THE SCRANTON TRIBUNE-TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1901'.
"""N '
-: NIGHT SCHOOL
DAY SCHOOL
Lackawanna
Business College
Guernsey Hall, Washington Avenue.
The Gravity Railroad
By JOHN McCOMB.
OFFICE OPEIlM DAY AND EVENING! FOR THE
ENROLLMENTOFSTUDENTS IN
Bookkeeping
Arithmetic
Commercial Law
Typewriting
Spelling
Grammar
Shorthand
Penmanship
Business Correspondence
Our Rates Are Moderate
Instructors Painstaking
Courses Thorough
And we give our pupils careful, individual in
struction. Graduates placed in good positions. Call
and investigate our courses and get our very liberal
terms and rates.
J, E. BLOOMER, Manager and Principal.
Carbondale
Miners' & Mechanics'
Savings Bank.
Capital -Surplus
-
$100,000.00
$100,000.00
THE following description of the
gravity system of railroading Is a
valuable contribution to tho rem
iniscences of Carbondale, and written,
as It is In Mr. McOomb's clear, lucid
ntyle, It will be of Interest:
No. 23, on the Delaware and Hudson
Canal company's gravity wllroud sjs
tern, was the most Important of all the
planes operated between Olyplmnt and
Honcsdale.
located In the Second wntd, on tho
prominent bluff which Is easily seen
from the municipal building, looking
wet, It was a landmnik well known
and well rcmenibcrid by nil Carbon-
dale's people nnd visitors, by reason of
Its slgtinl whistle being used as our
lire alarm. Thousands of our people
well temeniber the Intonation of that
ear-plcroing gong, who never nv-cstl-gated
tho prmess of tianspoi ting black
diamonds fiom the I.aiknwannn .il
le to the canal at Ilonosdiilo.
To the people of Cnibondale No JS
was known more fa tuillti 1 1 as "Dn-
lcs' Head," owing to the fnct that
tho engineers who were omplovi'd th"re
from tho time the loul was built In the
fifties were members of the Dnvles
fnmlly. Twenty years ago Mi K Y.
Dnvles handled tho levirs. Ills set
vice there was of long dmutlon and
covered a period befoie and after the
time of which 1 speak
Drawn Up by Cable.
No. 2S oper.ited two Inclined planes
The roadbeds of each can be seen now.
Tho one on tho tipper side was known
as the "north plane" It was neatly
five hundred feet long Tho one on
tho lower side was designated as the
"south plane," nnd was ten bundled
nnd eighty feet long. On the noith
plane was operated most of the roal
then brought by locomotle power from
the Erie breaker, situ ited about two
miles south of our i Ity. also pirt of
the (oil prepared at the Coalbrook
breaker, situated one-half mile north of
our city, and then known as the largest
breaker In the world. In addition to
the coal, a large number of empty cars,
which dally accumulated at the trans
fer pockets, were taken back to the
gravity road by means of the noith
plane
On the south plan was operated the
greater part of the coil brought fiom
the different mines between Wilkis.
Harro and Carbondale, nlso the pas
senger nnd freight trains which wire
run between Carbondale and Hones-dale.
SIk men weie lequlrcd to inn the io.il
over tho head of Davles' plane One
engineer nnd his assistant woiked on
the Inside, nnd four men, called run
ner", handled the cms on the outside-North
nnd South Planes.
Tho cars weie drawn up the south
plane b means of an endliss steel
cable, one and one-fourth Indies In
diameter, which passed oer a four
foot sheae whetl nt the lowei nd of
the plane. In a pit Immediately below
the surface of the iiudbcd. The
sheave wheel was .set on a canlnge.
The carriage fiame was mounted like
a tiuek on four small wheels, and the
wheels sot on a little ttack In the pit.
To the renr end of the cnirlage a cable
was ranched as a tension. The tn-
sior. cable was .adjusted over a series
of grooved pullles nnd connected with
a large box of stone hung In a finine
at cither side of the track most con
venient. 'I hat bo of stone acted as n
counter vt'ght, and was a veij valu
able adjunct to the equipment of a
giav Ity p'.tnti
At Intervals of thirty feet gioovid
pullles In pilrs, wire pi iced In tho
center of 'he track on the pline to
pievtnt the cables from toii'hing the
zoadbed. Old emplojes of the gravity
sv stern well n member what happened
when the footman put the wrong twist
In tho bllng. Tor then the cable was
liable to generate (lie ns the two
would ride the pullles on one sio, and
one running up nnd the other down
the plane the filetlon would make
things hot. At the head of each pline
was a drum, nine feet In dlnnieter,
around which the cable w.ns colled a
a Jink attached to the cross-sill of th
car at tho head of the trip. Hy pull
ing a wire which traversed the length
of th plane, he sounded a signal-bell
In tho engine house. The engineer
started his mnchlnery slowly, and tho
cable began to unwind' on one side of
tho drum nnd to wind up on the other.
As tho cone nt the foot of the plnne
moved from under tho forward ond of
tho front car, tho footman Inserted
the other honk of tho sling Into one
of the links of tho cone. As soon ns
the chain stretched taut, nnd the five
cars were straightened out, their
weight would stop the engine for nn
lnstnnt, nnd the balance box on tho
tension cable would take up the slack
In the cnble to which the trip was
nttnihcd The !nomntmy stop would
Indicate to tlm engineer tlint the trip
was hooked on Then he gradually
pulled his throttle and lit on a full
head of steam, nnd, in liss thnn one
minute, he mivv the top mil of the
forward car looming Into view as tho
voluntnrlly qualifying themselves for
tho occupation of running cars, nnd by
tht tlmo they were strong enough to
endure a full day's work they were
expert enough to consider themselves
lmmuncs from tho danger whlclujeo
t utilizes clumsy men around a rail
road. And accidents were of rare oc
curicnte, NEWS OF THE DAY.
Thomas Watsh, nn actor from Hernn
tnn, thought to help along the excite
ment near tho park, during a lull yes
terday afternoon, and tnklng n posi
tion on one of tho benches, proceeded
to "throw a fit." He wns writhing In
well-feigned ngony on tho green
sward, with a much-excited nnd rapidly-growing
crowd about him, when nn
ncMunlntnnce, a young man named
rmmet (lurrell, came along and think
ing to add to tho fun of the thing,
commenced to rain ungentle kicks on
the shamming epileptic. Walsh had
to quit his lit nnd buy the dilnks.
Cnrbondnle's fiftieth nnnlversnry
was the birthday of two Carbondale
bovs. The respective fathers arc J. J,
Collin, of Salem avenue, nnd II A.
Kelly, the druggist.
As the 7.10 Delnwato and Hudson
- i-lV? "'" "' ''' ' " - '-"
v-jVd -p
iWriT:
ITi
-sawa taw.j wrM uSuji rtmSi rN'TnawaEff"'
II LOOK! -HAVEi1.00Kt.---i
HAVE
. M 7t
Gas Stoves and Ranges
uiisr rot ut hot r
tilp ne.ned the angle nt tin head of
the plane The sight 6f tin nis wns
the inglneu's signal to shut off sti am
Disconnecting the Tiip.
As tin foiw.nd cat leuhid the
angle ,i man, who had tnkt-n position
on n slight tlcv.itlon plaud theie tor
the put post, Juinpid on the front
tiuik, sti pped on the buinpei, took a
linn hold nt the top i nil nt the tar
with his lift hand, leiidud down and
graspid tin hook of the slln,r llimlv
with his right hand liv that time
the engine and inble had Mopped The
mniiien. uni nt the tilp i .ium d the sling
to slack off, and the headman, taking
advantage of It, would discount it the
hook fiom the cai and the tone Then
assuming an erict position, he would
give the sling a dextious Jeik and, b
lifting Ills arm at the "lime time, the
low pi end ot the sling was made, to
Miierl up like a snake. That movement
ouisul the sling to land on top of the
tar, and the hook f.nthest from his
hand to hung ovtr the side of the
tar, convent nt for the footman at
the next plane to grasp
About the same time tint the liead
min mounted the foiward inr, nne of
the runners would Jump on some one
of the mis In the tilp and apply the
lonipound-levt r brake, ond thus stop
the trip a shnit distant e fmm the
lit id ot the plane, nnd theie connect
It with other ti lps, until a tialn was
made up These ti.ilns weie tiom time
to time i tin over tht- tiistllng wlitih
iloetl the lit) and stnpptd .it the
loor of No 1, fiom win in t tilt ,v iiu
lendid the mniiot till li n serif of
eight more inclined planes 'I hej
then descended the mountain Into
Wnvninit bv fiuii I ni lined plunes,
whlih were opttatid hy huge tans in
stiad of engines, anil fiom there the
tiavtistd the "ten-mile-lev el" by
niavlty Into Honcsdale, sixteen miles
Kw.iy.
The cars traveled about one bun
dled feet while the headman performed
his woik, as descilbeel above, and, If
We carry the most
complete line of stock
in Northeastern Penn
sylvania. If you don't
believe us, come to our
office and be convinced
OUR 20 DAY OFFER:
We will deliver and connect, Free,'
providing an unreasonable amount of
gas piping or expense may not be nec
essary, any gas range we have in
f stock. Ranges sold for cash.
A match and a turn of the wrist and
you have a fire strong enough for all
requirements.
200 FIRES FOR 2 CENTS
PA
Savings and General Bank Business,
Monday Morning, Sept.
The Pagliano Bros, Handsome New Building
ws
Opened 'for Business.
The Store is stocked with the choicest
goods, imported and domestic, and
the Restaurant provides the finest
imported brands of wines, etc.
train was pulling out last evening, a
woman fell fiom tho platform, stiuck
the giound on her knees und fell un-
if libelous no oss the i all.
Hilly Hvrne, who was on the depot
plitform, saw the woman fall, nnd,
lushing rot ward, drngged her rrom her
petlleius position Just In time to save
her riom bedng flushed beneath the
wheels mf tho lenr truck
The woman's thumb was broken by
falling against the rail This and a
few bulls, s was the extent of her in
juries she lefused to give her name
or tesldcnie
H H Ilrutlileks lodge, Hiotherhood
Ttillin.ul Tialnmon, conducted a nic-
nle at Ke lie en's gtove during tho af
terniMin and evenng, which w.is very
laigely nttendeel t'.nind Chief P. H
Mtmlsso was expected tn be pies
ent, but w is detained by official busi
ness in tho West
Tlnoiigh sti eet cars from Pernnton
brought liundieils of v Isltor.s. Tie large
new open i.us were used nnd the tilp
each way was maile In an hour and
thiee-eiuaitcr.s,
m
OLYPHANT
Hun Hiotlifis' ohows will appear heie
todiy A performance -will be given
this afteinoon ami everlng At noon
a aticet pn.idi' will take place Ad-
inli-sion to tlic simw.s, It and J. cents
Tho public sdievils will open this
morning for the fill term
The S H SV of IVikvllle will give
a sodal In t lie Grand Aimy of the lie
public hall tlil.s t-vi nlng
ltiv Hills Hobtrts has teslgiutr his
pas-toiate of the Cnlvlnlstlc Methodist
ciiuich. Mr. Hobert.s ptenchid his fare
well sermon Sunday evening.
A bov's coat was found on a fence,
near the end of the street car line, on
Dunmutc sHert Owner enn get tho
coat b tailing at Hogan's store.
MKS Grace Hdw arils Is home, after
a visit with lclitivce at Plttston.
A New Gas Arc
Only cost 3 cents an hour
to burn it. It is 500 candle
power. An ornament to any
store.
We also carry Welsbach,
Kern, DeLery and Matchless
Burners, Chandeliers, Portable
Lamps and Heaters, Hot Plates,
Bread Toasters, Etc., Etc.
I The other half uses I
VweTsbach J
-- .-.. -j-- - .-- . ., .
r- --r- . "-- r- ' -vfct:.
uii'nciirs in rvmiosDvrr, isi
Itrtim an O 1,1 Print 1
Carbondale Gas Co.
Anthracite Block.
HISTORY OF
CARBONDALE
t'ontiutiril fium l'irfp .'1
of the Wurt's Gunids, the survivors
ot which appeared In yestordav's par
ade, and below are the names of the
company commanded by t'aptuln Hren
tian. Iti-'u if Ciinpmt I. 1i. nn (itirlh rirfininit
of IVmmltuiii Mllltii. Ntimlier, 12
l i 1 1 f ii tniiiis V llrttitim
r ir-t Ipulnnnt 1h inn o cm
sornnl 1 tout, nnut Mulnct tuiijlilln
Firt s.rKtml Mirk IliilTv
Sirtrmls -lolm Unnl I'jlrltk Dritlcct, Pat
rick Mcf.im, lolm hclh
C'orpjrtl Willi an ( rm It , Tnlin II l'rif,
Mnrtln (,farti, Mm dillishcr T ihu Ilnrkp,
1'at.nik dillialier 'lilttard llirkon, Thuius
Vloonpj
Miilnan-Mlchifl l.ilhclit, I tin In Flei t
l'rbatp Thctnn Ilarrrtt Iattrmcp Drpninn,
John rircnmn, Danlt-l llnjlf, Irlm II Hirrrtt,
Martin Birrrtt, time Hioaii, I'llrhk C jrroll,
Michael Uutfj, Patrick Pickirtj Miriin larlrv,
lohn It Hinncr, l'rttr Hanncry, Joupph Far.
roll, John Hnin, Pitrirk lahf. Hfnry Grdy,
Hincj Ihden, Dill lltnrj, Ihomaa Hieirlra,
Vrtthriik hint? Mlilinl Kennedy, lohn Iz-nnon,
tt hn lna, lohn I wu, Jr. tohn Ijnch, Michael
Vtotr n ITininn Vlurrij, Martin Malone, John
Vlnrri n liweph Vevtltt, William VV. Miles,
I liarlm McCtht llui.li VttCoinli, Michael Vic
(incrn, ( Inrlet Vlcl'irhnl, Hubert Scan, Michael
smnle 1'itnik skifprti n, Thomas Van Kirk,
Ahiaham Wilson, ti hn Vlirt
Tho First Store.
In iontrant with the buildings of to
da and of fifty jenrs ogo, attention Is
tailed to the nit In thin edition of the
first frame store1 It waH built by Sal
mon I.ithiopo in 1SJ8, and It was in It
that William M Hlchmond, of Rich
mond Hill, Heranton, began his busi
ness tareir. The one-story addition,
tl slgnateel shoe .shop, was Carbondale's
first postolllei.
In i losing this brief summary, as It
were, of Carbondale h history, atten
tion Is direited to the picture of No. 1
pline of the old Gravity road. The
Giavltv wns abandoned In 1S9S, and
with its removal departed the most
histoiic feature of Carbondale and thf
strongest lemlndr of pilmltlve days.
The public is cordially invited to visit us iu our new
urrouudings all of our old friends will be warmly greeted
and it will be our pleasure to make new friends and show
them every courtesy.
PUGUANO BROS.,
96-98 Dundaff Street.
sutllclent number of times to exceed
the length of the plane Hoi the touth
plane the drum bail forty colls,
Slv large cj Under boilers, thirty-five
Inches In diameter and fifty feet long,
furnished steam for a pair of one hun
dreet anil fifty hoi so power, high pres
sure engines which con.niH.-trd with the
dium by spur nnd pinion wluols "and
thus hoisted the enrs.
Tho Engineei.
While on duty the engineer ociupltd
a plntfonn neirly ten feet above the
bed-plates of bis engine, and ho had
tho whole of the ge.ulng undet his
iyo when ho chose to look at It. from
hts position he had a view of the- uirs
at tho foot of the plane, nnd could tin
them befoie they leachetl the angle
.it the top of the plane He- also had a
full view of them until they wero de
tached, provldeel tho headman unhook
ed rlght-hnnded
Five cats at a tlmo were drawn up
tho plane They constituted a "trip."
Tho capacity of n enr wns six tons.
A chnln nbnut six feet long, made
fiom three-fourths Inch round Iron,
having a largo hevk nt each end, and
weighing about forty-tlvo pounds, was
used to attacli a trip of cars to tho
cable. The chain whb cnlled a "sling."
Thero were nt that tlmo about one
thousand such slings in ue
Four large, long, wrought-lron links
connected together wero inserteel In the
cable, both at tho head nnd thftoot of
tho plant, The combination of links was
called "the cone." When coal vvne being
hoisted a man at the foot of the piano
placed one of the hooks of the sllnc In
nothing hlntkied him, not nunc than
half a minute would pahs from the
time ho stopped onto the cat trmk un
til he was oil again Much agl!it
elexteilty and practlti, weie ic-qulrcd
to make a in in ellldent In doing tho
woik or unhooking, foi the cais came
over the angle at an average speed of
twent nille-s an hour. When they
weie winking full time on tho road this
operation was itptattd over five nun
died times a day.
Engine Reversed.
As t-oon as tho i nglnet-r saw tho
sling disconnected fiom the cone, ho
would icverse his engine- and still t It
again without any signal twin tho foot,
and nnothei tilp would bo on Its way
up the- plauu beioie the headman had
f.ilily dismounted from the tin.
Coal was opeiatod In this manner tho
eni lound. And during wet oi dry,
w at m or cold weather the same pro
cess was adhered to, icgardliss of tho
dangcious footing caused by snow- and
Ice In winter, ami pelting storms In
tho spring and summer.
Tho iiu'i en tho gravity load began
woik ut O.cU a ni , and continued un
til the complement ot coal was run
over tho line, sometimes late Into the
night, and no stop was made for meals
In caso of i eltlay caused by u break
In tho nine hint ry, or a "smash-up" on
the j aim or any other accident, the
men ns-o'sU I In getting tho coal run
ning again, and they would continue
nt their labor until tho road was clear
of obstruction.
Notwithstanding tho hazaid to llfo
and limb, theie were always boys
The
People's
Shoe
Co.
& -ta THE
H aCam
I.-VUVH0E
Have been in existence just three years this September and
the reputation they have gained for honest dealing is all any one
could ask for. We have one of the best lines of Men's Shoes
ever secured for Carbondale.
The Uncle Sam Shoes
for men have no equal for wear, style and fit. Every
pair fully warranted,
$2.00 $2.50 $3.00 $3.50
JUST A WORD.
We still handle Men's and Women's Shoes fro'm.98cto $3.50.
Our Boys' School Shoes for 98c are hummers.
fi"