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

any one who may be dubious as to the
future of Scranton property:

II. ERNEST COMlIGYS--T gladly
join In saying something that may
kill the false impression abroad that
Scranton is not prosperous. Who
ever heard of prosperous community
which does not have some labor trou-
bles? Pittsburg, the second wealthiest
and by far the most prosperous city in
our state, II not In the United states,
is the home OF strikes. Strikes never
occur In graveyard cities"
Scranton is prosperous. Ten years
ago we had but $4,000 people. Today
we have over 100000, Where is there
another city showing a larger percent
age of growth?
Think OF the improvements going on
at this time here. The Merchants and
Mechanics bank building. of which
there is none better and more beautiful
in the country the First National bank
building on Lackawanna avenue, the
third richest bank i'm America: the
Title Guaranty and Trust company's
beautiful new building on Spruce
street. the largest and most up-to- date
Young Mems Christian association
building, with five exceptions, in the
country; the new mechanical buildings
of that tremendous institution, the Ma
tional Text Book company, said to be
the largest of it's kind to be found any
where, and many other important en-
terprises. The Connell building when
completed will afford more offices than
any Office building in the state outside
of Philadelphia and Pittsburg. If in
dications mean anything. we are soon
to have the great Pennsylvania railroad
unloading its passengers near the heart
OF our city. Rich and new trolley COM
panies are ready to take possession OF
our streets as soon as councils give the
word. These are the things that should
inspire faith in the future of Scranton.
Taxes. We hear a great deal about
taxes now days. Philadelphia, Pitts
burg and Allegheny have had our pres
ent experience and they live and pros
per to tell the tale and so will we. And
this cry of taxes has had a great deal
to do with real estate values, but il
should not. The taxes of any other
city physically situated as is Scranton,
would be as high as our taxes.
The real cause of the decline in the
prices of real estate here is not far to
see. The same cause exists all over
the country with few exceptions.
History is repeating itself. There are
two important channels through which
money is invested. one is real estate
and the other Industries. such as busi-
ness and manufacturing. For the past
several years industries in this country
have been prospering and profitable,
consequently people have been putting
their money into them. Scranton real
estate is as low as it will ever be. Re
ports from other cities indicate that
the tide of investments are in favor OF
real estate, as safest at this time, and
the immediate future.'
1t is true that our merchants have
had good reasons to complain of the
falling off of business during the past
few months, but they will lose nothing
by ii in the end. The money still re-
mains in the valley and will eventually
come back to the city. AS long as
Scranton is the central distributing
point 1T must come back. And then we
can look at this in another light Sew
eral years ago Scranton had the distinc-
tion of being wonderfully prosperous
city and this fact was known through
out the whole country, and as a con-
sequence people came here from almost
everywhere to do business, thereby cre-
ating competition among our merchants
to such an extent that there We're more
failures in Scranton than in any other
city its size in the state. Statistics
prove this. Today this is not the case
and we believe that the condition OF
our merchants is better than at any
time for a number of years.
When the labor troubles are ended
and faith restored in the future of this
wonderful city, we who are on the
ground will rise with the tide of pros
perity and listen to the re-echo OF that
voice from the mountain sides, saying
better wages. higher prices for real es-
tate, work for everybody and good will
between capital and labor
w. n. HACKETT-I believe the fu-
ture of our city, socially, intellectually,
financially (and l hope, morally, will
far surpass it's brilliant past.
The immediate past has been very
dark and the effect has been very dis
tressing and depressing. But the clouds
are lifting and the sunshine of pros
perity is beginning to shine, and before
another new years day we will forget
the trials of 1900 and 1901 in the CRATE
full contemplation of what 1902 has
wrought and the brighter prospects for
1908.
! believe there is great future
ahead of us, because our city today is
giant in it's great strength and wealth
of resources as compared with a few
years ago. What city of our size has
the banking strength that we have?
What inland city can offer greater adj
vantages to manufacturers than Scran-
ton But to my mind our greatest
strength lies In the fact that today we
have an army of noble young men and
women, graduates of our public and
private schools, who are ready and
anxious to place Scranton in the fore
front of American cities. With the su-
perior educational advantages of our
young people added to the wisdom and
wealth of their parents, are they not
better prepared to grapple with and
solve the moral, social, political, COM
mercial and financial problems of the
future? Can there be any question as
to the results? Assuredly not. If you
have any doubt as to the material that
our young people are made Of just pick
out Il few of the bright young people
among the many hundreds, yes thous-
ands, in our city today, and watch
their career during the next ten years.
With such an array of young Morgans,
Depews and Roosevelts, as we doubt
less have right here in our midst. the
glorious future of our city is assured.
Again, by way of encouragement, one
of our young merchants informs me
that his holiday trade was double that
of year ago, and that from present
indications, he will have to move into
larger quarters to accommodate his in
lnll.innac