The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-01-20


Before US Here and He Is Telling
Investors About Our Advantages
John Fitzsimmons Has Taken a
Prominent Place Among the Fire
Insurance Men of the City--Lacka-
wanna Robs Wyoming County of
One of Her Best Lawyers.
If the new trolley enterprises did
nothing more than to interest in Scran-
ton the men who are promoting them,
they would accomplish much for tho
city's welfare. That they have inter-
estcd these men in Scranton is a fact
and that they have deeply interested
them is Il further fact All of them
speak in the highest terms of the city
as an excellent field for investment
along industrial lines and the good re-
port they have sent abroad has resulted
in working up an interest in Scranton
in investment circles which never be-
fore turned attention in this direction.
one of the most enthusiastic of these
new-found friends and admirers of the
Electric City is George A. Lee, of Phila-
delphia, the chief promoter and largest
industrial investor in these enterprises
Wherever he goes, according to the re-
ports of his intimate associates, he is
heard to speak in glowing terms of the
city's possibilities and particularly Of
the inducements it has to offer to
manufacturers. Mr.. Lee is largely in
terested in the Westinghouse enter
prises, representing thirty eight COR
porations, with a capitalization of $780,,
000,000 and employing $4,000 men, and to
him, in the main. is due the credit of
having that company agree to locate
one'of it's construction plants in Scran-
ton.
Everyone who has had occasion to
transact any business with the head of
the new enterprise is ready to felici-
tate Scranton on having Il man of his
calibre as one of it's allies in the strug-
gle to place it's advantages before the
investment world.
For years past Lackawanna county
has been gradually absorbing a good
deal of the best of the legal talent of
the neighboring counties. Lawyers come
here because of the greater opportun-
tiles offered to practitioners in this
busy and growing community. Recently
Lackawanna robbed Wyoming OF one
of it's best attorneys in the person of
Henry Harding, who has assumed
charge of the legal business of the late
Attorney Stark.
Mr.. Harding is a large man physically
and mentally. For thirty years he has
been engaged in solving knotty legal
problems and has d wide reputation
among the lawyers of this part of the
state for his extensive knowledge of the
law and fine analytical mind. He is a
cousin of Garrick Harding, formerly
Judge of the Luzerne county courts, and
one of the best of the many able law
yers the mother county has produced.
When Henry Harding was fifteen
years of age the war of the rebellion
was on and he thirSted for an ODDor
tunity to do something for his country
He came to this city and enlisted for
service in the navy and had a part in
a number of the terrible naval engage
ments that marked the conflict between
the North and South. When peace was
restored he retired from the service
with Il record that any man might envy
and returned to his Wyoming county
home.
In the settlement of the business af-
fairs of the late +. r. Stark, who was
at the head of a large insurance and
loan business. the fire insurance has
been turned over absolutely to
John Fitzsimmons, who had charge
OF that department of the bust
ness and by his untiring energy
has built it up to large proportions. Mr..
FitZsimmons was for several years a
part owner and manager of the Sum
day News. and has an acquaintance
with the people of the city and valley
possessed by few men.
When he gave up the hard grind of
newspaper work he was assured by
many of his friends that the fire inSur-
ance business was OVercrOWded and
that 1T held out no inducements to any
person to enter its ranks. That did not
discourage him. He knew there was
large amount of fire insurance business
being done in this valley and that he
could get Il share of it, and he Went out
after that share with an earneStness
that would not permit of defeat. He
would not allow himself to be discour-
aged The business began to grow and
has continued to grow until the Flta-
simmons agency is now one of the firmly
grounded business institutions of the
city.
The announcement that C. S. Fowler
will take up active bowling in the sec
ond series of games to be rolled by the
clubs in the Northeastern Pennsylvania
league has been received with pleasure
by every lover of bowling in the city,
for it is largely due to Mr.. Fowler's in
dividual efforts that such an organiza-
ton as the league exists.
He was one OF the first to size up the
situation two years ago and to suggest
the advisability of organizing an asso-
citation of bowling clubs. He got others
Interested in the matter and the idea
became an actuality. Though he has
bowled very little himself during the
last two years, Mr.. Fowler has been
one of the most Industrious OF the
leagues directors and has been untiring
in his efforts TO keep alive the interest
created.
He has been recognized for years as
one of the safest bowlers in the city.
and ii will not be surprising if he makes
one of the highest averages of the sea-
son. He will bowl with the reorgan-
lied Green Ridge Wheelmen's team.
which will be one of the strongest in
the league,
John A. Rigg, of Reading, president
of the Wilkes-Barre and Wyoming Val
ley Traction company, was this week
elected to the presidency of sixty-two