The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-01-07
SCRANTON THEN AND NOW.
Contrasts Between the City of Yesterday
and That of Today.


In hast weeks issue of the Wilkes
Barre Telephone Editor Charles ID. Lin
skill gives the following interesting pen
picture of Scranton:
when my father came into Pennsyl-
vania, siXty-four years ago, the place
where Scranton stands was known as
Slocum Hollow. A red mill stood in
shady dell by a bright trout stream. A
country road wound through the val
ley, now amid hemlocks and laurels,
and now over hills of chestnut and oak.
forest, permitted the traveller to catch
a random view of the distant mountain
ranges. After this, energetic men with
bright, restless eyes, came here and
planted a roaring, belching furnace,
and molten iron painted the evening
clouds. Then they waved their hands
toward wealthy city, and beckoned a
railroad to come this way on its jour-
ney to the great lakes. Then the Lacka-
wanna valley echoed with the shril
neigh of the powerful iron-horse, and
the hills reverberated with the clash of
his steel hoofs on the iron paved high
way. Then these active, powerful men
again polished the Aladdin lamp of
modern enterprise, and a town was
found sitting in the forest. Mechanics
made the shops glow and ring; miners
tunneled and chambered the solid
earth; farmers felled the forests, and
plowed the fields and caused them to
bloom and ripen, and resound with
cackling, bleating and believing herds
ana merchants, with new goods and
strange tongues, came from distant
clties, and the pavements were decked
with the hospitable glow of commercial
enterprise and courtesy.
The first time l saw Scranton was
IN 1861. l remember seeing a few
houses among forest trees, and thou
SANDS OF people walking slowly along a
lonely, muddy road, to the strains of
sad, Wailing music, until we came to
new, untamed cemetery, where amid
weeping, and mournful dirges, the re-
mains of George w. Scranton were
lowered into the earth. Again, l saw
Scranton, with dear friends, when a
sanity man came to the Wyoming
House and placed the hand of a bright,
beautiful girl in mine, and after sol
emnly asking us to love and care for
each other, he gave us his most sincere
blessing. Again, 1 saw Scranton, when
flags and banners caused the place to
bloom with beauty, while music thrilled
the hearts and timed the footsteps OF
many thousand of armed and regaliaed
men. When a tall and noble governor
of our state, with uncovered head
moved along streets crowded with men
women and children in orderly pha.
lanX. While banners waved, artillery
roared men shouted and music echoed
the gallant governor was the most self
possessed man in the assembly, which
seemed to verify the saying that he
who rules himself best is best fitted tc
rule others.
Again, while there, I went where a
swamp had been, and, entering a large
building, found several thousands OF
people singing hymns, and before them
on platform, sat scores of gifted min
isters, and a man, who had talked to
millions of people in many lands, arose
and talked of truth, peace and good
ness, in such a simple, yet powerful
sio " HldHy Sillllt anu
weep and promise to lead lives more
useful. Again, | enter the place al
eventide. The blue-eyed angel of elec.
tricity brightens the city. The furnaces
flash their flames toward the sky
Screaming and roaring engines dash
along with great nickel-plated and
satin-lined carriages filled with light
and with happy people. Electric cars
like chariots of flame are going and
coming in many directions. Many
great, crystal-front stores show the
beautiful and varied merchandise of ar
opulent world. Thousands of people
are buying the articles most timely fol
holiday-tide. Seal-clad wealth, anC
penury's anxious eye, paled cheek ant
ragged garment, on the same pave
ment. The following morning. the
charming chimes of silvery bells in q
stone tower, call us to enter the door.
way of magnificent edifice where the
light fell through stained glass in forms
of marvellous love and beauty, and the
mighty organ blended thunder anC
ocean roar, with the carol of happ,
birds, the whisper of loving mother.
and the soothing zephyrs of June morn
ings. Then stalwart man from the
north, spoke to the people with a gen
tie, earnest, truthful elouuence tina
was as ennobling as it was charming.
Beware of Frauds Re sira yo,, 90, III.