1955 WILKES-BARRE RECORD ALMANAC Luzerne County in 1954 Decreased demands for anthracite resulted in closing o f a number of local collieries and seriously aggravated the employment situation. At least 3,500 mine workers lost their jobs through the closing of mines and breakers. An estimated 18,000 men and women in the Wilkes-Barre Labor Market were employed at the beginning of the year and by mid-summer the number had risen to 25,400. at year’s end it had dropped to approximately 22,500. Combined efforts of civic, veteran, labor, political and clergy groups were enlisted in an effort to obtain a solution to the problem. Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Development Commission was organized in an emergency meeting in Hazleton on February 7. On May 10 Charles Weissman, task force chairman of NPIDC, went to Washington with a group of regional leaders to outline the seriousness of anthracite area’s unemployment situation to President Eisenhower. Region received a “Shot in the Arm” with the start of the $250 million Northeastern Pennsylvania Turnpike Extension, Luzerne County obtained two interchanges, one on Route 115 atop Wyoming Mountain near Pennsylvania Highway Department garage, and the other on Route 315 at southernly end of the Avoca By-Pass. The interchanges were planned to give cities and towns of the anthracite region new transportation arteries. Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce hailed the turnpike extension as “the greatest single contribution to the future prosperity of the anthracite region that has happened in recent years.” Greater Wilkes-Barre Industrial Fund, Incorporated, and the Committee of 100 continued to bring more industries into Wyoming Valley through its “Operation Jobs” campaign launched in 1952. “Operation Jobs” engaged in building more than $1,000,000 worth of factory buildings-four separate projects-for industrial use and jobs for local people during 1954. Five Luzerne County officials, all reelected at the November 3, 1953 election were sworn in at the courthouse on January 4 in the presence of Gov. John S. Fine. Taking the oath of office; Olin W. Evans, prothonotary; Joseph Kasenchak, clerk of courts; Dr Robert Stroh, county controller; Joseph F. Maccina and Albert E. Dennis, jury commissioners. Luzerne County Commissioners adopted a budget of $3,097,762 to pay costs of operations during the year, retaining the tax rate of 832 mills, the same millage as during the four proceeding years. The county also approved a 5 per cent wage increase for the 600 county employees, but waited until June before making the increases effective. Officials started the year with a listed cash balance of $309,819 part of which was money remaining from the $700,000 bond issue in 1953. County’s bonded indebtedness stood at $1,640,000 representing six mill of the real estate valuation. County Board for Assessment and Revision of Taxes set occupational, property and coal assessed valuation at $271,845,996, a decrease of $1,331,970 from the 1953 figure. Construction of highways and bridges in the county continued at a feverish pace with the State Department of Highways spending or awarding contracts totaling more than $11 million, The newly constructed three and four-lane highway between Mountaintop and Hazleton was thrown open in the fall. Work on construction of two bridges on the Narrows Road between Kingston and Plymouth was finished. Wyoming Avenue, Kingston was repaved. Work progressed favorably on construction of Avoca By-Pass (3.98 miles) (*not sure if there is a period) to eliminate a series of traffic bottlenecks in upper Luzerne and lower Lackawanna Counties and pave the way for an adequate approach to Wilkes-Barre Scranton Airport. Work was begun in late summer on construction of a $6 million bridge over Susquehanna River between West Nanticoke and Hanover Township and interlocking highways designed to move truck and other traffic swiftly and eliminate bottlenecks. Construction of multi-million dollar flood protection dike system continued on West Side of Susquehanna with completion scheduled in 1955. Because of settlement of No. 14 Viaduct, Wilkes-Barre-Pittston highway was closed to traffic during the year, necessitating a detour. Wyoming Valley Community Chest volunteers raised $725,643 in cash and pledges or 90.4 per cent of the $802,300 goal. In 1953 the Chest netted $721,804. Typed by Dianne Transue Corby 1/12/09