to train facilities. Elm
hurst miy be reached from Scrnnton
by a Itoulevnrd, which Is absolutely
without a peer in this part, of the coun
try, und Is one of tho enterprises that
has done much to advertise Seranton
ns the h'nmo of progress. Tho Elm
hurst boulevard Is approached through
Nay Aug park and Its course Is upon
n, mountain top for a distance of near
ly eight miles, The uccnory along the
route Is delightful nnd the thorough
fare Is one of the popular driveways of
this part of the state.
RESULT OF IMPROVEMENTS.
It Is becoming more and more recog
nized that there enn be no more profit
able Investment than to make a city
beautiful. Every dollar spent In this
mnnner is sum to bring largo returns
ns an enterprise. The greatest profit
comes from beautifying n city in the
ratlsfnctlon that one takes In the con
templation of Improvements, nnd tin
development of the character of a
community, but even from a purely
financial standpoint the Investment of
funds In this way can be regarded as
n profitable venture. Scrantontons ot
a few ynrs ngo have fully realized this
fact, nnd various land lotnpnnlcs have
vied with each otli'or In tho creation
of delightful parks Intended ns locali
ties for suburban homos, and exprl
ence has shown that they made no mls
take in appealing to good taste of buy
ers by making their plots ns attractive
as possible. The work of the land
scape Gardner and florist has "brought
forth generous returns In every In
stance, and as the city grws beautiful
none murmur nt the rapidly increasing
price of real estate. Seranton has been
lavish In the expenditure of funds for
civic beauty: and the returns will bo
forthcoming hereafter.
CITY GOVERNMENT.
X Clnnco nt the Workings of tho Grcnt
Municipnlitv-I'ist o lo City
Officii!!.
The City of Seranton was incorporat
ed April 23. 1SC6. The city proper cov
ers an area of 19.00 square miles and
the raveled streets would reach a dis
tance of 110.20 miles and the courts and
places 2G.33 miles. Tho organization of
tho city government was effected by
tho election of E, M. S. Hill mayor,
who served from 1SG to 1809. His suc
cessor in order wore n3 follows: W.
N. Monies. 1SC9-72; M. W. Loftus. 1S72
73; Robert H. McKune, 1S73-7S; T. V.
Powderly, 1S7S-18S4: Francis A. Beam
ish, 1SS4-1SSC; Ezra II. Ripple, 1SSG-90;
John H. Fellows. 1S90-93; W. I Con
nell, 1893-90. and James G. Bailey, tho
present Incumbent, elected In 1890.
The destinies of the city nre directed
by two representatives from each of
the twenty-one wnrds, who meet In
select nnd common bodies twice each
month. Tho terms of ofllce of the
members of the select council from nil
even numbered wards expire on the
flist Monday of 19S. and In odd nurn
burd words In 1900. Terms of mem
bers of the common council from odd
numbered wnids expire on the first
Monday of April, 1899. and the even
ward? on the same day In 1S9S. In the
matter of qualifications select council
men must be 23 years of ago and com
mon councllmen 21 yenrs old. and shall
have been citizens and residents of the
Htato for nt least four years, and of
the ward they represent one year next
bfore their elrctlon. Unless abf-ent on
public business of the United States or
of the state of Pennsylvania, they
shall reside In tho ward during their
term of office.
The edifice devoted to tho use of the
councils nnd various municipal officers
Is most spacious nnd convenient as
well ns artistic in design. Tho hand
some new city building at tho corner
of Washington avenue and Mulberry
street, as shown in the illustration
elsewhere, Is a model of completeness
In interior arrangements and In ex
terior beauty, and is arranged to afford
ample nccommodntlons for business
transactions In the Interest of the city
for years to come. Tho building con
tains spacious meeting rooms for the
common and select branches of the
councils which, on occasions when a
Joint session Is required, may be
thrown Into one immense hall. In ad
dition nre meeting rooms for the school
board, the poor board and public and
private offices for the different officers
In the service of the city. These apart
ments are furnished In a luxurious
manner nnd are provided with every
convenience necessary to the transac
tion of official business with dispatch.
In the basement Is situated the head
quarters of the police department, and
the cells of the city lockup.
An Important feature In the conduct
of the affairs of the city is tho electric
firo alarm system, which Is maintained
by tho Central Pennsylvania Telephone
company. The system embraces sev-enty-elght
slgntfi Wxes. Rent of the
system and thecost of malntnlnenco
for the year 1897 amounts to $3,530.20.
Electric street lights are furnished by
tho Seranton Electric Light and llcnt
company, nnd the contract price N
twenty-five cents a light per night for
all night and for every night in the
year. The number of lamps in use at
pre tent Is r.34.
The etreet cleaning department, whllo
not at perfection by any means, has
been greatly improved within tho past
few months, and with the employment
of a larger force of men, might, under
the present system, bo made second to
none.
The fire department, which Is rapid
ly approaching tho state of paid sys
tem, is probably one of the best volun
teer organizations known In the com
monwealth. Sixteen companies are on
tho list, and many of them employ
two permanent men each on salary;
and the time is probably not far dis
tant when tho entire department will
bo paid.
Much attention Is given to building
ordinances, and though the work of
tho class of builders who disfigure the
streets with little one-story shells nnd
other unsightly edifices Is difficult to
deal with, a firo limit has been estab
lished In the central city to prevent the
endangering of valuable property by
the erection of more Inflammable wood
structures.
Tho city Is fortunate In having u
board of health that Is unusually act
ive Jn their laboro for tho good of the
community und the excellent sanitary
in --s&rz r.sj-- -' IT ' -..I..-- i . i il ' ' ' ' ' - 1I r ' .-T-T,.- i rr i-i M j :r
ir-?TFrgffjl' "jli ut-'hrHr Ir'. 5',iigtssr4 "'-''lcsr'"''"
condition of tho' city '13 'doubtless due
largely to the activity of the officers
of the board.
The officials of the city of Seranton
are as follows:
Mayor Jwnes G. nalley; mayor's sec
retary, R. .1. Beamish.
City Treasurer C. G. Roland: clerk, P.
J. Ruatie.
City Controller Edmund J. D. Robin-'
son; clerks, Edward Elsie, Charles G.
Rosar.
City Solleitor-M. A. McGlnlcy; assist
ant, Michael J. Walsh.
City Clerk M. T. Lavclle; assistant,
Evan R. Morris.
Building Inspector John Nelson.
Street Commissioner A. B. Dunning,
Jr.: clerk. John P. Mahon.
Chief of Police-Frank Robllng, Jr.
Chief of Fire Department 1". J. Illckey.
City Engineer Joseph Phillips; assist
ants. E. II. Sherwood, V. II. Sadler, D.
J. Ilealcy; clerk, Franklin Phillips.
City Assessors C. S. Fowler, William
Dawson, Charles I'iekus.
Hoard of Health Dr. W. A. Paine, pres
ident; Dr. J. K. llenth-y, George S. Horn,
II. J. Zeiuler, M. J. Kelly.
Health Ollleer-Dr. W. H. Allen.
Secretary Robert Murray.
Sanitary Policeman W. H. Burke.
Food Inspector Thomas J. Cullen.
Foor Hoard
Directors W. B. Lnngstaff, Frederick
Fuller, F. L. Treppc. Dr. W. A. Pulne, 1".
.1. Murphy, Thomas Shotten, Reese G.
Brooks.
President V. S. Lane-staff.
Secretary K. J. Lynett.
Treasurer John Van Bergen.
Collector Wade Finn.
Solicitor John Seracg.
Btirerlnleiiilent B. CJ. W. Reemer.
.Matron Mrs. a. W. Reenter.
Resident Physician Dr. Strang.
School Rome
The school board meets the second and
fourth Mondays of each month. The of
ficers are as follows:
President T. J. Jennings.
Secretary Mugcna D. Fellows.
Superintendent of City Schools Georgo
Howell.
Solicitor for Board H. A. Knnpp.
EDUCATIONAL TOPICS.
Magnificent School Flnildlng nnd
i:Hiclent Tcnchcrs-Tlio Albright
Llhrnrv.
The educational facilities of Seranton
are second to none In Inland cities, Nu
merous school buildings are located at
convenient points nbout tho city and
the elegance of the structures that are
designed for convenience and comfort
Is proverbial.
Some of the narrow-minded have
shown n disposition to find fault with
whnt they deem extravagance In tho
construction of school buildings, but
fortunately this spirit Is confined to
but a small percentage of our citizens.
The average Scrantonlan Is of the be
lief that the best is none too gone In
school edifices nnd appliances and tho
beauty of the city school buildings
therefore has been the cause of com
ment on part of visitors nnd new
comers. Thirty-seven elegnnt school
buildings are Included In the city's
property, nnd last year nearly 13.C0O
pupils received Instruction In tho var
ious departments. The High school
building, which Is situated nt the cor
ner of Washington avenue and Vino
street, is one of the most oxpcnslvo
ns well ns the handsomest buildings of
tho kind In the country. In addition to
the advantages to bo gained from a
higher course In this building a train
ing school for teachers Is also in op
eration. The school buildings nbout
tho cltv are In charge of teachers of
experience and ability who have tho
Interests of pupils at heart and are
possessed of energy that enables tho
schoc;! Interests of Seranton to keep In
lino with progress generally.
An Important factor In education In
Seranton Is tho Albright Memorial
Library, which was established through
the generosity of the heirs of the lato
oseph J. Albilght. At a meeting of tho
Seranton Roaid of Trade held on the
27th of January. 1890. President Smith
announced that tho belts of Mr. Al
bright had donated to the city for the
purpose of a public library the plot of
ground upon which tho Albright home
stead stood nt corner of Washington
avenue and Vine street nnd that upon
this ground so deeded, Mr. Joseph J.
Albright, Jr., proposed to erect a build
ing nt tho cost of $30,000 to J75.000, for
use of such library. The meeting was
addressed by several members of the
board who united in congratulating tho
city on securing such a magnificent gift
and sultuble resolutions were Intro,
duecd by Hon. Alfred Hand, and also
a letter of acceptance written on behalf
f llii will I will- Iwsi i tf
SCRANTON CITY HALL.
of the board. A meeting was called
soon after and large sums were raised
for the purchase of books. The work
upon the building was commenced in
the'May following the acceptance of tho
gift and was pushed rapidly to com
pletion, and nbout three years from
the nccentnnce by the Board of Trade
the beautiful library was opened to the
public. Tho estimate of the original
cost was gradually Increased as the
bidding drew near completion by tho
generous donors until tho sum ex
pended exceeded $123,000. The Albright
Library building Is today a model of
architecture that has never been ap
proached In this part of the state and
Its sheves nre filled with the works of
the well known authors and scholars
and contain an unlimited fund of In
formation for tho young of Inquiring
minds. Tho library Is a most popular
Institution with both young and old.
Its reading rooms are thronged dally
with bright young visitors and the
transactions of tho loaning department
seem almost marvelous.
COAL INTERESTS.
Tho Product of Pcnnsylranin An
tlirucito llnsin tho Finest in the
World -- Cheap Fuel for Steam
Power.
Tho danger, labor and pxnenso In
curred In tho mining and preparation
of anthracite coal for matket Is real
ized by few people who use coal for
domestic purposes or for the generation
of steam. Even in the homo of tho
coal industry not many persons com
prehend the magnitude of the under
taking, and wen it not for the Im
proved machinery that has been util
ized of late It would bo impossible to
mine coal at a profit nt the present
prices. Many are pet haps also Ignor
ant of the fact that tho entire supply
of anthracite coal for the world comes
from Eastern Pennsylvania, tho coal
belt extending to Lackawanna, Lu
zerne, Schuylkill and Carbon counties.
Small beds are also found In Sullivan
county and on the borders of Wayno
nnd Susquehanna. But while Immense
quantities of anthracite aro shipped
from tho lower coal beds of tho belt It
Is probable that the Scrnnton product
leads all othots In quality. In tho
matkets of the world the ceil from the
Lackawanna has a reputation for pur
ity and freedom from other minerals
also that makes it much sought for, es
pecially for domestic purposes. Strange
as It may seem, the best beds of coal
for domestic purposes have thus far
been found on the west side of the
Lackawanna river, nnd so thoroughly
have these beds been worked over, it
is ettatod that were a few feet of bar
riers removed between tho dlcrent
mines, one could wlk from Priceburg
to Taylor under the city of Seranton, a
distance of seven or eight mlUs.throtigh
the various workings without coming
to the surface. From a point on
Petersburg Hill, near Laurel XI III Park,
twenty-two coal breakers appear In
view up and down tha valley within ft
dlstnno of five miles. Th'rso black,
uncouth phaftr that mar an otherwise
beautiful lardscape, though not pleas
ing to the vision of the aesthetic, are
denr to the hearts of tho people, as
they stand out ngalnst the clear fkles,
monuments of the Industry that af
fords employment for thousands, and
the fountain? from wh'lch the enter
prises of iicranton draw life.
Anthraclto coal Is mined by two
methods. In tho early days of coal
digging In tho Lackawanna valley,
when lit product cropped out from al
most every ledge of rocks herealxiuts,
the slop mining, which Is least expn
slve, was the mode employed. A vein
of coal which blossomed out on tho
mountain or lilllsUK was followed by a
tunnel, and the coal was taken out In
little cars, which' were drawn liy don
keys or were nllowed to lie propelled
by their own weight down a slight In
cline In tho drift. A number of opera
tors In this vleltlny who work on a
small scale and mine coal for domestic
purposes, still work in slopes. Tho
richer veins, however, nre re-ached by
the shafts, which aro sunk hundreds
ot feet below tho surf nee.
The coal basin of tho Lackawanna
region contnlns peven veins, varying in
thickness nnd depth. Tho first Is
callo? the diamond vein. This is sit-ua'o-d
at a depth of about 100 feet, and
frequently crops out on the surface.
Tho diamond vein is uaudlly about
seven feet thick. Sinking the. shaft an
other hundred feet the rock vMn which
if 5r-.-J'-"
IWinW,'
is about 10 feet thick Is found. At a
depth of SO or 100 feet below the rock
vein is reached tho mammoth deposit,
a vein usually 14 feet in thickness, con
taining a dividing layer of slate about
18 Inches thick. Proceeding 120 feet
further towards the bowels ot tho
earth the miner strike) whnt Is known
as the Clark vein, which Is usually
nbout six feet thick. One hundred feet
below the Clark vein is found a layer
of very fine coal from four to five feet
In depth which Is called In this vicinity
the Dunmore vein, but is known else
where as red ash coal. The red ash Is
the lowest vein that can be mined, with
profit. A kIx Inch win Is often found
by drillers below the rod ash vein, but
It Is seldom worked.
THE CULMN PROBLEM.
The disposition of culmn wasto is n
problem that has puzzled tho scientists
for year3. In seasons of the past tons
and tons of excellent fuel went to
waste upon the culm banks. With the
Improved grates for burning small
sizes of coal much of the coal which
was wasted in former years has been
utilized under the name of pea nnd
buckwheat coal. The pea coal Is the
meet economical for the kitchen range,
containing as it does a greater per
centage of the pure carbon than the
lnrger sizes: and for steam generating
purposes the buckwheat the next size
smaller. Is in great demand. By the In
troduction of culmn-burnlng locomo
tives tho railroad companlfs have been
enabled to dispose of immense quautl
tieo of what would otherwise have
been wasto material, and the numerous
wnsherles, where tho contents of the
dump are screened ana assorted Into
small sizes for domestic purposes,
havo hnd tho effect of utilizing the
waste to a certain extent. Yet tho
culm problem Is practically unsolved,
unl.ss perhaps tho scheme of Mr.
Gardner Sanderson, which Is explained
In another column, proven practical.
The much-talked of tariff on coal
does not directly affect the anthracite
Interests. There Is no duty on anthra
cite coal. Pennsylvania Is practically
without competition in this product.
Tho only way that anthracite would
be seriously affected would be by a flood
of Nova' Scotia soft coal to this county
which would glut the eastern markets
and probably take the place of small
sizes of anthracite in the big manu
facturing concerns, whoro It would bo
used for steam generating purposes.
For domestic purposes tho smoky bi
tuminous product can never success
fully compete with the clean-burning
dusky diamonds of the Eastern Penn
sylvania anthracite coal fields.
Tho statement that Seranton pos
Besses the best, safest and cheapest
steam power fuel In the world is borne
out by contemplation of the facts In
the case from a standpoint of Intelli
gence. I)y tho sheer elTort of advertis
ing the world has been taught that the
natural gas la the cheapest fuel for
steam generating purposes, nnd mnny
accept the uss'rtlon without stopping
to investigate the subject. In contem
plation of the advertisements of tho
enterprising trade boomers of the nat
ural gas regions they lose Eight of tho
fact that tho best fuel In the world
Is available In the Lackawanna valley,
und that the unsightly culm piles con
tain the motive power to turn the
wheels of Industry for years to come.
An explanation of test given In tho
report of the Seranton Board of Trade
for 1S90, show conclusively the super
iority of the anthracite coal for steam
generating purposes, and nlso show
that the excellent mnterlal Is cheaper
as well as safer and more reliable
than the much-vaunted natural gas,
which Is liable to full or wreck a
manufacturing plant ut any time with
out warning.
Under the vast mountains of what
was at one time considered waste coal
Is concealed the product that Is to be
of great vnluo to business nnd manu
facturing Interests of the future.
Though Invention Is yet in Its Infancy
In the matter of grates for the utiliza
tion of culm, it lms already been dem
onstrated that much If tho fine coal
which can be purchased for a song,
ran bo used to good advantage in
mnufacturlng.
An estimate' of the cost of the various
kinds of fue used for steam generat
ing purposes Is given In connection
with tho above, And taken generally
It may bo safely stated that fuel per
horse-power per boiler costs each day
as follows:
Anthracite coal, prepared Blzes, G to
3 cents.
Bituminous coal, from 4 to 0 cents,
Natural gas, from 3 to C cents.
Culm, from ,4 cent to 2 cents.
The Idea that culm must be fresh to
be of value has been exploded effect
ually by tho operations of tho wash
erics where excellent coal Is turned
out from dumps that have been exposed
to tho storms of many winters.
Tho coal Interest of tho valley at tho
present tlmo nre largely controlled by
tho Pennsylvania Coal company, tho
D., L. & W and tho D. & H. Railroad
company. Among the operators who
have assisted materially In building up
tho Industry In Seranton may bo men
tioned Mr. William Connell, Mr. W. T.
Smith, Mr. W. H. Richmond, Messrs.
Simpson & Watklns, West Ridge Coal
company, Enterpriso Coal company.
These operators have been foremost
In all enterprises calculated to promoto
trade nnd better tho condition of .tho
miners in this region.
FUEL GAS FROM CULM.
Vnlunblo Invention Cnlcnlnted to Re
duce Cost ofMotlvc Power.
Tho value of gns for fuel and power
In no longer problematical, It Is prac
tically demonstrated to bo of much
greater value than tho solid fuel from
and with which it Is produced.
The well known Siemens regenera
tive furnaces had much to do with Its
application for high heating purposes
such aa melting Iron and steel, but for
moderate heating, simply furnaces
without provision for firo heating the
air or gas is used. For boiler firing
where steam Is a necessity It is found
to be much more effectual as It Is more
convenient than solid fue, and Is an
improvement upon any automatic stok
er posslblo to devise. For domestic
purposes Its value Is recognized and
even where cxpenslvo illuminating gas
is the only kind to bo had, It is being
so extensively used as to seriously cur
tall the use of coal. But probably tho
most valuable of all the various pur
poses to which It Is applied Is that for
furnishing power by means of tho gas
engine. This country is a long way be
hind the European countries in tho
utilization of this most economical
of power generators. There tho gas
cnglno Is employed for all power pur
poses ahd is rapidly displacing the
steam engine. It Is In oommon use for
pumping water for town supplies, elec
tric lighting and railway plants, mills
employing from 100 to 1000 horse pow
er, and for all other purposes requir
ing power.
The advantages of gas englno power
may be thus enumerated Economy of
fuel, safety from boiler explosions, sav
ing of boiler expanses and dirt, saving
of water and little importance as to
quality, vo high pressure retaining
vessels or pipes, no escaping Btcam, no
complicated system of safety valves,
guages, feed water heaters, conden
sors, separators, pumps &c, no waiting
to get up steam or w-iste when engines
are not running.
An Atnerlcan writer of authority on
the subject of power, says, "after care
ful and intelligent tests by exports
with tho best Instruments made nt the
present day, It is generally udmitted
that what Is now de?med the perfect
steam engine, does not convert more
than 10 per cent, of thvj heat efficiency
Into Indicated work and that ordinary
engines and hollers do not realizo over
4 per cent. From 90 per cent, to 95
per cent, o." energy Is lost In the waste
ful method of producing steam through
a boiler and tho condensation nnd
friction in conveying it to tho piston
of the engine where the energy is ex
pended In work. If wo can compare
this with the effective energy produced
by the expeanslvo force of heated vap
or produced by tho combustion ot gna
in the cylinder of a gas englno with
out any Intervening throttling by fric
tion, cooling and condensation, or loss
by radiation, we readily discover tho
groat economy of tho gas engine as
a prime motor. It is only a matter of
time when tho prejudice that usually
exists against nn innovation will be
overcome and tho superiority of tho
gas engine over the cumbersome short
lived and wasteful boilers will bo estab
lished. The cost of producing power
will bo so reduced, that the beggar may
ride, and in the next dcade the steam
engine will occupy the same relative
position to the gas englno that tho
tallow dip now docs to the electric
light, and the horso car to the electric
car."
Mr. Thwalte, nn English engineer
and authority says: "In tho gas en
gine 3-4 of the combustible valuo of
the fuel Is secured In th'o cylinder
for dlre;t conversion into power under
the most perfect conditions of combus
tion. In the steam plant, this fuel is
burnt under the worst possible condi
tions In the furnaces of the steam boil
er of the best designed," which factor
is greatly reduced by condensation,
resistance, waste &c, in pipes before
reaching the cylinder of tho engine.
Ho also says a central coal field gas
power Installation, will permit dyna
mic energy to be produced for trans
mission by high pressure alternating
electric currents, to a distance up to
one hundred miles, at a cost that would
bring this energy well within the limit
prescribed by tho expression of cheap
power."
Mr. Donkln another English authori
ty Fays: "It has now proved that a
good gas engine turned about double
as much heat Into work ns a good
steam engine." Also that "it has been
found and attention was first drawn
to the fnot by Sir W. Siemens, that
coal giB gives much more light when
furnishing power electrically through
n gas engine and dynamo thnn when
the samtj quantity of gas Is burnt in
the ordinary way" ns an example.
An engine using 15 feet of 10 canelle
povcr gas for each horse power per
hour will run ten 10 cnndlo power in-
I candescent lights or 1G0 candle power
, of light for one hour. This gas will
furnish three 5 feet burners giving 1C
candlo power each or 4S candle power
of light for ono hour or a gain of 112
candle power of light from 15 feet of
gas by conversion Into electricity. In
producing nre llgh'ts 12 times the light
Is obtained from tho bame gas con
sumption ns in producing incandes
cent lights.
The natural gas found In some parts
of this country has had much to do
with the rapid development of Its uses
for fuel and power, where nature's sup
ply hns been exhausted manufactured
gas has been restored to rather than
return to tho use of solid fuel, even In
tha soft coal region.
Millions of ctollnr.4 are being expend
ed In the development of water powers
for the purpose of generating elec
tricity which has generally to bo con
ducted a long distance by means of
expensive conductors and with great
loss of efficiency, to reach tho place
whera the power Is to be applied.
Pcranton and vicinity possesses nn
unlimited sourco of the cheapest power
In pxistance. The gas generated with
anthracite culm by the Sanderson pro
cess is chemically tho same as that
most generally used for extonslvo pow
er purposes In Europe, and which Is
nlso produned with anthraclto coal,
prepared sizes being required; wo
thereforo havo the results of practical
experience with" tho sama quality of gns
used In tho engines of various deserlp
loiis, single and double acting, vertical
and horizontal, tandem and compound,
developing up to 700 II. P. and m
ployed for a great variety of purposes'.
Authorltlve tests aro attainable ot tho
actual power developed with this gaa
nnd from the coal with which it In
produced, comparing these testa with
tho results attained at tho experiment
al plant of Tho Anthracite Gas Produc
er company in Seranton, and it is
found that ono pound of culm will
produco sufficient gas to develop onej
II. P. per nour In a gas engine, esti
mating tho cost of culm in tho gaa pro
ducer at 23 cents per ton and wo find
that wo nro able to furnish unlimit
ed power near tho culm piles at a
fuel cost of 12fi-lO,O00 of ono cent per
horse power per hour, or for ten hours
nt a cost of 123-1000 of ono cent per
horso power or 100 horso power for tert
hours nt a cost of 12 1-2 cents. Con
sidering the comparatively small out
lay necessary for erecting a gaa plant
which will furnish power equal ten
that at Niagara or any other hydrau
lic plant, and It Is evident that tha
tho anthraclto regions can furnish tha
cheapest power known. Tho other ad
vantages of cheap gaa for fuel should
bo considered, especially by manufac
turers requiring controltiblo heat. Aa
for illumination, if, ns is demonstrat
ed electric lighting can bo furnished
by means of tho gas engine, ch'eapen
than the light from tho same amount
of gaa burnt direct, it is not conceiv
able that any ono would prefer to burn
gns, but If they should tho Welsbachl
or other Incandescent burners can bo
used with this cheap gas.
Electricity hag already been success
fully Installed ns the motive powen
on several steam railways and It la
more than probablo that Its very gen
eral adoption will soon follow.
Considering the low cost of electrical
generation In tho anthraclto coal re
gions the cost of transportation should
bo reduced to a point far below what
has horcofore boon dreamed of.
J. Gardner Sanderson.
Providence Water Supply.
An Instanco of tho development ef
large Interests from small beginnings
Is given In tho career of Tho Provi
dence Water company. Twcnty-nlna
years ago when tho company built lta
first reservoir, lto principal Intention
wag to supply tho coal works of tho
Delaware and Hudson Canal company
and Delaware Lackawanna and West
ern company. As the wells In the
town however began to show signs
of failing, applications were made ta
the water company by citizens ot tho
vicinity who desired tho water for do
mestic use. Only a fow years elapsed
from tha time tho company began to
serve private property-holders befora
tho demand became so great that It
was necessary to build a larger stor
age reservoir in order to lurnish a
supply sufficient to serve tho many
patrons of the corporation. A new stor
age pond was thereforo arranged sev
en miles above the town, where a suf
ficient quantity of water can always,
bo kept to meet all emergencies. Wat
er from this pond Is conveyed to tho
original reservoir by a natural creek,
from wh'enco it i3 piped to tho city
water mains. This creek for a tlmo ran
alongside tho turnnlko and whenever
it mined tho wash from tho rood pol
luted tho water. In tho spring of 1S93
other arrangements were made to bet
ter tho quality of water by means
of filters and additional mains. A,C
what is known as tha high service
reservoir was built a filter house 70
feet long; 12 feet wide and 12 feet
deep. Tho water comes through two
wooden gates into the housa and
through galvanized screens and then
over horizontal bars that can be easi
ly removeel when it is necessary to
remove tho acculatlon that covers
them. After passing the bar3 the wat
er encounters large crates of charcoal
and passing further on drips through
a series of double screens ot light
cloth. The screens are removed three
or four times dally und are washed
off with hose. A track nnd travelling
pully arranged above enable thj at
tendants to handle the screens and
charcoal easily. Beneath the lllter
h'ouse Is a sediment chamber which is
arranged to carry oft any deposit that
may accumulate on the nerforated
Iron floors of the building. The water
enteis tho high service reservoir
through a 24-Inch terra cottn pipe, be
ginning 4.000 feet above the point that
the creek from the storage reservoir
Join. Along tho lino aro five agitating
pools built of stone and ccmet. Tho
force of the water through these pools
turns a wheel which churns the water
to foam before it passes out and acts
as a fan to force the air through tho
terra cotta pipe above the stream. A'
small house with a stack and vent pipe
Is built over each pool.
These Improvements were made un
der direct supervision of tho company's
superintendent, Major J. B. Fish, and
were according to pinna devised by
the superintendent. Since the comple
tion of the filtering housa and the new
reservoir, tha quality of water h'ua
been excellent and tho company has
received tho endorsement of the Seran
ton board of health In recognition of
the sanitary condition of Its supply.
Tho providence Water company sup
plies 7.J0O.OOO gallons to the city dally
and has a stoek supply of 813,000,000
that may bo drawn upon at any time.
In order to bring the quality of the
water to the present high standard
of excellence It was necessary for the
company to purchase a largo amount
of property Jn the vicinity of Chin
chilla which had been used for pur
poses that would In spite of every re
cautlfn "bo apt to taint tho water. Rut
the company had spxred no expense
In this matter, preferring at any cost
to serve patrons with a supply of water
that would bo pure and healthful.
KMlttlnir Mills.
In this region noted for its coal and
Iron industries, far from tho localities
that usually control cotton and woolen
manufacturing interests, ono would
scarcely expect to find an establish
ment of much Importance In the line of
woolen manufacturles. Vet Suianton Is
tho home of plants that turn out Im
mense quantities of tho best quality ot
modern knit goods of every description.
Tho celebrated Lackawanna Knitting
Mills ovo provided with every facility
for economic accomplishment of every
operation In connection with the manu
facture of knit woolen underwear, and
the transformation of the raw wool
from tho sheep folds of America and
Australia into handsome finished gar
ments Is both rapid and accurate, pro
ducing tho best oTectb and superiority
In tho matter of durability. Tho plant
of tho Lacknwanna Mills is ono of the
most Important In tho country, and Its
patrons are distributed from Maine to
California. Its products aro fine and
medium underwear for men, women
and children and tho goods shipped
from tho establishment have no super
ior In Amerlonn trade. Tho success ot
this great manufacturing Interest It it
probable will stimulate other enter
prises of the kind which by furnishing
employment for our people help to
build up tho progressive electric city.
There Is no question that the knitting
Industry which a fow years ago was
consldeied an experiment has come to
stay.
I