The Scranton Truth from Scranton, Pennsylvania • Page 31

OECTION FOUR. SCRANTO TRUTH, MONDAY 'AFTERNOON, SEPTEMBER 2 5, 1905. 31. FROM SMALL BEGINNINGS SCRANTON HAS GROWN INTO A GREAT INDUSTRIAL COMMUNITY, WITH PROSPECTS OF A BRILLIANT FUTURE. THE METROPOLIS OF NORTHEASTERN PENN'A.

THE early history of Scranton reads more like romance than reality. Its first settler, Philip Abbott, a native of Connecticut, was a fugitive from the Wyoming Hassacre. Here he found a resting place from the wrath' that had pursued so many persons to their destruction. He called the place "Deep Hollow," built a log cabin, and established a grist mill. Gradually settlers came in from the Wyoming Valley.

Among the latter were Ebenezer and Benjamin Slocum, who gave the place the name Slocum Hollow and added to its industries. The iron development soon followed, and with it the name of Scranton. With the march of the decades the growth of the city advanced by leaps and bounds, its population increasing with each census, until it has attained the metropolitan propor ions of today. 1 THE SCRANTON NEWSPAPERS. EARLY HISTORY OF THE REGION.

TP HE word Lackawanna is a corruption of the Indian Lee ha ngh anna; lee ha signifying the forks, the hanna the stream. Hence the name for the locality of the meeting of the two rivers. The name was first applied by the Delaware Indians to the locality at the mouth of the Lackawanna, but later it was used as the name of the river. To geologists and antiquarians the valley of the Lackawana is one of the most interesting regions in America. Rich beds of coal arid iron and evidences of glacial action for the one, the rare Indian relics for the other, make the ground of the valley a fascinating sub TO attempt to estimate the value of the influence, which the newspapers of Scranton have exercised in the growth and development of the city, would be to essay the impossible.

Thai very magnitude of the task would prove discouraging at the outset, A free and fearless press has all the militant force of a great moral! idea and its effects are not be measured by the ordinary standards of comparison. Nor is it the intention in this brief review of the newspapers of to day to record the history of journalism in Scranton from the beginning. The press of that early period was doubtless an able and fearless exponent of the principles of the sturdy men who laid the foundations of the city's greatness, and all in good time it will find an historian worthy of its lofty achievements. It will be deemed sufficient for the purposes of this article to claim some slight recognition of the important part the newspapers of to day are playing in tha great drama of the city's progress. THE SCBANTOX TRUTII.

ject of study. Dr. Hollister, author of the History of Lackawanna Valley, made a valuable collection of Indian relics found in the valley. This collection is still in Scranton in the possession of Mrs. Hollister.

Hon. Steuben 'Jenkins, of Wyoming, also made a valuable, collection of such relics. Dr. Hollister was authority for the statement that no less than seven Indian villages were located on the east bank of the Lackawanna river. The Flats, one of these sites, is now built up with great factories for the production of iron casting, silk goods, pianos, lace curtains and beer, as well as coal breakers, culm piles and railroad tracks connecting the various factories with the markets of the world.

A hundred years ngo the whole valley was a wilderness, tracked k.i it Lnve nroner recognition xo xne important innuence wmcn The nit. HOME OF THE SCRANTON TRUTH. the railroad. It was the energy of the pioneers of Scranton that overcame appellate court, called the Superior Court, and Scranton was named as one of the cities in which it would meet. This court sits every January in the Lackawanna county court house, and brings a great deal of business from out of the city.

THE FEDERAL COURT. A campaign had been carried on for a quarter of a century in Congress to secure the formation of a new Federal district for eastern Pennsylvania. Several years ago this was brought to a successful conclusion through the efforts of Hon. William Connell the Scranton representative. The Middle Federal district of Pennsylvania was thus created with headquarters in Scranton.

President McKinley thereupon appointed as the judge of the new court Hon. R. W. Archbald of Scranton, who for years was the "president judge of the courts of Lackawanna county. The Federal court room is on the second floor of the Government building.

Scranton is also the headquarters of the internal revenue district of northeastern Pennsylvania. It is a difficult undertaking to try to name in one sentence the principal attractions of a city like Scranton. Several years ago President J. A. Lansing of the Board of Trade said: "We have unsurpassed railroad facilities, more abundant water supply, the brightest and clearest sun light, the best of school houses, the smallest debt, the lowest tax rate on actual valuation, and everything that goes to Continued on Vane 37.) This organization has always been active in promoting the industrial, financial and commercial interests of the community.

At the present time it has a membership composed of over two hundred and fifty of the most prominent business men of the city, and twelve standing committees. The political history of the Lackawanna valley, which centers in Scranton, has been characterized by the same active, aggressive spirit that is always manifest in her industrial enterprises. THE NEW COUNTY. The first settlers of northeastern Pennsylvania came from Connecticut and founded the town of Westmoreland, and then the Legislature of Connecticut promptly passed a law giving it equal representation in their body. After the bitter controversy between Connecticut and Pennsylvania was settled, in 1786, Luzerne county comprised what we now know as Luzerne, Lackawanna, Susquehanna, Wyoming, Columbia and Lycoming counties, with portions of Bradford, Sullivan and Montour.

The separation of Lackawanna from Luzerne county, April 17, 1878, was the result of a long continued and strenuous agitation by Scranton citizens who found it exceedingly burdensome to be obliged to go to another city to transact their county business. Time after time the bill was defeated in the Legislature at Harrisburg because strong interests were opposed to the division. The Lackawanna county business is now transacted in the beautiful court house where four judges preside in the civ and criminal courts and one judge in tVin nfhnns' court. In 1895 the Legislature created a new 1 George W. Scranton, whose energy and genius were impressed upon every enterprise in which he became interested.

He was born in Madison, May 23, 1811, being the eldest of seven children and the lineal descendant of John Scranton who emigrated from England and was one of the original settlers of the New Haven colony. When only twenty eight years old George Scranton became the successful manager of the iron furnace at Oxford, New Jersey. It was the next year that he formed, with his associates, the iron company which at once commenced work on the site of the present city of Scranton. August 20th, 1840, titles were taken to a large tract of land, which was afterward increased by the purchase of four thousand acres. Slocum Hollow then comprised five dwelling houses, a Rchool house, a cooper shop, a saw mill and a grist mill.

In 1841 the new iron furnaces were ready for operation, but it was not until 1842 that the first successful blast was made. Anthracite coal was used experimentally in this blast, and the result was most encouraging to those who had invested so extensively in the iron and coal of the valley. The next problem was to find a market for their product. There was then no railroad in the region, and it was very expensive to haul either coal or iron to a railroad, canal or navigable river. The Erie Railroad was in process of construction, being laid with iron rails made in England.

In 1844 the Lackawanna Iron and Coal Company built a rolling mill, and then Colonel Scranton secured a contract to furnish the Erie Railroad with several thousand tons of rails. These Scranton made rails were the first that had been rolled in this country. The successful execution of his contract was the beginning of the prosperity of the company and of the town; it was also very advantageous to the railroad company for thereby the road was completed in time to save for itself the millions of dollars granted by the State of New York. All the rails were hauled fifty miles by wagon to reach 7n 137 ihrvp H'rvfl ni) hi fwn such difficulties, and to the same quality is due the extraordinary and continuous growth of the city. A few years later Colonel Scranton became interested in the construction of the 'Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad of which the city of Scranton has always been the real center.

The beginning of this railroad was In 1850, and from that time its interests have been largely identified with the city of Scranton. In later years came the Delaware and Hudson Railroad, the Central Railroad of New Jersey, the Erie and Wyoming Valley, and then the New York, Ontario and Western by means of the Ontario, Car bondale and Scranton Railroad. All of these roads contributed to and shared in the wonderful development of the Lackawanna Valley, and Scranton in particular. The city has never experienced a "boom," but from the time of the incorporation of the borough. February 14, 1856, it has enjoyed a con tinuous growth.

It has been called the Western City of the East, in conse quence of the tireless energy of Its citizens. Among the fathers of the future city whose names are most prominent in her Industrial and commercial history were Scranton, Henry, Piatt, Smith, Archbald, Albright, Mattes and Manness. In 1866 Scranton was incorporated as a city, and during the decade 1860 1870 the population increased from 9,223 to 35,092. The year after the city of Scranton was chartered the Scranton Board of Trad was organized, and four years later it was chartered. i j.

1 1 it auu niiejieciuai aeveionmenf. nt pose. Xjver since its lncenfirra I dows, may be seen daily the monster press which prints, pastes and folds thousands of copies of The Truth everyj hour. From 1:30 o'clock until 4 every afternoon, and often later, this huga piece of mechanism revolves with un ceasing rapidity. It is these facilities which have enabled The Truth to keep pace with tha march of progress and meet all the demands of its readers and advertisers.

Without them, it would be manifestly, impossible to print and issue a paper of even a small fraction of the size ot this industrial number. It has been due largely to the installation for this twentieth century mechanical equipment that The Truth has been able to give the people of Scranton the first news of practically every event of importance, since the purchasa of this machinery last year. It is the policy of The Truth to giva the first news and to present it in an attractive form, with absolute accur acy. It is owing to this policy that Tha Truth has been able to build up the reputation which it enjoys for more reliability than any other paper in this territory. Since its new Hoe press was installed Ihe Truth also spent several thousand dollars in equipping its job departmend with the most up to date machinery in eluding a new Babcock cylinder press, so that the foreman of this department is able to turn out pamphlets, books legal briefs and all other varieties of job printing with more economy and more skill than any other job prlntina foreman in the city.

(, THE SCRANTON REPUBLICAN. The Republican, which is the oldest! newspaper in Scranton, has for manyi years enjoyed a position of prominenca among the newspapers of the State. It is clean and wholesome in tone and it fully deserves the respect and esteem in which it is held by its large circle of readers. The Republican ha always been an earnest advocate of good government, and the people of Scranton and the county owe much to it for its sturdy championship of th movement which resulted in the creation of Lackawanna county. It Is not giving tho Republican and its able editor, the Hon.

J. A. Scranton, too mucli credit to say that their combined influence was the most important factor in bringing about the separation of Lackawanna from Luzerne, and the es tablishment of the countv seat in Scranton. THE SCRANTON TIMES. 1 he Scranton Timpa vennipo o.flal of its own as the only' Democratic paper in the county.

It recently moved into a commodious new building and procured a piant of its own after long period of dependence on the publishing facilities of one of Its contemporaries. Its prosperity Is evidenced bjr the fact that these quarters soon proved to he insufficient for its needs, and It is nmv engaged in enlarging them by the erection of an additional new building which will, when completed, be even larger than Its present quarters. Till: SCKANTON TRIBUNE. The Tribune, though the youngest of the daily papers of the city, has won a permanent place in the esteem of tha people of Scranton. It divides the morning field with the Republican and it appeals to an intelligent clien telo of readers.

It receives tha news service of the Associated Press, which enables it to place before its readers every morning a graphic picture of all the important events of tha preceding day. THE ELMICA TELEGRAM. The Elinira Telegram, though not a Scranton newspaper, is given a distinctively local color by the genius and personality of Mr. P. A.

Barrett, its Lackawanna county representative, (CiaUlnr.c rage 37.) i hns pxereispd in 10 material, niorai cit.v. won hi sicrna lau its put Truth has been an eloquent and con distent advocate of everything that has tended to advance the best inter ests of Scranton. An honest desire to serve the people and promote the wel fare and prosperity of the city, county, state and nation has always been an obligation which it has regarded as a sacred duty. The Truth has never been and is not now the organ of any class or faction. It believes in the square i ileal, and boldly champions the doc trine of equal rights for all and spec ial privileges for none.

It has never feared to raise its voice against injustice and oppression, and it has always been ready to offer a helping hand in aid of the weak and suffering. It has stood steadfastly for right against wrong and has condemned and exposed corruption wherever it has existed. The Truth may modestly confess to a feeling of pardonable pride for the important part it has played in the progress of Scranton in the last quarter of a century. Both in and out of season it has advocated everything that has made for progress and good citizenship. It was many years ago that a far seeing and public spirited citizen first proclaimed in The Truth that "Scranton is no mean city." Since then the city has advanced far along oft the path of progress; but its future looks now even brighter than then.

It was also in the columns of The Truth that Scranton was first named "The Electric City." The Truth stands now where it stood then, for a Greater Scranton, and although much that it then hoped for has already been accomplished, its expectations for the future of the city have in nowise been diminished. IN ITS TWENTY SECOND YEAR. The Truth is now In its twenty second year, and, with its line new equipment of linotypes and its powerful new Hoe press, capable of printing, pasting and folding thousands of sixteen page papers every hour, it Is In a position to render better service than ever uotore, Tho marvelous revolution which has been wrouiiht in business, in the last few years, has made enormous demands uniin the caiiacitv of newspapers for nubllc ity. Advertising and not com petition has come to be conpiijered the life of trade. Business follows publicity, just as surely as a plant turns its leaves toward the sun.

Advertising furnishes tho light of publicity, which nourishes trade, and the daily newspapers of tho country are everywhere recognized as the best mediums through which merchants and purchasers may gain a knowledge of each others' wants. But while the demands upon newspapers have been increasing, their ability to meet them has kept pace with the march of progress. The invention of the linotype has enabled The Truth to publish a sixteen paee paper today as easily as it could issue an eight page paper two decades ago. With iis niagiiilu out battery of five linotypes, which respond to the touch of the skillful operator lis readily and as accurately as the polished keys of a piano do to the most accomplished musician, "copy" is set In solid type, with a rapid ity that would astonish tne "fastest typesetter of the era that preceded this wonderful invention of Mcrgeuthater's. THE HEAT HOE I'UESS.

What Mergentbaler has done for the newspaper composing room, il. H. Hue Company have done for the press room, on the Mulberry siivet side of The Truth's new press room, In full sight of the public, and eparaLed therefrom only by big plate glass win i by Indian paths and visited occasional Iy by hardy pioneers; today It Is crowded by Industry 'and commerce. The first white settler in what is now Scranton was Philip Abbott, a native of Connecticut. He tramped through the Wilderness in 1778 and settled in a romantic spot he called "Deep Hollow," on the bank of the Roaring Brook.

He fled after the Wyoming massacre of the same year, but returned to the Hollow In 1786, where he built a log cabin and primitive grist mill or corn cracker. Thus he established and operated the first industry of the future manufacturing metropolis. Near the mouth of the Lackawanna river there were then small settlements of whites a hardy remnant of those who suffered the savage butchery of the Wyoming massacre, and who after fleeing from those terrible scenes had later returned to win from bountiful nature the livelihood and perchance the wealth she had to bestow. The paths of the wilderness were doubtless often traveled by scouts and hunters, who tramped their way from the settlements of the Wyoming Valley to the Connecticut colony from whence many of the early settlers of this part of Pennsylvania had come as early as 1762. Even at that time, it Is quite possible that the Abbotts considered themselves fortunate in being on the line of through travel between the settlements.

But for eleven years, Philip Abbot, his brother James, and the few who accompanied them, were alone in their occu pany of the attractive site on Roaring. Brook. In 177 tney soio. out iu umi Hone. Then in 1799 came the Alocum brothers, Ebenezer and Benjamin, whose sister, Frances Slocum, was the maian captive whose experience is historic.

The Slocums bought out John and named the settlement bio i i anil with this name are Lackawanna vaney. ine mu V. 1 1 1. ,1 i I iwl a H(e and the next year they added riasrpul industries a force for ig the iron they round outcrop was used until 1828, and was one rk lells us In his History of the i 1 1 Ebenezer Slocum prophesied that Hn nu' ivituid ittf it Kit il I i numt? ana ne longeu. iu we jjhwicbc seeing it fifty years after he was am 111 me giatc A BOX OF IRON ORE.

In 1836 a box of iron ore carried 1 A Vi iMf hnmn. ty ha aii nntinn nf William HenrV. onry then prospected Lackawanna i llr.ir anrl finollv aimfnrloH 111 IntPf i ii or i irk' ni'iH i i fin nun uijirin in great resources. in i4U mese tinmen tne cthpr with Seldon T. (4ttes, formed the Jjieka wanna Iron 1 1 1 1 i ciniiiuiij uioni nnu vl Coal company.

The construction Ian Iron rurnace was lmmeaiaieiy tun, ana me inaustnai aeveiop ut of the village was fairly started. L. vonra lntnr thn nnnnlntinn ha( teased to five hundred and in 1853 ltd reached tnree thousand, janu 27th. 1851, tne name or the vii whlch had been Slocum Hollow 1799 to 1848, ana then scran was changed to Scranton. fHE NAME OF SCRANTON.

town wu pained after Colonel SALIENT FACTS ABOUT SCRANTON. has since become the City of Scranton, namely, the home of Barton Mott, the miller, and the historic house of the elela' Slocums. In 1856 the village had as a boroiuih. In 1806 the town had as a third class city. In 1901 the, citii had 105,000 vania citij of the second class.

In November, the population, by careful estimates, had reached 116,000 within city limits, 300,000 within 30 minutes' trollcu ride, and 400,000 within 20 miles of the City Hall. ri, Tlmisfi is in latitude 41d. 2im. 29s. N.

and lonmtude There are five steam railroads that enter the city, Delaware, Lackawanna and Western, main line; Delaware and Hudson; Central Hailroad of New Jersey; Erie; Sew York, Ontario and Western. There is also one steam and electric railroad, the Lackawanna and Wyoming Valley. There is a daily water supply from mountain lakes of gallons. There are 40 public school buildings valued at $1,804,000 and 12 annexes. There arc 82 churches of many denominations.

The Postoffice receipts show a large increase every year for the past ten years. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893, receipts were: for 1898, for 1903, $261,803.85. The current year also shows a large increase. There are 140 incorporated manufacturing establishments with a capital actually invested of $30,000,000. There are 30 anthracite coal mines xvilhin the city limits and the city is headquarters for 58 coal mining companies.

There are 15 iron foundries in the city. There are 28 periodicals. There are 20 academics and schools for special training, ll.enuinned free nublic librarii with four branches. dwrllinas within the limits of what iniiaouanis ana was incut luiuu innaonanis ana was mcvriwiuuu inhabitants ana uccame a ennsyi at an altitude 745 feet above sea lorn vny, iou mucs jrom i mtes mues arc uyiux. railwuu within the city limits and outside the limits.

79d. 30m. 47s. W. from Greenwich, level.

It is H5 miles from Arw bitrq. The area of the present city is acres. nd avenues 140 miles Length of paved streets Lenath of courts and places, Length of sewers The streets are lighted by vei Istrect There are 50 miles of about the $atne connected mileage i lILIf.