Smyrna times., 1894-02-07
For the Smyrna Times
A DELAWAREAN In SCRANTON.
SCRANTON. PA. Jan. 27. ,e4

] P'N iN''7''O anu ldptuly u6NelOp6O
cities in the Northeastern part of Penn
! sylvania, l will give you a few points
concerning Scranton. 1t is a city of
$4,000 inhabitants, number of which
are Germans, Welsh and Irish extrac-
tiOn. The residences are mostly frame
of cottage style and present a beauti-
ful appearance as they are all nicely
| painted. There are few magnificent
residences of Englith style constructed
principally Of crude rocks, which pre-
sent rustic appearance. There are
many magnificent public buildings, the
Court House, City Hall, the new Post
Office, Dime Savings Bank and the Y.
M. G. A. buildings are only surpassed
by few of our largest cities She has
one of the finest equipped Y. NJ. c. A.
Associations in the State which is do
ing noble work. To much praise can
not be bestowed upon these noble insti-
tutions. There are two hospitals 1.-THE
Moses Taylor" erected for the en-
plOyes of the Lackawanna Steel Com
pany aud the D.-L. and w. r. R. Co..
and the Lackawanna County Hospital.
There is an opportunity for some one
to display his munificence in erecting
Newsboys' home. 1t is a common
sight to ace them in some alley play
ing crap" as they term it. One morn
ing saw a number of young boot
blacks and newsboys, on one of the
corners of the main streets congregated
and very much interested in some
game; upon Investigation found they
were shooting crap" as they term it.,
or in other words throwing dice, each
putting down ten cents; and playing
each other until they were broke.
The city has some very fine churches,
the Elm Park NJ. f church is the finest
IN the city. 1t has been erected three
times on the same spot, twice because
burned by fire of an incendiary origin.
The culprit was caught, and is now in
carcerated in Jail. He imagined the
ground .pon which it was erected was
left him by his uncle. The church
possesses chimes, and one of the finest
organs that musicians have ever
touched. Upon the lower floor we
find a large lecture room, ladies
parlor, a dining room, and kitchen
with all its culinary paraphenalia espe-
cially adapted for festival suppers. The
church Was furnished solely through
the efforts of the women. 1t was in
this large lecture room l had the pleas.
ure last Thursday evening, of listening
TO Delaware's silver tOngued orator,
Prof. L. Irving Handy, in his most ex.
cellent lecture, THE Road to Victory"
He elucidated some most beautiful and
practicable thoughts, some of which
arrayed in the most flowery language.
His lecture was interspersed with wit
| and many allusions to incidents that
happened in little Delaware, many of
which was quite familiar. 1t is need
less to say the audience was favorably
impressed at to his ability as lecturer
and an orator.
As | sat and listened to him, that
beautiful poem of Greenlief Whittier's
My old Schoolmaster" like a flash
rushed through my mind. 1t only
seems like yesterday it was a reality,
where in fact nine years have elapsed
and alas, what change. ."Tempus fright"
also met another Blue Hens
chicken there viz: Mr.. John T. Porter.
who is strong pillar in this church
and one Of the most prosperous bust.
ness men in the city. Anyone could
tell that he was Delawarean from his
hospitable manner, aud cordial greet
ing. Another one from Smyrna is DR..
Edward Grewer, formerly of the
Medico Chrurgcal college but now
located in Scranton with large prac-
tlce. Scranton possesses considerable
wealth during the financial depression.
her banks were not affected in the
least. Very few of its residents are re-
duced to want as work is supplied by
the city authorities to those who ask
for it at Sl.OO per day. Those who are
unable to work are supplied by the
churches and charitable societies.
Scranton is surrounded on all sides
by the mines and in fact, it is said, the
foundation is a mine crust as there un-
derground passages running under it,
the resultof mining.
The supply of coal in this vicinity
seems inexhaustible. 1t is nothing un-
usual for the houses to shake rs if
there was an earthquake not far dis
tant. The first night it is quite per-
ceptible, afterward ,one does not notice
it. One travelling man after he had
retired, thought he had a chill. and
called the hostess of the house; much
alarmed he told her his bed shook so
much that he believed he had chill,
but yet he was not the least cold. She
explained to him that it was common
thing for the houses to shake in Scran-
ton, how thin the foundation was and
that one should be a very good one.
He Immediately rolled over, went to
sleep with the consolation of how fine
a thing it was to be rocked to sleep bv
nature.
Scranton has many industries such
as steel and iron mills, silk, lace and
button factories, car works, etc. One
advantage that fosters these industries
here, is the cheap coal. It was nv
pleasure to visit one of these mines, a
distance of three hundred feet. one of
the deepest in the vicinity. It is with
considerable timidity the bravest make
their first entrance. Here in this mine
alone are 800 employees, and about 100
mules. There is one mule that has
been in this mine twenty-fo ur years.po
doubt by this time has an "argyle
Robinson pupil, one that responds to
distance and not to light, diagnostlc of
loco motor ataxia. He is thoroughlv
conversant with the mines, and makes
an excellent cicerone or guide, and can
go up and down on the elevator like n