History of Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA

Scranton, formerly Lackawanna, a flourishing post-borough of Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, on the left bank of the Lackawanna river, about 7 miles from its mouth, 16 miles N. E. from Wilkesbarre, and 14 miles S. W. from Carbondale. The Lackawanna and Western railroad extends from Scranton to Great Bend, on the New York and Erie rail road, and the Pennsylvania Coal Company's railroad extends eastward about 28 miles, to the Lackawaxen canal. The plank-road from Wilkesbarre to Carbondale passes through Scranton. These improvements, together with the rich mines of coal which are worked in the vicinity, render it a place of active business, and an important depot of the Pennsylvania Coal Company. It contains extensive iron furnaces, foundries, and rolling mills. The population has rapidly in creased for a few years past ; it is composed chiefly of Welsh, Irish, and English. Iron ore is abundant in the vicinity. Roaring creek enters the river about half n mile below Scranton. One paper is...

An explosion occurred at the powder works near Scranton, Pa., recently severely burning a Mr. George Smith, an employe in the works. Twenty-two and a half kegs of powder went up, taking the roof of the building with it.

Miss Effie Coslett, of Scranton, Pa., has in consideration of ten thousand dollars in cash, consented to release from and engagement her lover, Frank Howell, who failed to put in a appearance on the night appointed for the wedding, because the spirit of his father told him not to get married.

Fire broke out in the works of the BLOOM CARRIAGE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, on Eighth street, in Scranton, Penn., at eight o'clock in the evening and spread rapidly to adjoining property and destroyed eighteen private dwellings the pattern shop and boiler house of FINCH'S foundry and the screen works of BROOK & ROSS.

For two hours the fire raged with great fury, being fanned by a strong wind. Most of the families in the burned dwellings were able to move their effects, thus lessening the loss. One block of twelve houses was carried away completely.

E. ROBINSON'S great brewery caught fire from the burning buildings, and was badly damaged. It is estimated that at least forty dwelling houses have been destroyed and that 150 people are homeless.

The loss on the carriage works will be $75,000; insurance, $18,500. FINCH'S foundry, loss, $20,000; COOPER, loss, $10,000; insurance, $7,000; and the losses of other owners and occupants of house will bring the total loss up to...

Scranton, a city, the capital of Lackawanna co., Pa., is pleasantly situated in a valley or plain on the Lackawanna River, 149 miles W.N.W. of New York, 167 miles N. of Philadelphia, and 18 miles N.E. of Wilkesbarre. It is on the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad and the Central Railroad of New Jersey. It is well built, with wide streets, and many costly public and private edifices. It contains 33 churches, an opera-house, several academies, a public library, 12 banks, and a hospital. Three daily and 15 weekly newspapers are published here. Scranton is an important centre of the trade in anthracite coal, and its prosperity is mainly derived from operations in coal and manufactures of iron, machinery, &c. It has large rolling mills, steel-works, furnaces, car-shops, planing-mills, foundries, and manufactures of locomotives, steam-boilers, edge tools, carriages, leather, mining-machinery, railroad iron, stoves, silk fabrics, sash, blinds, &c. It is also a consider able...