The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-12-26
MENTION OF
men OF HOUR
W. H. RICHMOND, PRESIDENT
OF NEW ENGLAND SOCIETY.

w. n, N1CdMOND, president
OF NEW ENGLAND SOCIETY.
He Was One Of the Pioneer Coal
Operators Of This Region-Drafted
the Charter of the Elk Hill Coal
and Iron Company-w. q. o'Mal-
ley the New Select Councilman
from the Twentieth ward-Popu-
lar John Van Bergen, Jr., Of the
Commissioners Office.
of the New England society. who de-
livered such Il thoughtful and we'll
rounded address at the annual banquet
OF that society last Friday night. is a
fine example Of the later day New
Englander, who possesses all the good
qualities for which his ancestors were
noted and which made them such a
force in this fair land of ours.
Mr.. Richmond was born in Marl-
borough. Connecticut. on Oct. 23, 1921,
his family having it's origin in Brittany
before the Eleventh century. The
American branch was founded by John
Richmond, who emigrated from Ash
ton Keynes, Wiltshire, England, in
1857, and became one Of the original
purchasers of the land on which the
city of Taunton, Mass, Is now located.
Through his grandmother, Prudence
Wadsworth, Mr.. Richmond is descend
ed through seven generations from
William Wadsworth, an emigrant
from England to Massachusetts, in
1852. and under Hooker one of the
early Connecticut colonists in 1886.
His son, Captain Joseph Wadsworth,
is credited with concealing the Con-
necticut charter in the Oak tree at
Hartford. an incident which has been
extensively dwelt upon by the his
torians of that period.
In 1912 Mr.. Richmond entered busi-
ness life in Honesdale and three years
later opened a store at Carbondale un-
der the firm name Of Richmond &
Robinson. In 1860, MIR. Richmond be-
came interested in the mining Of an
thracite coal. His keen business mind
the coal with which the valley
abounded would in later years have in
the business world. The mining Of
coal was at that time practically in
it's infancy and few men realized the
great value of that commodity as an
article of commerce.
Mr. Richmond obtained possession Of
tract of land at what is now Dick
son City. but which at that time was
part of Blakely township. He or
ganzed the Elk Hill Coal and Iron
company and proceeded to develop the
coal land he had acquired He framed
the charter of the Elk Hill company
and also the subsequent amendments
to it which the Legislature allowed,
special legislation not being forbidden
at that time.
The thoroughness with which he did
his work is best evidenced. perhaps,
by the value that is now placed on
that charter. Some months ago, the
New York. Ontario and Western COM
pany purchased the coal properties of
Mr.. Richmond and came into possess
sion of the charter of the Elk Hill
Coal and Iron company. They have
utilized it to combine about all Of the
coal properties they have obtained in
this region. which are now opeated
under the title of the Elk Hill Coal
and Iron company.
To speak of a city official as having
been tried does not convey an intel!i-
gent meaning in these parts, so in re-
ferring to the new selectman from the
Twentieth, William G. O'Malley, as
having been tried it is necessary to
make specifications. Mr.. O'Malley was
for four years the representative Of
the Twentieth on the board Of school
control. and to say that no better man
ever came out of that ward and into
public life is scarcely doing him full
justice.
His record for industry. honesty and
intelligent action was one that any
man might well be proud of. He
proved himself man of no mean
dimensions in any part and at once
came to be regarded as one of the big
men of his party. His name has been
used in connection with the nomina-
tion for several important offices since
his retirement from the school board,
but he never encouraged any move
ment to bring him back actively into
the public service and only last fall
refused an unanimous tender of the
nomination for county treasurer.
Mr.. OMalley holds the highly i'm
portant position Of master mechanic of
the South steel mill. Whether or not
he will go to Buffalo when the COM
pany moves is question yet even with
himself. Scrantonians will hope that
Mr.. O'Malley will find it to his inter-
ests to stay here. When elected to the
select council a week ago, he was a
member of the board of health. and
the two Offices being incompatible, he
relincuished his place on the health
board.
1t seems to be happy. though pos
sibly unconscious, faculty of Lacka-
wanna county officials to select eXcep-
tionally capable subordinates. Every
office in the court house presents strk-
ing examples of this, and, for years,
verify from the very inception of the
county, it has fortunately obtained.
On various occasions it has been the
pleasure of The Tribune, in this col
umn, to comment along this line, and
present the argumentum by pointing
out individual instances.
These instances, it seems, are not to
be exhausted. One who fairly sizes up
to all that Is demanded of an illustra-
tion of the aforementioned argumen-
tum is one of the newest comers to the
force of court house attaches.
John Van Bergen, jr,, deputy clerk in
the county commissioners office. Mr..
Van Bergen Is not whit out of place
in the aggregation of capable. courte-
Gus and industrious men who are en-