USA > Pennsylvania > Luzerne County > Wilkes-Barre > A history of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania : from its first beginnings to the present time, including chapters of newly-discovered early Wyoming Valley history, together with many biographical sketches and much genealogical material. Volume IV > Part 66
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Ex-President Roosevelt, on August 2nd, paid an unexpected visit lasting two days. Accompanied by Father J. J. Curran, he quietly visited many places of interest, including mining "patches" and mine operations. On the second day, he was entertained at Bear Creek by Albert Lewis who arranged an open-air dinner for him to which were invited many prominent men of the Valley.
Of new buildings which marked the material progress of the community in 1911, the Elks home, the office structure of the Spring Brook Water Supply company and the well-appointed James M. Coughlin high school might be mentioned. The latter was erected at a cost of $400,000 to be outrivaled only in later years by the G. A. R. Memorial Junior high school building as well as the magnificent structure in process of building on Carey avenue in 1928, to be named in honor of Dr. E. L. Meyers, for many years president of the school board.
In the spring of 1911, the Board of Trade changed its name to the Chamber of Commerce. Its quarters were moved from the city hall to more pretentious offices in the Morgan building on West Market street, thence to the Miners Bank building, and the organization changed some of its policies with its name.
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Two episodes, political in their nature, stirred up considerable commotion in the later months of the year. Mayor Lewis P. Kniffen announced that an agent, presumably of the Wilkes-Barre Electric company, which had established a small plant in a South Main street block and was seeking a general franchise throughout the city, had approached him with a bribe of $20,000 in bonds of that company and $4,000 in cash, contingent upon securing the Mayor's support to the franchise measure. The bonds and money were turned over to the District Attorney and two individuals who were accused of being associated in the brib- ing venture were arrested. There were those, not among the Mayor's supporters, who regarded the whole matter with some suspicion.
A jury, in subsequent trials of those accused, seemed to share this view as acquittal followed and costs of prosecution were placed upon the Mayor.
The second cause of much public discussion followed the issuing of a cer- tificate of election to Congress to Charles C. Bowman of West Pittston. His opponent at the election had been George R. McLean, Esq., who informed Mr. Bowman by letter that he would contest the latter's seat on the ground of irregularities in the campaign and election. Congress acted with reference to the charges, deputizing a commission to hear testimony and make report. The hearings in the contest began on February 18th and continued until May 11th, the commission sitting at Wilkes-Barre. Nothing further was heard of the matter until shortly before the adjournment of the session in which Mr. Bowman was permitted to sit. The House, on December 12, 1913, declared the seat of Mr. Bowman vacant but refused to seat the contestant.
The agreement between the United Mine Workers union and anthracite operators was to end April 1, 1922. This, as is generally the case under like circumstances, upset business conditions locally in the spring of that year and caused considerable apprehension that a prolonged contest between capital and labor might again ensue. Negotiations were opened between the parties in January, but when conferences brought no tangible results on MINERS BANK BUILDING March 31, the mines shut down and all anxiously awaited an adjustment of differences. The previous winter had been a severe one and companies had but little opportunity to acquire stocks of coal in advance of the shutdown. Fortunately an agreement satisfactory to both sides was reached on May 22nd, and work was immediately resumed, the companies being far behind in their orders.
Later in the spring, the Chamber of Commerce raised a Guarantee Fund of $450,000 for the purpose of advancing loans to new industries which might seek help from the Fund or to industries already established which might be planning expansion. The banks of the community agreed to underwrite the Fund in proportion to their resources. Many loans from the Fund were later made for industrial expansion. It is worth recording, in this connection, that the guarantors were never called to repay a single loss.
The year 1912 saw the new Miners Bank building well under way. This, when opened the year following, proved to be the community's largest and most
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ornate office structure. The fact that this same bank considered it a wise in- vestment to start operations to duplicate the building by an addition on an ad- joining site in 1927, evidenced the confidence financiers have in the future of the Wyoming Valley. A modern, sanitary manufacturing plant on South Main street for the Penn Tobacco Company was likewise begun in 1912. This con- cern early in its history demonstrated that it was destined to become an im- portant local industry. Under the same capable management, the concern in 1927 announced the purchase of three other long established tobacco concerns in various parts of the country, all of which are to be merged in the Wilkes-Barré plant.
On August 22, 1912, ex-President Roosevelt again visited the Valley. He came upon this occasion to do honor to Father J. J. Curran who at that time was celebrating the twenty-fifth anniversary of his ordination as a priest. Colonel Roosevelt visited Harvey's Lake and upon his return attended a professional baseball game then in progress on the West Side. The game broke up temporarily and did not proceed until the distinguished guest had made a characteristic speech. In the evening he attended a large mass meeting in the Armory where he again addressed a capacity crowd.
The year 1913 was made memorable to a large number of people by the campaign of Rev. William A. or "Billy" Sunday as he preferred to be called. Advance agents of the Sunday party arrived in the city in January and almost immediately began the erection of a large tabernacle on the Gildersleeve plot on South Main street. The building cost some $15,000, the expenditures being underwritten by numerous citizens.
On February 23rd, the evangelistic party arrived and opened the tabernacle. There were approximately 650,000 admissions to the services during the ensuing six weeks. The number of those who "hit the sawdust trail" was 16,584. The cost of the campaign was collected in the earlier weeks of the effort and voluntary contributions on the last day of the series were turned over to the Sunday party. That the community was generous in its appreciation of Reverend Mr. Sunday's work was attested by the fact that a check for $24,000, evidencing the last day's contributions, was handed over to the evangelist before his departure on April 13th.
An echo of the Sunday campaign followed in June, 1913, when 10,000 men of the community marched through streets of the city to attend a meeting on the court house lawn, pledging themselves to the enforcement of law and order. Still another sequel was evident at the fall elections of the same year when those who sympathized with the Sunday movement put a ticket in the field for city offices of a type not often attracted into the political arena. Out of fifty-three candidates who sought nominations for membership on the city commission, four indorsed by the law and order party succeeded in being elected. They were: Edwin B. Morgan, R. Nelson Bennett, Charles N. Loveland and Joseph G. Schuler.
On November 4, 1913, three cities of Luzerne county changed their governments to the commission form. In Wilkes-Barré, Mayor John V. Kosek held over until the expiration of his term the following spring. He, with the four newly-elected commissioners above named, constituted Wilkes-Barré's first city commission.
In the fall, a Greater Wilkes-Barré Industrial Exposition was held in the newly completed Penn Tobacco company building under auspices of the
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Chamber of Commerce. While not intended as a revenue producing enterprise, the interest aroused in this undertaking was so pronounced that nearly $6,000 remained as a net balance when affairs of the venture were settled. This fund is still held in trust as a nucleus of a Chamber of Commerce building fund.
Not so successful, however, was an effort of that body to secure the an- nexation of Dorranceton to the city. At the fall election of 1913, voters of Dor- ranceton borough decided by a large majority to retain their own form of govern- ment.
Considerable business depression marked the year 1914. The mines worked irregularly and in general industry was sub-normal. Council announced the appointment of a City Planning Commission consisting of John C. Bridgeman, A. C. Campbell, Esq. Franck G. Darte, Esq. and John A. Hourigan. This was followed by the appointment of a Municipal Art Jury with the following members: Gilbert S. McClintock, Esq., Lyman H. Howe, Thomas H. Atherton, Jr., Harry L. French and Robert Robinson.
It is a matter of note that on January 1, 1914, Hon. J. Butler Woodward, the fifth of his family to hold an honored position on the bench, took the oath as additional law judge, this fifth Common Pleas judgeship created in 1913.
On May 20, Concordia left for Baltimore and Washington on the longest concert tour in its history. Concerts were given in both cities and the chorus accepted a special invitation to visit President Wilson at the White House.
The Chamber of Commerce during the summer secured the establishment of a Farm Bureau for the county. Toward the support of this important aid to agricultural interests, the county made an annual contribution of $1,500, the United States government gave $1,200 per year and a balance of some $3,000 necessary to maintain the bureau was raised by membership fees. In July the first Mothers' Pension Bureau was created in the county, the state appropriating the sum of $8,954.48 for its maintenance for two years and the county contributing a like amount.
In the fall, the city park system was extended by acquiring a plot known as the Metcalf estate on the Heights, thus answering a call for a recreation center in that locality.
On August 14, 1914, a tornado of destructive force visited Wilkes-Barre. An account of this will be found in a previous Chapter.
Two major events-one of them the greatest catastrophe of all history- were to overshadow interest in the minor affairs of Wyoming Valley in 1914. Mexico found herself in the throes of a revolution.
The Madero government was overthrown on February 9, 1913, and the President, together with the Vice-President and other influential members of his official family were murdered by adherent of the usurper Huerta. The country was in a state of terror and Americans withdrew, as best they could, from the scene of treachery and bloodshed. Huerta, a former minister of foreign affairs under Madero, insolently demanded the recognition of the United States.
This President Wilson very positively refused to extend. Then followed a period of "watchful waiting" during which President Wilson was severely taken to task by those who had financial interests in Mexico as well as by his political opposition. Huerta's chief aim seemed to have been directed towards involving the United States in war.
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Villa and other henchmen boldly crossed the border upon several occasions. On April 9, 1914, a boatland of the crew of the American ship Dolphin landed at Tampico for supplies. They were arrested by agents of Huerta, two of them being taken from the ship's cutter which was flying the American flag. This news reached President Wilson at midnight. He immediately demanded a formal apology, including the firing of a salute. The apology was forthcoming but Huerta refused the salute. While proper action on this refusal was being debated, Admiral Mayo, whose section of the fleet was anchored in the harbor of Vera Cruz, informed Washington authorities that a German vessel was about to unload a large cargo of machine guns and ammunity for the Huerta forces. The country was startled by the answer of a supposedly pacific President. "Take Vera Cruz at once" was his order to the Admiral. This was accomplished but not without loss of life on each side. However, the American troops held the city until Huerta resigned his usurped office as President and a new admini- stration went into power. This avoided for a time at least, further strained relationships, and the Americans withdrew from the foothold they had estab- lished on Mexican soil.
Of far wider import, but of tremendously less local public interest at the time, was the cabled report that on July 23, 1914, Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian crown, and his consort had been murdered by a Serbian while on a visit to Serajevo. This news was followed almost immediately by an ultimatum from Austria to Serbia stipulating eleven demands and giving the latter until 6 P. M. July 25th, to accede to these demands.
Serbia refused and Austria declared war. Out of this somewhat overcast sky came a thunderbolt when Germany on July 31st made an arrogant demand upon Russia that mobilization of that nation's forces cease within twelve hours.
Russia made no reply and on August 1, 1914, Germany declared war against Russia. Thus began the World war.
As one nation after another found itself involved, local interest naturally grew, but from the standpoint of a distant spectator only.
The chief concern of the community in the early stages of the World war seemed to have been centered on whether the nationals of countries involved could be induced or compelled to join the colors of the countries of their birth. There was some excitement locally when the Austro-Hungarian consul in Wilkes- Barre called for the mobilization of reserve forces of the empire resident in the United States. The local consulate was besieged with applicants for transpor- tation to the homeland. Few, indeed, there were who then imagined the picture as later years painted it.
The year 1915 opened with a feeling that somehow the great war overseas would be of benefit to neutral nations. Orders for war munitions and food sup- plies began to pour into the United States. At home a more direct and therefore apparently more serious matter confronted the Wyoming Valley. Employees
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of a Traction company which reached every district were restless and this rest- lessness was fanned to greater activity by the presence of union organizers. Demands for a higher wage scale and for changes in working conditions were filed with the Wilkes-Barre Railways Company and refused. At midnight, March 31, it was announced that employees had voted to strike. Not a car left the company barns on the following morning. The transportation system of the community was paralyzed. The "jitney" came into existence overnight. Numerous conferences which followed placed the disagreement in the hands of three arbitrators, John Price Jackson of the state board, Thomas D. Shea of the car men's union and S. D. Warriner of the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company. Pending decision by this board and agreeing to abide by its rulings, employees of the company resumed work on April 9th and the public considered the matter ended.
On July 10th the board of arbitration thus selected presented its report. It recommended a sliding scale of wages, various rights of seniority and apparently a satisfactory solution to the difficulties. From this report Thomas Shea, the union member, dissented. Operations continued, however, until October 11th, when John Price Jackson, the State's representative, announced that he had changed his mind and now sided with Mr. Shea. The strike was then resumed in earnest It proved one of the longest and most disastrous strikes in American labor history
On October 14, 1915, the company landed the advance guard of strike breakers, quartered them in the Wood street barn and sent a few cars over some of its lines. Riots, with which local police forces usually failed to cope, were of frequent occurrence in the fall of 1915 and continued through the spring of 1916. In the summer of 1916, matters had quieted down to some extent and car service became more normal. The jitney nuisance still continued to be a subject of public discussion and municipal concern. It was not until December 16, 1916, that remaining employees declared the strike at an end. What the stubborn struggle cost in dollars and cents will probably never be known. The city of Wilkes-Barre had paid some $60,000 for extra police protection. Losses to the company were staggering and to the men equally so. The company later in- augurated a welfare organization among its old and new employees, established a sliding scale of wages and peace has since been maintained between employee and employer on a basis which has seemed satisfactory to all concerned.
Other events of 1915 which might be recorded were the organization of its first full paid fire department by Wilkes-Barré, a Chamber of Commerce dinner on May 14th at which ex-President William H. Taft was a guest and the principal speaker, and the establishment of the first municipal Christmas tree on the Public square in celebration of the ending of the Traction company strike.
The year, 1916 opened with signs of prosperity apparent not alone in the Wyoming Valley, but throughout the country at large. Anthracite was in de-
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mand exceeding the supply, due not alone to wartime industrial activities, but to an insistent demand for export purposes. There was a growing apprehension . of a breakdown of our national policies of neutrality, but the early part of the year gave but little indication of momentous events to follow.
In our home affairs, the community welcomed back to private life the Honorable Charles E. Rice who, on January 1st, retired as president judge of the Superior Court after a service of twenty years. This was in addition to judicial service on the bench of Luzerne county for a period of fifteen years. Early in the year, the city of Wilkes-Barré started condemnation proceedings
HON. CHARLES E. RICE
for the purpose of securing some ninety-five acres of land in Westmoor with a thought of constructing thereon a huge municipal athletic field. No terms of agreement between land owners and the municipality could be reached and final steps in closing the matter were deferred by events to follow.
On January 12, 1916, Rotary, the first of modern service clubs in the Valley, was organized.
On April 14th, Major-General Leonard Wood addressed a capacity audience in the Armory on the subject of preparedness. This address invoked much
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discussion in the press and elsewhere as to the possibility of the United States entering the World war.
On April 30th, the welcome news reached the anthracite field that a con- ference between operator and miner which, for a time had given sinister promise of ending in a deadlock, had been satisfactorily concluded, each side conceding something to the needs of the nation for fuel.
On June 14th, it was announced that the last of big individual coal holdings in Luzerne county had been leased. By terms of the agreement, the Lehigh Valley Coal Company acquired the right to mine under a tract of 614 acres belonging to the Pettebone estate, situate in Wyoming and West Wyoming.
In the spring of 1916 a renewal of Mexican border hostilities was presaged giving the Wyoming Valley its first thrill of military activities since the Spanish- American war. The departure of Huerta from that troubled and troublesome neighbor and the establishment of the Carranza administration by due course of law did not bring that internal tranquility for which the American government had hoped. It was later known that agents of the Imperial German Government stood high in the councils of President Carranza and were attempting to foment differences between Mexico and the United States that might keep the attention of our military forces engaged with American continental affairs. Bands of Mexican irregulars, not without the connivance of Carranza, destroyed much valuable property of Americans on Mexican soil, kidnapped or murdered Ameri- can citizens in Mexico on peaceful missions and otherwise violated the treaty relationship of two nations at peace with each other.
With characteristic patience, President Wilson refused to be drawn into war with the southern Republic unless as a last resort. A breaking point seemed to be reached when on March 9th, General Villa with a large force of Mexicans crossed the border and surprised a detachment of American troops stationed at Columbus, New Mexico. The detachment sustained severe losses but gave a good account of itself. The War Department acted promptly. While no decla- ration of war followed, Brig. Gen. John J. Pershing was instructed to assemble a provisional brigade of regular forces stationed in the neighborhood, cross the border and pursue the fleeing Villa.
The War Department then carried its plans a step farther. The use of regular army forces in Mexico left American borders unprotected. Under the National Defense of 1916, the National Guard component of military defense could be mustered at any point in the United States where an emergency threat- ened. President Wilson declared that such emergency existed and on June 14th, various states were called upon to furnish a quota of Guard units.
Pennsylvania promptly ordered its quota assembled at Mount Gretna.
As early as March 14, 1916, Col. Asher Miner, then in command of the 9th Infantry, N. G. P. had asked for enlistments for the regiment, and for the support of the community in assisting the organization to reach a state of pre- paredness adequate to such emergency. With that support given and with his regiment standing high in state ratings, it was with amazement that Colonel Miner found that the organization was not included in Pennsylvania's quota. On June 19th, Colonel Miner and others interested in local military affairs hastened to Harrisburg to be informed that Pennsylvania had more than its quota of infantry organizations but needed a regiment of artillery to round out
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its requirements under the government's call. Without hesitation, the state was assured that the old Ninth would immediately be converted into a regiment of the required branch of service.
Returning, the work of reorganizing the Ninth Infantry into the Third Pennsylvania Field Artillery, was carried forward with great rapidity. It was ordered to Mount Gretna on August 2nd, and departed August 3rd after an exhibition of appreciation on the part of the Wyoming Valley unrivaled up to that time.
On September 8th, it was mustered into federal service. On September 30th, the organization entrained for El Paso, Texas, where it became a part of the 7th National Guard Division. The camp selected for the Third proved a healthy one and very little sickness resulted among the personnel. Christmas was made memorable by the distribution of a carload of gifts from "back home."
It was not until March 20, 1917, that the Third returned to Wilkes-Barré after seven months of intensive training on the border. By that time it was generally realized that relationships with Germany were strained almost to the breaking point and the home community, fired with patriotic fervor, extended a welcome which was an earnest of things to come. A dinner given to the batteries at Irem Temple rounded out a day of homecoming that is still held in memory.
Almost immediate steps were taken to muster out the regiment, but scarcely had the process started when an order reached its commanding officer from Washington to await further instructions.
While thoughts of the Wyoming Valley had been concerned largely with a solution of Mexican problems, the trend of events in connection with the country's relationships abroad pointed inexorably toward the entrance of the United States into the greatest military struggle of all time.
From the very beginning of active hostilities overseas, there appeared a small but constantly increasing faction which, on one ground or another, held that it was the duty of the United States to take sides in the conflict.
The decision of Great Britain in 1914 to declare a blockade of all German and many contiguous neutral ports which might supply the central powers, created the first storm center. The blockade was later applied to neutral as well as to enemy vessels, and thus included the United States. Jingoes as well as German sympathizers manifested great concern over this measure. The south was in a turmoil due to the fact that some of its best cotton markets were cut off by the blockade.
On May 7, 1915, came the sinking by a German submarine of the Lusi- tania with the loss of many Americans among the list of passengers. A far- reaching outburst of indignation followed this unparalleled disaster and the militaristic party was greatly strengthened as a consequence.
With the mass of diplomatic correspondence between the Wilson admini- stration and belligerents, intended to fortify the attitude of the United States in maintaining neutrality, it is not the intention of this short narrative to deal. The national elections of 1916 showed how evenly the country was divided in sentiment between the peace-seeking policies of President Wilson and those which favored a more militant course. Early election returns, coming largely from the east, seemed to assure the election of Charles E. Hughes who differed with President Wilson not merely in politics but in policies. Nearly every newspaper on Wednesday morning assured its readers that Mr. Hughes had won.
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