The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-08-31
; Career Of
conneIl.
Biographical Incidents Con.
esrning . Man Well.KnOwn
to Every Resident Of Scran.
tom
Prom ths Philaas,pAia Press.


Prom the Philadeaphia Press.
william Oonneil, OF Scranton, has.
within the past few months. become SO
prominent O figure In Pennsylvania
politics as to attract the attention OF
the press and politicians throughout
the state. Although a man past middle
life he has not. until comparatively
recently, interested himself In state pol
Stics. He has, however. been power
1ul factor In the politics OF Lackawanna
county for dozen years or more. His
career has been one Of the most remark
able as we'll as one of the most success
full In the history Of the anthracite coal
fields.
william Connell was born at Cape
Breton. Nova Scotia. In 1897. Of Scotch
descent, q fact easily discernable in
every feature Of his strong face. al
though physically he IL lacking In the
robustness characteristic Of the hardy
race whose blood flows inshis veins. In
1874. when the subject Of this sketch
was a lad Of seventeen. his family emf
grated from Nova Scotia to Luzerne
county, Pennsylvania. where young
Connell turned his attention to min
dng, beginning in the most humble ca
pacity. He had enjoyed only limited
educational advantages, but enough to
awaken In his naturally bright intellect
a strong ambition for self-improvement.
Those coming In contact with him
would infer. from his wide knowledge
and great fund Of information. that he
had in his youth enjoyed far greater
advantages than fall to the lot OF the
average young man. His mind is a
vast storehouse OF Information on al
most every topic that can be presented.
Became . Scientific Miner.
For q number OF years Mr.. Connel!
worked in the mines. and it Is needless
to say that he speedily acquired all the
Information and practical knowledge
that constitute the scientific miner. In
1856 he was placed in full charge OF all
the mines Of the Wyoming Valley and
Susquehanna railroad and coal COM
pany. This position he held for four
teen years. or until 1870. when the
charter of the company expired. and
then came the opportunity William
Connel had been waiting for. He had
been Industrious and economical. had
saved money and was prepared to COM
mence business on his own account.
With the boidness that has character
ICED his subsequent career as business
man. ne acquired control of the mines
Of the above named corporation and
this was the real beginning of busi-
ness career whose success Is indeed
marvellous. He speedily developed a
capacity for businss that has been sell
dom eQualled in the anthracite coal
fields. Too much space would be re-
Quired to enter into the details of this
remarkable mans career during the
next twenty-five years. To-day he is
the most conspicuous figure in the fin
ancial, manufacturing and mining
arena Of Northern Pennsylvania.
To fully comprehend the magnitude
Of william Connell's success 1t Is only
necessary to enumerate the great busi-
ness concerns Of which he Is the head or
with the management Of which he is as
sociated He Is president Of the Third
National Bank Of Scranton. the Connell
Coal company, the Lackawanna Mills
company. the Scranton Button COM
pany. Nhe Weston Mills company, the
H1nt & Connell company. and the
Meadow Brook Land company. He is
director Of the Lackawanna Iron and
Steel company. the Dickson Manufac.
turing company, the Clark & Snover
company. the Lackawanna Trust and
Safe Deposit company. the Lehigh Salt
Mining company, the Scranton Packing
company. the Scranton Forging COM
pany, the Lackawanna Lumber COM
pany. the Colliery Engineer company.
and rhe Scranton Tribune company.
He Is also a heavy stockholder In num-
erous other financial and industrial in
stitutions. 1t Is a significant fact that
almost every industry with which he Is
connected receives much Of his per-
sonal attention and all are prosperous
or give promise OF becoming so under
his wise direction. A most striking
popularity of William Connelrs career
Is, that vast As are his business opera
tions he 80 systematizes his time and
work that he still finds opportunity to
give no little attention to the fostering
Of educational. benevolent and religious
Institutions in which he has for years
manifested great interest. He Is a
trustee Of the Wesleyan University. Sy-
racuse University and Drew Theolog-
ical seminary. and has greatly assisted
all these institutions.
His Cso~tsntstious Generosity.
Mr.. Connen adheres to the Methodist
Episcopal church. and Is probably the
most liberal contributor In the Wyom-
ing Conference to all the various enter
prises Of that church. Munificent as
have been his contributions to these
various causes, Mr.. Connell Is never
ostentatious in his beneficences. Many
an embarrassed church., hospital or
charitable institution owes its reliaf to
him. and in rendering such aid ne
knows no creed or nationality. Many
q young man in Scranton owes his rise
and success In life to the generous aid
and wise counsel Of Mr.. Connell. So
unbounded ID the confidence in his
judgment and sagacity. no less than in
his unselflshness, that men In all walks
and conditions Of life constantly seek
his advise and none ever go from him
without having received the best he had
to give.
Shrewd. bold and aggressive as Will
lam CQpnell is In the conduct Of his
business affairs. he Ia absolutely free
from all trickery and never departs
from the straight path Of honor. fair
ness and strict integrity In his rela-
lions with his fellow-men. He never
seeks to over-reach anyone. and what
ever he attains comes to him clean
handed. His marvellous success In ev-
cry venture can be traced directly and
solely to his clear head, sound judg-
1nent, keen perception. untiring en-
ergy. indomitable will and unfinching
integrity.
That Mr.. Connell has not long ago