1936 WB Record Almanac, LUZERNE COUNTY IN 1935 Building operations in the County received impetus during the year. Many owners of homes and business properties signified their intentions of rebuilding or renovating their places and, in some instances, erecting new buildings. Scores of new homes were erected throughout the County. Among the larger building operations were the new Plymouth Post Office costing $50,000 and the Pringle High School, costing $40,000, which replaced one destroyed by fire earlier in the year. Luzerne National Bank, whose banking building was destroyed by fire in 1934, moved into its new $50,000 building in April. First National Bank of Wilkes-Barre spent $50,000 during the year in remodeling its building on Public Square, and reopened it in the Fall. Through the PWA many schools and public buildings in various municipalities of the County were remodeled or enlarged or replaced by new structures. As the year ended Forty Fort School Board was prepared to start erection of a new school building and Wyoming was planning a $250,000 high school. Agitation to have Market Street, Kingston widened and improved, and dangerous grade crossing eliminated by placing of Wilkes-Barre Railway Corporation tracks in center of a boulevard, had its fruition. Things move swiftly after Public Service Commission directed the improvement and more that half the job was completed when work was halted for the winter. A matter, which caused much discussion during the year, was the flood in July. Prolonged rains here and cloudburst in New Yolk State caused the Susquehanna River to rise rapidly, reaching a height of 25.62 feet in Wyoming Valley. A father and son lost their lives in the swollen waters and truck farmers in the lowlands along the river, especially those on the West Side, suffered thousands of dollars in losses of produce which were ruined by the high waters. Streets in some sections of Kingston nearest the lowlands were flooded and residents were forced to use rowboats to enter or leave their homes. Agitation for government funds to alleviate the condition was started anew. It was hoped that enough money could be obtained from the WPA to correct the situation both in Lower New York and seven Northeastern Pennsylvania counties but the government rejected the project. Certain sums for a small flood control project in Ashley and an $800,000 Wilkes-Barre project were approved however. WPA MOVES 15,000 TO WORK ON 139 COUNTY PROJECTS Through expenditure of Federal funds totaling $7,500,000 on 139 projects working as of December 1, upward of 15,000 men were moved from relief rolls to employment in Luzerne County within four months as achievement of the 1935 Works Progress Administration’s fall program. Inaugurated in late July with appointment of John J. P. Dunn as district director, the county administrative staff entrusted with the task of putting 20,000 unemployed to work on useful projects was expanded from a skeleton force to a staff of nearly 200 by December 1, outgrowing quarters in the Post Office Building to occupy five floors of the Anthracite Building on West Market Street. In addition to the 139 projects working on December 1, twenty-four projects had been completed. Payrolls on that date showed 14,673 persons employed. On this date also plans were well advanced to start the largest made-work job in the history of the county, the city’s Susquehanna River flood control project, expected to provide employment for 1,700 men for ten months. County projects of the WPA program are of the type to provide benefits to practically every municipality in the county, ranging from a large community swimming pool in Forty Fort and athletic fields at West Pittston, Ashley and Plymouth, to new and improved school and municipal properties in numerous boroughs as well as highway improvements in the rural areas. Nearly a score of projects employing “white collar” workers were to start about December 15, affording clerical assistance to borough councils in effecting codification of ordinances, preservation of records and inventory of assets, and also clerical help is to be provided libraries, hospitals and other public welfare institutions for the coming year. When the work program of the State Emergency Relief Administration was launched in the late autumn the county’s roster of employables on relief exceeded 26,000 In carrying out the plans of the Works Progress Administration program in Luzerne County, Director Dunn was aided by the following administrative assistants: James J. Jennings, Joseph G. Schuler, John M. Irwin (?), Carl Callahan, Fran Reckus, Felix Pawloski and John A. Topliss. ________________ Luzerne County was not visited by many serious fires during the year. One of the most disastrous conflagrations noted was the Pringle High School fire in March with a loss of $50,000. A fire in the Hurwitz building in Plymouth in September caused damage estimated at $50,000. A fire in Plains in March destroyed three homes and damaged six other residences, the total damage being fixed at about $35,000. In November the clubhouse of Wyoming Valley Country Club in Hanover Township, one of the first such clubs organized in this country was destroyed by an early morning fire. Worst fire of the year occurred on December 4, early in morning, when a Pittston silk mill operated by Pittston Silk Company and Alvin Silk Company, was damaged to extent of $150,000. The building was owned by David Speizman of Ashley. ________________ Wilkes-Barre was host during the year to many conventions of various organizations which brought thousands of visitors to Wyoming Valley. The largest was the state convention of the American Legion which attracted thousands of delegates and visitors. Other conventions were: Pennsylvania Medical Society, School Directors Association of Luzerne County, Luzerne County Agricultural Extension Association, Group 3, Pennsylvania Bankers Association, Second District of Quota Clubs, State Patriotic Order of Americans, United Spanish War Veterans, Order Of Ahepa, State Ancient Order of Hibernians and its ladies auxiliary, Association of Congregational and Christian Churches of Northeastern Pennsylvania at Nanticoke, World Wide Guild of Wyoming and Welsh Baptist Associations and the Pennsylvania Optometrists Association. A number of local residents were honored by being made presidents of state or inter-county fraternal or business organizations. They were George Hinkle, president of Manufactures’ Representatives Association; Harold J. Mahon, president of Group 3, Pennsylvania Bankers Association; William B. Healey, president of Pennsylvania County Prison Officials Association; A.E. Burnaford, president of Pennsylvania Knights of Malta; Frank J. Eckhart, president of Pennsylvania Police Chiefs Association; Mrs. Iona Barney, president of State Womans’ Relief Corps. ___________ RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS Affairs in Churches of Luzerne County during the year were marked by many changes due to death, resignation and transfer. Death of Monsignor Charles J. Goeckel of St. Nicholas’s Church left a vacancy filled by Rev. C. A. Staib of Scranton. Deaths included: Rev. Dr. John Wagner of Hazleton, Monsignor Charles J. Goeckel, St. Nicholas, city; Rev. Dr. E. J. Morris, Puritan Congregational, city; Rev. James Moore, Avoca P.M.; Rev. P.F. Loughney, Pittston; Rev. John Hall Griffith, St. Peter’s Episcopal, Plymouth; Rev. Anthony Lipinski, St. Adalbert’s, Glen Lyon; Rev. Roderick Davis of Sheatown; Rev. Clarence H. Russell, Plymouth Presbyterian. Resignations included those of Rabbi Herman Marx of Pittston, who went to Fall River, Mass.; Rev. Stephen J. Gomes of Second Welsh Congregational who went to Minneapolis, and Rev. Dr. Frederick L. Flinchbaugh, rector of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church who resigned because of ill health; Rev. Edwin Wyle of First Christian, Plymouth, who went to New York. Pulpits filled were: Immanuel Baptist, Edwardsville, Rev. Robert F. Smith of Scottdale; West Pittston Presbyterian, Rev. Harold Teed; Grant Street Presbyterian, city, Rev. Russell W. Annich of Philadelphia; St. Peter’s Episcopal, Plymouth, Rev. Charles Sykes; Elkland R. C. Church, city, Hugh Kelley, former assistant at St. Mary’s, city; First Christian, city Rev. Burris Butler; First Christian, Plymouth, Rev. J. Albert Hall; St. Mary’s, Mocanaqua, Rev. Frank Markinski of Plains. Several changes of pastors were made at annual sessions of Wyoming Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church held at Oneonta, N. Y. Rev. John N. White of Dalton was sent to Pittston, succeeding Rev. E.A. Martin, retired. Other changes: West Nanticoke, Rev. C.C. Volz of Mountain Top; Mountain Top, Rev. F. S. Crispell of Mt. Vision, N.Y.; Ashley, Rev. Russell May, Succeeding Rev. M. Hunter Reid, retired; Glen Lyon, Rev. Wilton J. Dubrick of Wilkes-Barre; St. Andrews-Bennett Memorial, city, Rev. W. Sylvester York of Alderson; West Pittston, Rev. Harold C. Buckingham of Unadilla, N.Y. A transfer announced a few days after the Conference closed sent Rev. Earl V. Tolley of Nanticoke to Dunmore in place of Rev. V.B. Klinetob who came to Nanticoke. High honor in religion came to an Ashley native when Monsignor George L. Leech was made auxiliary bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg. LOCAL ANNIVERSARIES Anthracite coal first used in Wilkes-Barre in a forge by Obadiah Gore in 1768. By Jesse Fell in a grate without artificial draft, February 11. 1808. North Branch Canal completed to Wilkes-Barre and Pittston – 1834. Ashley Planes, construction begun – 1840 First passenger train to reach Kingston on the D.L. &W. RR June 24, 1856 First horse car line in the Wyoming Valley built from Wilkes-Barre to Kingston – 1866. First telegraph line built from Tamaqua to Wilkes-Barre – 1850. Avondale mine disaster – Sept. 6, 1869, 110 lives lost. Mud Run disaster – Oct. 10, 1888. First electric car run in Wilkes-Barre was on the Wilkes-Barre & Suburban line to Plains March 31, 1888. Tornado at Wilkes-Barre, Aug 19, 1890. Second Tornado - Aug 20, 1914. Third Tornado on the Heights Nov. 19, 1928 River bridge at Market Street, Wilkes-Barre, closed to traffic Jan. 31 1892, and new bridge opened April 16, 1892; freed from tolls Oct. 3 1908. River bridge at Pittston (Fort Jenkins) opened Feb. 2, 1926. Columbus Day Celebration in Wilkes-Barre, Oct 12, 1892. 400th Anniversary. Twin Shaft disaster, Pittston – June 28, 1896. Lattimer riot – Sept. 10 1897. Anthracite strike – Began May 12, 1902; ended Oct. 23 1902. 1922 Anthracite strike began April 1, 1922, and ended Sept. 9, 1922. Ashley – Runaway train on C. R. R. of N. J. – Jan. 25, 1900 Canal – Last boat passed through Wilkes-Barre – Sept. 18, 1881. Courthouse - First session of court held in the new courthouse April 3, 1909; Old courthouse completed 1859; clock and bell installed in old courthouse, 1861. Old courthouse on Square torn down in 1909. Incandescent light first used in Wilkes-Barre – Oct. 23, 1886. L. & S. RR opened to Scranton 1866. L.V. RR opened to Pittston – 1867. Luzerne County on Sept. 25, 1786 formed of a part of Northumberland. Laurel Line first car to Wilkes-Barre Dec. 14, 1903. McClure and Flanagan murdered by Red Nose Mike – Oct. 19, 1888. Osterhout building, Public Square, burned Jan. 24, 1899. Plymouth typhoid epidemic began – April, 1885. P.R.R. – First train to Wilkes-Barre November, 1884. Steamer Wilkes-Barre – First trip to Nanticoke – May 27, 1885. Steamer Hendrick B. Wright, crushed by ice in river – Feb. 11, 1881. Telephone, long distance line from Wilkes-Barre opened – March 22, 1890. Wyoming Monument erected – 1841-2. Steamer Susquehanna blew up in the river at the foot of the Market Street bridge – July3, 1883. Jeansville disaster – Jan. 4, 1891, 13 killed and “Big Joe” rescued after having been imprisoned for 18 days. Flood of 1865 – March 18. Lackawanna county organized out of Luzerne in August, 1878. Laurel Line wreck near Pittston, July 3, 1920, 17 killed and 30 injured. Osterhout Library opened Jan. 29, 1889. Wilkes-Barre Centennial – One-hundredth anniversary of the incorporation of the borough – May, 1906. Runaway freight train, Central RR into Ashley yards, two men killed and ten hurt – Feb. 22, 1918. 109th Field Artillery, Luzerne County regiment commanded by Col. Asher Miner – Left September 7, 1917 for camp at Fort Hancock, Ga,; preparatory to going to France; returned to Wilkes-Barre from France, May 20 1919. Baltimore Tunnel disaster, Wilkes-Barre, 92 lives lost – June 5, 1919. Fiftieth anniversary of the incorporation of Wilkes-Barre as a city occurred in May, 1921 but the event was not celebrated until, Oct 6 and 7 of that year. Stage coach – The last stage coach trip between Wilkes-Barre and Easton was made over the Poconos in April 1857. Anthracite strike – Longest general strike on record, began Sept. 1, 1925, and ended Feb. 17, 1926. Telegraph – First line to Wilkes-Barre from Tamaqua, 1850. Battle and Massacre of Wyoming - 150th anniversary commemorated with great celebration, July 2, 3, and 4, 1928. Daylight Saving Time was first used in Wilkes-Barre and United States summer of 1918. Wyoming Bridge opened – 1914. Market Street Bridge – Opened Sept. 25, 1929. Streetcar Strike – Oct. 14, 1915 to Dec. 1916. NRA Parade in Wilkes-Barre – Sept 26, 1933. D. & H. Canal – First boat went through Dec. 2, 1828. Wyoming Canal opened to Pittston 1831 and opened to New York State, 1856. Mehoopany Dam destroyed by ice, Mar., 1875 Lehigh Canal to White Haven opened 1837. Coughlin High School Building dedicated Feb. 12, 1912. First graduating class, June 14, 1912 which was also the 22nd annual graduation exercise in the public schools of Wilkes-Barre. G.A.R. High School completed, 1925; first graduation class, 125 students, 1928. Meyers High School opened, Sept. 1930; dedicated, Nov. 21, 1930; first graduation class, 113 students, June 1931. Dallas Borough incorporated April 21, 1879 Earthquakes shook Wilkes-Barre Feb. 28, 1925 at 9:23 p.m. Friday Nov. 1, 1935 at 1:06 a.m. Two successive tremors lasting one minute. No damage done. First electrocution from Luzerne County, Sept. 25, 1922. First National Bank – New building opened Jan. 2, 1908. Glen Summit Chapel – Cornerstone laid Sept. 8, 1888. Grand Opera House opened Sept. 10 1892. Closed May 19, 1923 Historical Society – Founded Feb. 11, 1858 by a group of Wilkes-Barre worthies assembled around the historic grate in the Old Fell House, Washington and Northampton Streets.