1961 Wilkes-Barre Record Almanac

Luzerne County in 1960
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Economic conditions in Luzerne County dimmed during the year with both mines and industry showing a drop in employment despite industrial expansion of a number of firms brought here by Industrial Development Funds.

Employment in the mines sank to a new low due to continued inroads made b two competitive fuels, natural gas and oil.  At year’s end there were about 6,200 men employed in the mines, a drop of about 400 from 1959.  Loss of employment in other industries was shown in report that about 1,800 were dropped from rolls, leaving about 117,000 employed at year’s end.  Approximately 17,000 men and women in Wilkes-Barre labor market were unemployed at end of year as compared with 18,800 at its start.

Although Greater Wilkes-Barre Industrial Development Fund brought in no new firms during the year earlier efforts to attract industry continued to bear fruit.  Production of semi-conductors in the new $2,000,000 RCA electronics plant at Crestwood Industrial Park got under way in late summer to employ about 400 persons.  Carter Rubber Company completed its $250,000 building in North Wilkes-Barre with addition of 250 jobs.  Heavenly Shoe took over the former Keystone Magazine Company building in Hanover Township and boosted its employment by 150.  Eberhard Faber Pencil Company completed its $250,000 addition to finish ballpoint pens and process certain rubber products with 100 employees added.  Groundwork was laid for a $1,500,000 industrial fund campaign in 1961 with everyone to have an opportunity to contribute.

Democratic County Commissioners Edward McCullough and Jarrett Jennings took control of the commissioner’s office January 4 and within the first few months they fired hundreds of Republican county employees to make way for adherents to their party.  They also named Edmund C. Wideman, Jr., Alfred Darte and Dr. J. Franklin Hill to Board of Assessors.

Institution District’s 1960 tax levy was increased from 2.5 mills to 4.9 mills to cover the district’s increase in costs resulting from construction of the new $4,500,000 350-bed home for indigents near Veterans Hospital.  Districts’ operations budget was increased to $3,563,963, more than three times the budget of $1,150,695 in operation in 1959.

County Commissioners adopted an operating budget of $3,039,959, a decrease of $1,000,000 from the 1959 budget.  Unchanged tax levy of 9.2 mills was based on assessed property valuation of $252,539,902, an increase of $2,080,517 over 1959.  At year’s end a number of appeals filed by coal companies from assessments were pending in the courts.

Expenditures for new local highway improvements by State Highways Department remained at low ebb with only minor resurfacing jobs being undertaken during the year.  Start of two Federal Interstate Highway sectors in the county—Anthracite Expressway and Keystone shortway – reached the “design” stage and hope was expressed construction would begin in 1961.  Reconstruction of winding section of Harveys Lake Highway awaited outcome of public hearings to determine the exact course.

Bids on Construction of $12,0000,000 White Haven State School for Mentally Retarded Children were expected to be called for by General State Authority at year’s end.

United Fund Drive in Wyoming Valley netted $1,174,060, or 96.6 per cent of the $1,215,000 goal.

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Transcribed by Joanne Case, January 26, 2009