1959 Wilkes-Barre Record Almanac Luzerne County in 1958 _______________________________________ Despite the recession, closing of some anthracite operations and reduction in working forces in several factories, Luzerne County had approximately 115,500 persons gainfully employed at the end of 1958. Industrial Fund of Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce conducted a new campaign and added $630,000 to its eventual revolving fund for establishment of new industries, swelling the sum contributed by public subscription since 1949 to $2,220,922. North American Gigaret Company moved into the former General Automobile Company building in October, adding a potential 300 jobs to area employment. Prestige Shoe Company announced an expansion program with Committee of 100 agreeing to build a new $360,000 structure in Parsons to provide jobs for 150 more. Pioneer Manufacturing Company acquired the former Leon-Ferenbach Mill for a new operation with potential increase of 500 jobs within five years. Sea Isle Sportswear Company, Incorporated, New York, broke ground in November for a factory on Simpson Street which will employ several hundred persons. Demand for anthracite dripped due to inroads made by competitive fuels, natural gas and oil. At the year’s end there were approximately 9,600 men employed in the mines, a drop of about 3,200 from 1957. Luzerne County commissioners adopted an operating budget of $4,587,872, an increase of $63,533 over the 1957 figure. They also reduced the tax levy from 9.7 mills to 9.2 mills. The 1958 Institution District budget called for expenditure of $5,930,682, which included proceeds from a $4,500,000 bond issue floated in 1957 for construction of a home for indigent infirm. Millage was dropped from 4 to 2.5 mills. Contracts for building the 300-bed home were awarded in September and groundbreaking took place on an 80-acre plot along East End Boulevard adjacent to Veterans Hospital on October 1. Sordoni Construction Company is the general contractor. Cost was not to exceed $,3,650,191. Work on the new $1,200,000 terminal building at Wilkes-Barre-Scranton Airport was progressing at year’s end after eight months’ delay was encountered in building the north wing due to discovery of an abandoned mine beneath it. Problem of solid surface support was solved by pouring a heavy concrete slab. Completion of the building, ramps and access road was scheduled for spring of 1959. For the fourth straight year State Highways Department kept new expenditures for local highway improvements at a minimum. Work on 1.68-mile stretch of road in Pittston and Jenkins Township, known as Pittston Bypass, began in November at a cost of $684,928. Hearing on the multi-million dollar Anthracite Expressway was conducted in the courthouse in October, but construction was not expected to get under way until late 1959. Construction of two armories, one for U. S. Marine Corps Reserve and the other for U. S. Air Force Reserve, got under way at Forty Fort Airport in May. Electric-powered transportation in Wyoming Valley ended at 1 A. M. October 17 when the last trolley coach completed its round trip to Pittston from Public Square. It marked the end of a 70-year span of electric trolleys. Banks continued to grow and expand with several branches being established at strategic points throughout the county. Northeastern Pennsylvania Bank and Trust Company was formally dedicated August 1, marking the merger of Wilkes-Barre Deposit and Savings Bank and Markle Banking and Trust Company of Hazelton with First National Bank and Trust Company of Scranton. Merged bank has total resources of $150,000,000 making it 11th largest bank in the state. _______________________________________ Transcribed by Joanne Case, January 26, 2009