GREATER SCRANTON" EDITION.
a
THE SCRANTON BOARD
History Of the Enterprising Body
That Has Accomplished Much in
Furthering the Commercial In
terests of Scranton.
BY D. B,
T
HE growth and prosperity of
the city of Scranton lins boon
marvelous, and Its future Is
most promising. It Is without
doubt the finest city of Us
size In the United States. Its
people, trade, commerce,
manufactures and fine busi
ness and prlvato structures, go to
show .the calibre of lt Inhabitants,
nnd prove tho truth of the above state
ment. Scranton has never experienced a
"boom." From the time of Its Incor
poration as a city, It has grown steadi
ly, each year Increasing In population,
wealth and peimanency. Its resources
were and aro still bo grcnt that It does
not require romancing or vain words
which give one that tired feeling, and
carry bo little weight with them.
Scranton Is not only rich In material
things, but In tho culture and refine
ment of hor people. Its educational in
stitutions, both publlo and private,
are of the highest order, and are being
increased In an Intelligent manner
j ear by year ns the requirements of the
people demand. Scranton has at the
present tlmo thirty-seven public school
buildings, nearly all of which are new
and modern, Its high school, Just
completed, Is without doubt, tho finest
building of the kind to be found In
America, costing over $300,000. Alto
gether the public school buildings of
tho city cost one and a quarter mil
lion of dollars. These schools are
equipped with a corps of professors
and teachers second to none In the
country. Tho writer had the honor to
be a member of the board of control
for a term of four years, and he be
lieves he knows whereof he writes.
There Is no school district In America
that will excel that of tho city of
Scranton, either In the efficiency of
Its teachers or In the character of Its
buildings.
Things which go to add to tho pleas
ures of life, euch as music. literature
nnd the drama, are cultivated here In
the highest degiee, and are enjoyed by
hc masses of the people.
Things which are necessary to life
aie here in abundunce, and as to qual
ity and price, compare favorably -with
other cities of its size.
Scranton is the metroDolls of the
gicat nnthiuclte coal fields of Ameri
ca, and it is from this abundant re
source that it has acquired much of
Its wiealth.
Its manufacturing Interests aro vast
nnd vailed, not les.s than JJ3.00O.O00
being thus Invented, win.' -" not In
clude that Invested in the .. lng of
coal. Thirty thousand men, bojs nnd
girls ate employed In Us many fac
tories, mills and shops. The laboring
population Is law-abiding, fiugal, and
therefoie prosperous and happy, well
clothed and fed The advantages of
our public school s.stem, with Us fieo
text books, give ample opportunity for
a good common tciiool education to
those who aie not able to attend col
lege These advantage5! ure uppi eclat
ed by the peaple, and as a result a largo
percentage of the child! en of Siranton
are being educated.
The population of tho city of Scran
ton inci eased from 9.2J.5 in 1SG0. to 3.
092 In 1870. This period was the flist
stage of tho city's wonderful growth
The next ten yoais showfd u gain in
population of only 10,000 This was
owing to the panic of 1S73 and the
great strikes of 1ST", which were the
means of letardlng the growth of -v-ciy
city and town in the groat Key
stone state, and puralyzed Industries
all over the countiy. In 1S90 the popu
lation of Scranton had almost doubled,
and at tho present time, ISO", It has
within Its bordeis an estimated popu
lation of 105,000.
Within the recollection of tho writer,
who has b?en a resident of the city
thirty-one j'ars, a wilderness has
been transformed Into a modern city.
He has seen high and massive business
blocks of Iron, stone and brick take tho
place of low wooden shanties. Ho has
played ball, skated and enjovod all
sorts of out-door sports In the opui
fields and maishes where today stands
some of the city's l lost substantial and
handsome public buildings, notably thp
court houe, postofllce and board of
trade building "Certainly the mar
velous and substantial growth, th -if t
and enterprise of tho city of Sciantcm
probably Is without a peer among the
clues of the cnuntt," and today
Scranton Is known throughout tho
length and breadth of tho country ns
the most piogrflslve and enterprising
city In the state of Pennsylvania, of
which she Is the fourth city In popu
lation. Scranton was the first city oast of
the Mississippi to ndopt the electric
street car sjstcm, and today this pow
er Is In geneial use on all of th street
car lines In the ity.
Scranton Is also known ns the best
lighted city in the country. Ova
700 arc lamps Illumine Its stieets l,v
night and cast their billllant and
pleasing light over th? most lemoto
and distant parts of the city Thus
Scranton was dubbed the "Electric
City," and Is so known when. vet lt
fame has reached.
The rc'iglous Institutions of tho city
have not been forgotten or neglected
during this period of wonderful giowth.
They are tho veiy foundation of its
successful past, and they utand as a
bulwark to guard Its promising future.
Scranton hnB within Its limits seventy
churches, of nearly every name nnd
denomination. Many of them are fine,
spacious structures,. Some of tlum
are etegant In all of their appoint
ments, and for architectural bpauty
cannot be surpassed In any city In the
land. Some of the brightest minds
adorn their pulpits, and Sunday after
Sunday expound the truth to pews
filled with willing and Interested lfs
tsnera. Scrui tree public libraries are
another source of pleasure and intel
lectual gain to Its Inhabitant. Tho
Albright Memorial Library Is an Insti
tution of which any city might w P
feel proud. It was erected by the heirs
und In memory of the lato J. J Al
bright, who was honored and high
ly respected citizen of the city. The
library is sulpped with 2S.000 volumes,
and Jts ali't Hbiarlcn and his corps of
siUtiuit3 are kept busy exchanging
ATHERTON.
books with ithe many thousands of
readers, who take advantage of the
opportunity afforded them by those
who desired to build a lasting monu
ment to the nmory of him ithey
loved. "Verily they bullded better
than they knew."
The railroad facilities of the city are
unsurpassed. No less than five dif
ferent trunk lines enter its limits and
distribute Its many thousands of tons
of product to all parts of the United
States. The Delaware, Lackawanna
and Western railroad passes through
the heart of tho city, running elegant
vestlbuled trains direct from New
York to Buffalo and the far West. Tho
Delaware and Hudson Railroad, with
lines extending to Albany, Saratoga,
Lake George and Montreal, also add to
Scranton's great railway system; tho
Central Railroad of New Jersey, with
through trains to New York and Phila
delphia; the Erie and Wyoming Valley,
which la a branch of the gteat Tile
fcjstem; und tho Ontario and Western,
with lines extending north and west.
The direct connections with the Lehigh
Valley and the great Pennsylvania
system places Scranton In nn enviable
position, and makes It a most desir
able place for manufacturers.
As a resident city, Scranton enjoys
many distinctive features. Its climate
Is healthy. The city Is situated In a.
beautiful valley seven hundred and fif
ty feet above sea level. The summer
season is delightful. The days aro
warm and the nights cool. Tho ther
mometer rarely goes above ninety in
summer, or below zero in winter. Its
streets are wido nnd well paved with
asphalt, nnd In tho resident portion
lined on either side with elegant homes.
Its beautiful drives up and down the
valley and across the mountains to
nearby summer resorts and lakes
makes it a ery attractive city In which
to reside.
Tho water supply of Scranton Is
enormous. Tho evlty is supplied from
mountain streams emptying Into resur
volrs erected at great cost, with a
daily capacity of 33,000,000 gallons.
Theie Is enough water always In re
servo to supply the city's needs for one
year without rain.
Much has been written of tho early
history of Scranton, and there remains
nothing for tho wtiter to do but to
quote from some of the many historical
.ketches heietoforc published.
"Scranton was cieated a borough
Tebruary 14th', 1SSG, and by act of leg
islature chartered a city April 23rd,
11.C6. Phillip Abbott was the first set
tler in the Deep Hollow, as the Electric
City was designated from 17S8 to 170S,
when it took the name of Slocum Hol
low. In the month of May Mr. Abbott
marked out his clearing and erected a
log hut near the banks of the Roaring
Brook, and subsequently established
the fiif-t Scranton Industry In the erec
tion of a primitive gristmill. The
stones were of native granite, and the
running gear was marked for its sim
plicity, the entire plant being nothing
moio than a corn cracker which re
duced the grain to a sort of course
stamp. Not a nail was Used in the
construction of the mill, and the chisel
and mallet were not utilized in tho
work. The bolt consisted of a deer
hkln, well tanned and stretched upon
poles, pL-ifcrat'd with numerous holes,
through w' the flour was sifted. In
1M6 a bo n ore, cairled by J. J.
Albright to ithampton county, was
the means i 1 attracting the attention
of Henry Scranton nnd others to the
remaikable resources of the valley, and
In 1M0 the nucleus of the Lackawanna
Iron nnd Steel company was formed
by a company consisting of Colonel
George Scranton, Seldon T. Scranton,
Sanford Grant, William Henrj and
Philip II. Mattes. This company began
at once the construction of an Iron fur
nace, nnd the flist stages of develop
ment weio entered upon.
"The village of Scranton in 1M0 hud
a population of 100, and was laid out
upon a clicumscilbed -cale In 1S41 by
Captain Stott, a civil engineer of Car
b"ndale. In 1845 an attempt was mado
to have the town, which then con
tained 500 Inhabitants, called Harrison,
In honor of the favorite piesldentlal
tandldate. General William Henry
Harrison. The Idea, however, was not
universally popular, and the old name,
Slocum Hollow, clung to the locality
until tho popuatlon had lnci eased to
2 ?.W, when It was called Scrantonla In
honor of the founders of tho town. Tho
luttor nanio did not entliely Please the
j citizens, and on January 27th, 1S31, It
was i educed to plain .Seianton, nnd tho
borough nnd city hive been known to
fiimo t-ince by trie latter title. The first
post ottlco was opened In 1S"0, and the
111 st council was oiganlzed March 27th,
lh'jG."
Thus briefly have I quoted some of
tho carlv hlstorv of Scranton, around
which has grown and develop the
gpater Sciantnn of today.
Much might bo said of the struggles
thiough which the early settlers passed
during tho trying times prior to ls'u,
but why deal with tho past when tho
present nnd fututo have so much that
Is Interesting and of far moio Import
tanto to thoo of the age.
Tho Sciantou Uoaid of Trade was
oiganlzed In UGS and Incorporated In
1871. During nil of the jenrs of Its
successful caieer Its Influence has
steadily li creased, until today It oc
cupies a prominent position among tho
piogrcsslve bodies of its kind through
out the country. It represents tho en
terprise and aggressiveness charac
t rlstlo of the citizens of our city. Its
work In the past has been varied, and
tho results of Its labor nie evident on
eveiy hide. Its membership comprises
tho best business and Industrial .ele
ment of tho city. It represents the
people. It 19 non-partisan In tho
brondest sense of the teim. It Is an
oignnlzatlon In which Its members can
bo heard In behalf of teforms In nl'
matteis of a puhllo nature. When It
speaks Us volco Is heard, and Its rec
ommendations lespiLted so far as nos-
l'ie. Its aim is now. and nlwnvs hns
I e to promote the Industrial Inter-
W,' the city. This woik Is not
In (. to the securing of new Indus
tries i nly, but Is extended to the fos
tering of old ones. No little of Its ea
eigy Is spent In frowning dova un
sound and apparently unpioi.table
fcchemes, that are continually endeav
OF TRADE
oring to Eccuro tho financial aid nnd
influonco of our capitalists. Most
cities throughout tho country, in or
der to secure new Industries, offer a
cash bonus (so much ptr head of every
man employed) and In ndditlon free
sites, and largo subscriptions to stock.
Or In other words, they offer to put
up their capital against the other fel
lowu experience, which almost Invari
ably results In a very few years In
exactly reversing tho conditions. The
Scranton Hoard of Trade docs not be
lieve this to be the proper method to
pursue, and It can point to many in
stances whora such mothds have
proved disastrous, not only to those
with a pecuniary interest in tho In
dustry, but to tho city or town in
which they located.
During the past year, through tho
efforts of the Board of Trade, Indus
tries employing no less than six hun
dred hands were Induced to locate here,
all of which Is the direct re
sult of tho energy put forth by the of
ficers nnd members of the Board, with
no recompense In view other thnn the
building up nnd promoting the Inter
ests of our city. I fear that the amount
of work, and hours of thought, that are
every day freely given by the oillcers
and committeemen of tho Board of
Trade nro not nppeclatod as they
should bo by those who nro not closely
Identified with the work of the or
ganization. Tho secretary Is ' no
means tho only worker In the Board,
notwithstanding the fact that he Is
the only paid member of It Each
officer and committeeman has his duty
to perform, and ho performs It cheer
fully, with no prospect or hope of ro
wai d.
THE WORK OP THE BOARD.
The work of tho Board Is not limited
to local affnlrs. It has to do with na
tional questions. Its endorsement Is
solicited on nil questions of rational
fpM
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Importance, and It has evt-ty reason
to believe tint Its opinion on such
matteis aie consideied of weight and
value. This Board Is a member of tho
National Board of Tiade. and Is legu
laily icpic'.ented at nil of Its meetings.
It Is In these respects that this Board
differs from tho so-called suburban
Boards of Trade. There uro a gieat
many matters that tecelve tho careful
and conscientious consideration of the
dlfterent committees that aie never
made public. Moie especially Is this
true of the Manufacturers' committee,
rendering financial support, and Influ
ence to feeble and tottering Industries,
that come among us with limited
means and little influence. These al
ways receive tho respectful attention
and such consideration nt the hands of
the committee as their cause wai
rants. THE BOARD OF TRADE BUILDING
In this brief article it would be im
possible to even refei to any one of the
many matters of public Importance
1 that this Board of Trado has been
Identified with. It would take Infinite
ly less space to mention those that It
has not been Instrumental In promot-
, Ing. Sufilce to call the attention of the
1 citizens of this city to the magnificent
building lately crectedon Linden stiect.
It Is by far the finest building In tho
city, and will stand for eais as a
monument to the eneigy and zeal of
the membeis of the Scranton Board of
Trade. It will give to Scranton a placo
among the Important cities of tho
countrj'i eiy few of which can boast
of such an Imposing and substantial
Board of Trade building
As has already been stated, Scran
ton Is the chief cltv of the nnthraclto
coal regions, nnd a brief history of tho
great development of tho coal mining
industry will no doubt prove interest
ing. This Is the largest anlhraclto coal
'basin In the world, and Its coal pro
duction has been enormous. It com
menced In 1S30 with 43,000 tons, or 24.C0
per cent, of tho entlro coal trade. In
18S0 the outptt was 1,141,027 tons, or
48.72 per cent , nearly one-halft In
1893 tho production was 22,000,000 tons.
No further comment Is necessary to
Impress upon the mind of the reader
the wonderful development and pro
gress of this branch of trade. Experts
tell us that there Is still coal enough
In tho region to last ono bundled
I yo-irs, at tho present rate of mining.
J There Is another feature of the coal
mining industry that has of latu re
wived considerable consideration, and
ns It means o much to the future of
Scranton, reference Is herein made to
it, utilizing the vast amount of Inert
energy stored In tho enormous culm
banks that adorn the vnlley and moun
tain side. This question was taken up
by tho Scranton Board of Trado somo
three years ago. The subject was treat
ed In an Intelligent manner; thorough
experiments wcro made, with tho re
sult that nearly every Industry In the
city Is using culm for steam purposes
with veiy successful results There Is
however, a more economical way of
utilizing this wnste product, by con
verting it into producer ens. Mr. J.
Gardner Sanderson, of this city, claims
to be able, by his Improved producer,
to make and storo 140,000 cubic feet of
tho best producer was from one ton of
culm, Just ns It comes from tho pile.
Fifty cubic feet of good gas Is sufficient
to run a gas engine of one horso power
for one hour; so from ope ton of culm
costing not more thnn twenty-five cents
nt tho plant, enough gas can bo pro
duced to run a 2S0-horso power gas en
gine ten hours. A company Is now
formed for the purpose of manufactur
ing these produceis, that will no doubt
eventually convert these unsightly
culm piles Into a power that will bo so
cheap that the water wheel will be
come an epenslvo luxury compared
with It.
The manufacture of stool rails Is one
of the most Important Industries In the
city, and this sketch would not bo com
plete without reference to It. Scranton
has two largo steel-rail mills, owned
nnd operated by the Lackawanna Iron
& Steel Company, and when In full op
eration employ 5,000 men. The output Is
one thousand tons per dav. At the
South Works of this company, rails are
made four lengths each, or one hund
red and twenty feet. The light from tne
blast furnaces at night Illumines tho
sky and can bo seen for miles up and
down the valley. The output of the
Scranton mills Is about onc-thlid of
tho entire pioduct of Oreat Britain,
and one-sixth of that of tho United
States.
As before remarked Scranton's In
dustrie are vast and vared. Awn-
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PiP&raWD
CONNELL BUILDING.
lugs, axes, agilcultuio implement.'-,
ules, bar-iron, beer and alo, boots and
shoes, boilers, bicycles, bottles, bottle
stoppers, luass and Iron valves, braid,
brushes, building brick, buttons, cara
mels, candy, carriages, carriagt hatd
vvaie, cais, clgais, elgar boxes, cigar
ettes, clothing, coal screens, coffins
and caskets, corsets, trackers and
cakes, culin-buinlng grates, doors,
sash and blinds, drop forgings, electri
cal machinery, extracts, files, fire
brieka, Hint, glassware, furniture,
hams, harness, hats and caps, hods,
Iron fences, knitted goods, locomotives,
lubricating cups, macaionl, mattresses,
mill machinery, mining lamp, mining
machlneiy, musical liiBtiuments,
noodles, novelties, overalls, pants,
paints, plaster, passenger coaches,
pitent medicines, powder, railway
spikes, ranses, steam bollvrs, safety
lamps, scales, Uilits, silks, slate-plck-Ing
machinery, eoap, steel rails, hteel
of all kinds, steel cai -wheels, stock
ings, stoves, stove polish, tobacco, un
derwear, vinegar, violins and vitrified
brick, are some of tho moducts of
Sciantou enterprise, and lepresent ono
hundred and twenty-five Incorporated
cuncerns, with an invested capital of
$25,000,000.
Scranton Is surrounded on all sides
with delightful summer resorts within
easy access. During the summer bea
son excursions nie run on all of the
railroads, and many take advantago
of tho reduced rates of fare to enjoy a
day In the mountains or at some lake
where fishing Is one of tho piofltable
pastimes. To the north, on the Dela
vvaio & Hudson railroad, Is Farvlew,
ono of the highest points In the state,
and Is reached by a most delightful
rldo over tho far-famed gravity road
of this company. It Is well worth th
time, trouble and expense Just to take
tho ride If one returns on the same
train. From tho observatory erected
by tho railroad company at this re
sort, on a clear day, can bo seen sev
enteen different bodle3 of water.whlch
glisten In tho sunlight and make It ap
pear as If tho broad expanse were
literally studded with diamonds. Away
to tho east can be seen the Catskill
mountains of "Rip Van Winkle" fame,
and as far as the eye can reach is ono
grand panorama of green fields, beau
tiful lakes and towering mountains.
Nothing more Inspiring than this
scene can be found In any country on
the globe.
To the eabt, on tho Delaware, Lack
awanna & Westcin railroad, la the
famous Delaware Water Gap, which
Is visited during the summer season
by many thousands of city people from
neaily every state In the union. This
Is ono of nature's most wonderful mys
teries, and as one views those, high
and rock capped mountnlns, through
which the beautiful Delaware river
eeeins to have woin a narrow passage
hundreds of feet below, tho beholder
wonders "how can theso things be."
Only nine miles from tho city and
reached by one of tho most delightful
ihlv-9 to be found In the state is Elm
hurst. This Is a beautiful spot on the
very summit of tho Pocono Moun
tain, where many elegant residences
aro built and occupied by Scranton
families during the summer season.
There Is also ample hotel accommoda
tions for those who desire to spend a
a few days or weeks at this health-
giving resort. It Is also tho Mecca for
wheelmen, nnd during the riding sea
son tho boulevaid I filled with en
thusiastic cyclists of both sexes, tak
ing a "constitutional" over ono of tho
best roads and through the most ro
mantic scenes that can be Imagined.
A little further east Is Mount Pocono
and Pocono Summit, both popular re
sorts for New York, Philadelphia and
Scranton people.
On tho Erie & Wyoming Valley
railroad, sixteen miles from the city,
Is Lake Ariel, a grand body of water
about ono mile In width and two miles
In length, on the shores of which are
many lino cottages owned by Scran
tonlans. On the bosom of the lake can
be seen .numerous steam yachts, naph
tha launches, sailing and steam boats,
owned by occupants of the cottages.
Tialns to this popular resort run hour
ly during tho season, and excursion
trains, filled with happy plcnlo par
ties, Is an every-day occurrence.
An equal distance from the city, to
tho west, is Lake WInola, whoso wat
ers aie as clear as crystal, and con
tain large quantities of black bass,
pickerel, perch, and other of the finny
tribe. This lake Is a very popular re
sort for Sciantou and WIIkes-Barro
people, who have erected comfortable
cottages on Us shores.
There aro numerous smaller lakes
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m
1
within a few hours' drive from tho
city, of which much might bo said, but
spaco loibids.
The hotel accommodations of Scran
ton ate second to no other city In tho
state. The 'Jcimyn," an eight-story,
fireproof, steel building, erected by Mr.
John Jermyn, at a cost of half a mil
lion dollars, Is said to be the most com
plete nnd modern hotel In the country.
Travelers toll U3 that there Is nothing
belter In New Yoik, Philadelphia or
Pittsburg.
Tho Westminster, St. Chailes, Lack
awanna Valley, Seianton House, and
lintel Terrace are all flist-class hotels,
and enjoy n largo pationage. It Is
usual for commeiclal men, traveling
thiough this section of the state, to
make Scranton their headquarters on
account of Its superior hotel accommo
dations. Scranton Js the county seat of Lack
awanna county, and Its bench and bar
Is acknowledged to be as able and us
learned as anv In the commonwealth.
From the bar of this county have emln
ated many able Jurists. Recently two
of Us number wero elected to the Su
perior court and one other appointed
to till a vacancy on the Supremo court
bench. The county buildings aro of the
finest. Tho court house is a largo and
imposing structuie, built of nativo
mountain stone. It stands in the cen
tre of a beautiful equate, In the midst
of many young maple trees, one of
which was planted by th'o world-renowned
and lamented statesman, Hon.
James G. Blaine. On two corners of
tho square stands the monuments of
George Washington and Columbus. A
movement Is now on foot to erect one
on another corner, to tho memory of
that brave and noblo soldier, General
Sheridan.
Tho county prison buildings are built
of the same kind of stone as the Court
house, and are on tho most substan
tial order. The Court house has lately
been enlarged for tho purpose of in
creasing court facilities.
Tho Superior Court of the State sits
In Scranton four weeks during tho
month of January each year, and In
Maich the United States District and
Clicult Courts for the western district
of Pennsylvania hold their sessions
here. Theso bodies use the large and
commodious rooms designed for this
purpose in the Federal building,
Scranton has nine banks of exchange,
which give to the city unsurpassed
banking facilities. Tho first National
Bank stands fourth In the list of Nat
ional banks of tho country. Its Cap
ital Is $200,000, and eurplua $960,000. Its
i K
stock Is worth on the market $700 per
share. Tho Third National Bank Is
the next largest Institution of the kind
In the city. It has a capital of $200,000,
and surplus of $40S,000. The last sale
of this stock was at $300 per share.
Tho Traders' Natlonnl Bank Is ono of
the youngest banks In this city, and
has a capital of $250,000, and sur
plus of $G2,00O. They havo re
ccnly erected a handsome seven-story
steel bank building. The entlro first
floor Is occupied by tho bank, and tho
halanco of tho building Is utilized for
offices. It Is considered one of the fin
est buildings in the city. Tho Lacka
wanna Trust and Safe Deposit Com
pany, do a large banking business, and
In addition have a series of safe de
posit vaults of tho latest and most
Improved design. Theso vaults nro
absolutely burglar and fire proof. Tho
capital of this bank la $250,000, surplus
$93,721. Tho Dlmo Deposit and Dis
count Bank, has a capital of $100,000,
surplus $50,000; the Merchants' nnd
Mechanics' Bank, capital $230,000, sur
plus $112,000; tho Scranton Savings
Bank, capital $100,000, surplus $131, K0;
the Scranton SaIngs Bank and Trust
Company, capital $50,000, surplus $37,
000; and the West Sldo Bank, capital
$30,000, sutplus $24,800. The combined
capital of the Scranton banks Is $1,430,
000, nnd surplus and undivided profits
of $1,921,000.
There Is published In tho city of
Scranton, thlrty-threo news-papers,
four of which have dally editions. The
balanco are weekly and monthly pub
lications. The Scranton Republican
Is tho oldest paper. It was estab
lished as a weekly In 1S5C, ?nd as a
dally paper In 1SG7. The Scranton
Times was established In 1B0S; the
Scranton Truth in 1SS4, and the Scran
ton Trlbuno in 1S91. The Republican
and Tribune nie Republican In politics;
tho Times Is Democratic , and the
Truth is an Independent paper. In ad
dition to tho above dally papers, is the
Courier Progress, Dunmore Pioneer,
Index, Industrial News, Lackawanna
Legal News, North End Item, Provi
dence Register, Scranton Sonnebcnd
Journal, Scranton Volksgeitung, Scran
ton Wochenblatt, Scranton Free Press,
Sunday Woild, Sunday News and Ty
godnlk Pcnnsylvanskl; all weekly pub
lications; Calvery Tidings, Christian
Endeavor Journal, Colliery Engineer
and Metal Miner, Christian Life, Homo
Study, Railway Employees Journal,
Lackawanna Bell, Middle States Rail
way Guide, Real Estate Register, St.
Lukes Churchman, Union Tiacts, The
Lutheran, The Sabbath Defender and
St. Dalds Guardian, monthly publi
cations. New York and Philadelphia
morning anil evening papers are sold
on the streets of tho city within a few
hours after they leave the press.
Scranton has become prominent
among the music-loving people of the
country, from the fact that certain
nationalities of Us population are so
gifted In voice culture. Its choirs have
a national reputation, nnd the presence
of ono or more of these talented organ
izations at any of the musical festivals
that ato held yearly In all parts of the
country, inuie3 the success of the en
terprise, and In nearly every Instance
Scranton singers aro the recipients of
the highest honois.
At tho Woild's 1'ulr the Seianton
choirs won tho first prize of $3,000, and
a few j cars ago a conceit company,
composed entirely of "home talent,"
made a tour of Europe and the Con
tinent, meeting with most flattering
receptions wherever they appeared.
As has been remarked, the inhabi
tants of Scranton are law-abiding.
This fact is appairnt when reference
is made to the report of the police de
partment for the j ear 1S95. Total
number of arrests, 2.15J. males 1JC3,
females 1S9. Of this small number 750
were arrested for diunkeness, and 523
for dlso'ideily conduct. When it is
considered that Seianton is a city of
great distances, covering over 12,000
acres, with a population of over one
hundred thousand, and with only
forty-tluce patiolmen, It Is believed
that the above icport of the Chief of
Police will cnniparo lavorably with
that of any city of Us blze In tho
country,
As previously stated, Scranton Is a
healthy city. By referring to the re
port of tho Boatd of Health, for the
year 1893, we find that during that
period there were only 1,543 deaths.
Uhlrty-threo died from typhoid fever,
47 from scat let fever, and two from
malaria fever. This good showing is
In a large measure due to the abundant
supply of pure water. Tho following
Is taken from a special report to the
Board of Health, from a committee
appointed In July, 1S96, to inspect the
works of the water companies. "The
recent analysis of tho water has shown
It to be of a very pure quality, with
minimum of otganlc matter contained
therein. These reservoirs aro
all fed from mountain streams, for the
most part running though a rocky,
rough region not adapted to cultiva
tion, or for residential purposes, so
that there Is no probability of villages
of any considerable size being located
along tho line of this supply. After
a careful Inspection of all these lescr
volrs, the result of which was most
satisfactory, developing the fact that
the company Is making every effort to
furnish a full and pure supply of wat
er. This shows that there Is at pres
ent a storage capacity of about 2,331,
700,000 gallons, In addition to which
can be druwn from the Lehigh River,
a dally supply of 10.000,000 gallons
whenever needed. As the dally con
sumption of tho city at tho present
time is from 12 to 14 million gallons,
It can easily bo ascertained what re
set ve tho people of this city can de
pond on for supply In times of extreme
drought. Allowing for evaporation,
the company with Us present facilities
has a water supply of 200 days without
rain. Adding the storage of the other
company's system, we have a supply
avallablo at present of over 3Vi billion
gallons, with tho contemplated In
crease of 1,400,000,000 gallons within a
short time, without referenco to the
dally supply which can bo drawn from
tho Lehigh tlver. It does not seem pos
slble that anv other city In the Union
Is more highly favoted than wo are In
Oils respect. It may bo well to call to
mind the fact that during the extreme
drynets of last summer.when people
In many cities throughout the State
were put on short allowance for
scarcity of water, no restrictions what
ever were required by either of these
companies In supplying the city. The
lawn sprinklers wcro In operation day
and night In the very dryest time.
The water was of the very best quality
at all times, and was shown by analy
sis made of the water during that pe
riod, to contain very little of an Im
pure nature.
Tho net bonded Indebtedness of the
city of Scranton is $583,423.86. Tho as
sessed valuation of the taxable prop
erty of tho city Is $21,500,000, and real
valuation about $100,000,000. The net
Indebtedness per Inhabitant Is $5 S3.
This Is a very low per capita, debt as
compared with other cities of its class.
The following Is taken from tho
mayor's report for the year 1895; "Tho
flnandlal status of our city Is such as
to cause a feeling of security and sat
isfaction, to our citizens. Our bonded
debt Is $702,000, somewhnt of an in
crcaso over last yenr, owintj- to tho
$250,000 bridge bonds which wore float
ed during tho summer for tho building
of tho two Iron bridges now In pro
cess of erection. Casting aside this
Item, It will be observed that there has
been a very material reduction of tho
municipal Indebtedness. The bonds
and cash In the sinking fund aggregate
$178,667.17, leaving a net Indebtedness
to the city of $5S3,423 80. It rarely oc
curs In municipal government that n
city of the size and resources of Soran
ton is burdened by so small a debt. I
nm safe In saying trat no city In tho
United States can make a more credit
able showing financially than our own.
This debt is secured by property of an
assessed valuation of $21,500,000, and
nn actual valuation varlou"ly estimated
at from $75,000,000 to $100,000,000."
Scranton has one hundred and forty
ono miles of streets, many of which
aro paved with asphalt, vitrified brick
and stone block. Paving Js continual
ly going on, nnd soon uvery foot of our
highways will havo a good, substantial
pavement.
There 13 thirty-five miles of electrlo
street car lines within the city limits,
and seventy-five m'lles extending be
yond the city limits, to suburban townt
whlch have a population of 30,000.
There Is within a radius of ten miles
of the city numerous small towns, resi
dents of which do the Greater part of
their shopping here. Our large whole
sale and retail dry goods and grocery
stores, many of which occupy an en
tire building, four and flvo stories high,
equipped with elevators and stocked
with nil grades of goods, from tho
coarsest to the finest fabric, attract
purchasers from these suburban towns,
nnd gives to Scranton merchants a
profitable patronage.
Scranton has three places of amuse
ment, open every evening during tho
theatrical season. The Lyceum la
a new theatre, and Is said to be tho
equal of any house of Its kind In tha
country. It has a seating capacity o
2,000, and Is built on tho very latest
plans for the comfort and safety of lit
patrons. It Is lighted by both elec
tricity and gas, and Is first-class In all
its appointments. The Academy of
Music Is also a very popular house, as
is the Davis. Scranton is visited bv
the highest class performances, and H
considered the best-paying show town
on the circuit.
Nay Aug park, with fits hundreds of
acres, through which the Roarins
Brook leap9 down over the romantlo
falls, and from which the park derived!
its name, is the city's possession, se
cured as a publlo park forevsr. It is
a most delightful and picturesque spot,
and Is balng continually beautified by
artificial means with funds appropri
ated by the city each year. Tho falls
are spanned by a substantial Iron
bridge leading to tho Elmhurst boule
vard, of which mention has been mado.
An artist visitor from another state,
who had but a year or two ago re
turned from Europe, recently declared,
in passing over this boulevard, that its
views wero unsurpassed by any in tha
famous Austrian Tyrol.
Much might bo written on tho sub
ject, "What society, with culture, shall
wo find In Scranton?" but did spaco
permit, the writer believes that a care
ful perusal of this article will answer
tho question to the full satisfaction of
the most exacting Individual.
Finally, the advantages of tho city
of Seianton are briefly summed up aa
follows: Cheap fuel, excellent water,
abundant labor, great railroad facil
ities, nearness to commercial contera
and tide-water, low taxes, and a class
of inhabitants noted the world over
for their superior enterprise and pro
gresslveness. To all who care to In
vestigate, Scranton will be found all
that tho writer has claimed for it.
WILLIAM CONSELL.
William Connoll, member of Congress
from the 'Eleventh' district, Pennsyl
vania, and president of the Third Na
tional bank of Scranton, and an exten
sive coal opetator, was born at Capn
Breton, Nova Scotia, September 10,
1827. His father, James Connell, w?a
a nativo of Scotland, and his mother,
HON. WILLIAM CONXELL.
whoso maiden name was Susan Mel
ville, was a native of Nova Scott and
was of Irish and American descent.
William Connell did not have many
advantages In his boyhood, for Ida par
ents, though industrious and worthy,
were not possessed of means beyonei
their ordinal y wants. Nevertheless,
he mado good use of his meager oppor
tunities and acquired a sufficient;
knowledge of the usual English branch
es of education to form a reliable foun
dation upon vvhloh to build in later
years. In 1814 his patents moved from
Nova Scotia to Pennsylvania, settling
In Luzerne county. Hero William, who
accompanied them, found employment
as a driver boy In tho coal mines. By
perseverance and the exercise of nat
ural sagacity Congressman Connell
kept pace with tho general develop
ment of the country und in time be
came a coal operator. His success haa
been giatlfylng In that It has devel
oped publlo spirit and tho generous
character of the man to a maiked d
greo. Mr. Connell has been identified
with almost every business entorpils?
of Importance that has been estab
lished In Scronton during tho last de
cado and his liberality In charitabU
channels has been almost without limit.
His political career has been bril
liant from tho beginning, and though
one of tho new members of the Frfty
ilth congres lib became one of tho
leaders during his first session and tools
active part In the general legislation.
Congressman Connell Is iv man of
modest tastes; Is easily approached,
and Is a characteristic representative
of the true type of self made men.
Paper Making.
There Is nothing In the form of paper
from tho ciudest blown wrapping ma
terial ut to the finest United States
bond note paper, that cannot bo found
In the great stores of Megaigeo Bros.
They supply eveiy city und town In
this region and load ttatna for tha
West and distant parts of the world.
The main stoie of Megargoo Bros., on
Washington avenue, is the headquar
ters of the vicinity paper buyors and
their representatives on tho road do a
large business,