1956 WILKES-BARRE RECORD ALMANAC Luzerne County in 1955 The economic picture in Luzerne County brightened in 1955 as the Greater Wilkes-Barre Industrial Fund, Incorporated, continued to attract new industries to Wyoming Valley. Altogether the Fund was responsible for seven new industries with a potential of 2,025 jobs and an annual payroll of $5,475,000. Industrial Fund, in a drive for $900,000 raised approximately 80 per cent of its goal. In October construction got under way for the erection of a huge Eberhard Faber Pencil factory on a 25-acrt site at Crestwood Industrial Park, Mountaintop. During the money raising campaign the pencil plant was listed as XYZ Corporation. With the demand for anthracite improving during the year, the hard coal industry started to show signs of recovering after being in the doldnims for several years. Some companies started to call idle mineworkers back. At year’s end there were approximately 16,500 men employed in the mines in the county, 1,600 fewer than the year before. About 375 of these were idle because of damage done by Hurricane Diane in the Hazelton area. Employment conditions improved considerably during the year. Approximately 21,950 men and women in the Wilkes-Barre Labor Market were unemployed at the beginning of the year and an estimated 16,000 were out o f work at year’s end. The improved labor picture was attributed to increased employment during the year. Luzerne County Commissioners adopted a budget of $3,642,146, and increase of $513,385 over 1954, to operate the county government during the year. They retained the same tax rate of 8.2 mills for the sixth consecutive year. Commissioners sought unsuccessfully to have the State Department of Highways take over and maintain the Breslan Bridge which was rebuilt by the county at a cost of $75,000. Construction of the $250 million Northeastern Pennsylvania Turnpike Extension continued at a rapid pace with work on sections of the pike in Luzerne County well under way by year’s end. Scheduled for completion in the fall of 1956, the superhighway was expected to contribute substantially to the future of the region’s prosperity. Although the State Highway Department granted no new contracts for major highway improvements during the year, construction of highways and bridges started in 1953 and 1954 continued on schedule. Largest job was the $5,320,000 Cross Valley Bridge between West Nanticoke and Hanover Township. Designed to move truck and other traffic swiftly and eliminate bottlenecks, the bridge is scheduled for completion in May, 1956. Avoca Bypass, built at a cost of $4,779,550 officially opened after being dedicated on November 5. No. 14 Viaduct, closed in December 1953 because of a settlement, was repaired at a cost of $60,000 and thrown open to traffic August 3, thus eliminating a detour between Wilkes-Barre and Pittston. Routes 309 and 115 in Dallas Borough and Dallas Township were widened to three lanes. Roads and bridges in the county took a terrible beating as a result of the flood which followed Hurricane Diane August 18. some were washed away and others were damaged extensively. Wyoming Valley Community Chest volunteers raised $850,090 in cash and pledges or 100.1 per cent of the campaign goal of $849,000. In 1954 the Chest netted $725,643 or 90.4 per cent of its goal. Wilkes-Barre City made plans to observe its sesqui-centennial at a number of events throughout the year 1956. Typed by Dianne Transue Corby 1/12/2009