The state journal., 1884-03-08
To the STATE JOURNAL.
WILKES-BARRE.
MARCH 6. 1884,

here, IN proportion to the interest
which it takes in giving publication
to what.transpires among them, in or
der to give wider circulation here, we
would ask. space for weekly letter:
In this issue we would be pleased to
give a brief note of our city and peo-
pie, as preface to our future CORE
spondence.
Wilkes Barre is thriving city sit
uated on the left bank of the time
honored Susquehanna river, in the
midst of one of the most beautiful,
fertile and wealthy valleys of this
country - the historic Wyoming.
Lofty mountains stretch themselves
along either side as strong barriers
against the raging storms, and offer
protection should the proud Susque
hanna ever outgrow its banks. That
which makes our city most IA
nous is its being situated in mining
region whose wealth in coal is untold.
in consequence of which the hum of
busy factories is that music which has
no rest. Along this valley, some
thirty miles in extent, is to be seen
'furnace upon furnace, and forge
upon forge. blackening the heavens
by day and recalling pandemonium
by night forcing from the unwilling
earth fuel to teedten thousand hungry
furnaces and add comfort to millions
of homes-to connect us with the
outside world and give the same &C
cess to our unbounded mineral re
sources, four railroads make conneo-
ton here. Oar city, at the head Of
such facilities, numbers about %, 900
inhabitants, of whom about 1000 or
1900 are colored. School facilities
are the best, no distinction being
made, neither is there as to the gen
eral vocations of life. AS to their re
ligion here, as elsewhere, there is a
more marked separation of the whites
and colored. The churches among
our people are three in number, viz:
the Presbyterian Church Of the Cove
nant, the A. NJ. E. church and the
z. A. M. E. church. The condition
of each Of these | hope to note, as l
shall have opportunity to acquaint
myself more fully with them. As l
have visited the Presbyterian, l will
conclude my present letter with the
outlines of its present standing. AS
to possession of property it is third,
as to number of membership and con
gregation it is second and as to rep
resentation of influential families it
is first. Among them may be men,
toned the Andrews, the Logans, the
Towns, the Fitzgeralds, the Williams,
the Haynes, the Irvings. The church
is headed by as select a corps of
officers as is likely to be found any
where. The choir is a permanent
organization, with t. II. Irving as
chorister. Its success, too, has been
largely due to the attention and
drill of its pastor. The general
and female prayer meetings are
instruments of spiritual blessings to
the people. The Ladies Aid Associa-
ton has proven itself to be of great
financial services and promises to be
a perpetual benefit to the church,
Rev. Lawrence Miller lectures on
the international lessons weekly,
which, while it is instructive to the
members of the congregation gener-
ally, is special help to the teachers.
The Sabbath school is superintended
by Mr., John Logan, man of rare
ability, with six associate officers and
teachers of the better type. The
school has a library of three hundred
volumes of choice reading. The
Blyden Literary Association holds its
meetings in this church, and is
achieving that which falls TO its pro.
vinces. The intellectual develop
ment of its members in literary
point of view. Thus is this church
roundly fitted out for great good.
May God prosper it.
Arrangements are being made
to hold a celebration of the fifteenth
amendment TO the constitution here,
on the 18th of next June. This
movement has been organized with
Mr.. John Logan as president, G. w.
Generals, vice president, BE. Jones,
secretary, r. O. Generals, assistant
secretary and Andrew Addison, treas
urer. Several committees have been
appointed to organize clubs to take
part in the parade. The committee