Former Scranton Mayor, David Wenzel, is now a published author. His debut work, Scranton’s Mayors, is a collection of 29 mini biographies devoted to the men who have guided the city from 1866 to the present day.
Excerpt
FOREWARD
AUTHOR’S NOTE: On July 3, 1966, Scranton Times reporter William Cullen wrote about the evolution of power of the Mayor of Scranton since the city’s founding in 1866. I asked his son, Attorney Chris Cullen, to update his father’s treatise on the changing role of the Mayor of Scranton.
For the first 100 years of its existence, William Cullen wrote, the City of Scranton dramatically changed from Slocum Hollow to the “Anthracite Capital of the World.” At the same time, the demands of city life placed more and more challenges and responsibilities upon the City’s chief executive, the Mayor. While the electorate continued to expect more of its chief executive, the structure and organization of city government not only worked to prevent the Mayor from rapidly addressing the pressing issues of the day, but also compelled the Mayor to govern by personality and will.
The expanding role and power of the City’s chief executive in modern times lead to a concentration of power and established the Mayor’s Office as the virtual center of city government. Starting with Mayor Hanlon and continuing through Mayors Schmidt and Walsh the rapid increase of federal funding of city-related economic development programs, as well as the rise of television and press access to the public, provided modern mayors with necessary resources and power to shape and direct the present and future of the City of Scranton.
Mayor Eugene J. Peters greatly benefited from the infusion of Federal Revenue Sharing and the Community Block Grant program and Model Cities. These federal grant programs and others from the state of Pennsylvania provided not only critically needed revenue streams to stimulate and support economic development opportunities but also discretionary authority in the Mayor to direct and oversee program applications. Former Mayor Eugene F. Hickey’s administration capitalized on both the UDAG program and the opportunities presented in the use of program funding, in order to create citywide employment opportunities and to restore and renew the City’s neighborhoods. Mayor Hickey’s foresight in recognizing the crucial need to bring to the decision-making process the input and participation of the City’s neighborhood associations democratized both appropriation of the UDAG funding, and the allocation of the funds in the public interest.
In contrast, former Mayor James B. McNulty employed the Mayor’s Office as a means to address national issues as they related to those issues confronting the City. Mayor McNulty’s strength of personality coupled with his fierce determination only tempered by gift of promotion and imagery, forged for the City a new and improved identity as the city as an entrepreneur. With creative imagery harkening back to the City’s founding, an ample supply of federal funding, Mayor McNulty’s efforts brought about the restoration of the Lackawanna Station as a hotel/conference center and the development of Steamtown. Mayor McNulty’s efforts to promote the City of Scranton as the birthplace of the modern American railroad reached deep in the history of Lackawanna Valley and recast the City as a destination for residents and visitors alike.
With the start in 1986 of the “partnership” administration of former Mayor David J.Wenzel, the City of Scranton began to take stock of itself and plan for an expansive development of the downtown area. The City’s political as well as physical landscape began to change, and move in a positive direction. Mayor Wenzel linked partnership with development, added personal integrity to produce what came to be known as the “Steamtown Mall Project.” Putting the City first, Mayor Wenzel opened City Hall to the development of both the downtown area and the City’s neighborhoods, with beneficial results that continue to this very day. With dignity and fairness, Mayor Wenzel directed the City forward and harnessed the energies of his administration for the long-term beneficial interests of its residents.
Three-term Mayor James J. Connors continued the advance of the positive accomplishments of the preceding Wenzel administration. Mayor Connors consistently employed the power of personality and the nearly constant use of the media to promote his agenda. Mayor Connors oversaw the demolition of the site area for the Steamtown Mall and the Casey Hotel. Mayor Connors continued the work with the neighborhood groups and associations initiated by Mayor Hickey and refined by Mayor Wenzel in order to foster investment and renewal. Despite the City’s distressed status, efforts were made to streamline the delivery of city services, and to integrate community concerns into an overall agenda. Without fail, Mayor -sought to bring the Office of Mayor to community events and social gatherings. His commitment to reach out to every group in the City and tirelessly advocate their cause were hallmarks of his Administration. His lasting legacy is to be found in his deep and abiding love and respect of the people of the City of Scranton.
Mayor Christopher A. Doherty administration introduced a style of executive management over city affairs, reminiscent of the leadership model employed by the late President John F. Kennedy at the start of his 1,000 days. With business-like efficiency Mayor Doherty professionalized city government and instilled confidence and civility in the conduct of city affairs. Emphasizing job creation and the delivery of city services in neighborhoods, Mayor Doherty adopted a practical “it is what you do” approach in which action was to speak louder than words. Faced with recommendations issued by the City’s Home Rule Charter Commission, which significantly would have decreased the powers and authority of the Office of Mayor, Mayor Doherty embarked on a successful campaign to point out to voters that the changes recommended by the Commission would be harmful to the long-term growth of the City. Confronted by a highly publicized City Council, Mayor Doherty made use of city-based authorities like the Scranton Redevelopment Authority and the Scranton Parking Authority to by-pass City Council and to accomplish the goals of his Recovery Plan. Mayor Doherty continued the partnership approach first used by Mayor Wenzel to stimulate downtown economic expansion and job creation. Mayor Doherty’s focus on Nay Aug Park renovations and on the promotion of the Park as a major city asset served as a cornerstone of his commitment to restore city pride. Coupled with City sponsorship of various social and cultural events designed to attract young professionals and to showcase the City as a whole, Mayor Doherty improved the City’s quality of life and updated the City’s image. Restoration of the “Electric City” sign is but one of Mayor Doherty’s successful efforts to restore the pride.
Christopher P. Cullen, Esq.
Scranton, PA
September 2006
To my father, William T. Cullen, Jr.
INTRODUCTION
The American Civil War ended in April 1865. While a nation of war-weary citizens struggled to resume their lives, men of vision were planning to create new communities to meet the needs of a growing nation. So it was that the settlers of Luzerne County in the Lackawanna Valley had decided to merge the boroughs of Scranton, Providence and Hyde Park to form a new political entity, the City of Scranton. Pioneers of progress were ready to forge new frontiers and take the reunited nation into bold new territory. Scranton was going to get them there.
The population of Scranton in 1866 was about 25,0001 and the Lackawanna Iron Works owned by George and Seldon Scranton was the biggest employer. The mills turned out T-rails used for the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad, the greatest engineering feat of the 19th century. This achievement would unite the American empire from East to West. By the beginning of the 20th century, 5,000 men would be employed in these mills and the amount of steel produced in Scranton would be third in the world behind Birmingham, England and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.2
In 1866, anthracite coal was just beginning to be mined in large quantities.3 With the exception of small areas in New Mexico and Colorado, Pennsylvania had the only anthracite coalfields in the United States. The workable areas were further limited to Lackawanna, Luzerne, Carbon, Schuylkill and Northumberland counties in an area that only measured 500 square miles. From 1870 until the 1920s, this black gold from beneath the City of Scranton would fuel the industrial revolution and make Scranton one of the richest and most progressive cities in the United States.4 Scranton would play an important role in transforming an agrarian country of 65 million in 1866 to a nation of 100 million and the industrial leader of the world by 1900. With this bounty came a price.
In the early 1900s, when coal was king, life in a mining town was profitable but harsh. There were 20,000 men and boys who toiled daily in Scranton’s mines. Since 1870, over 31,000 miners have been killed in accidents in the anthracite mines of Pennsylvania; some are still buried there.5 Labor strife, child labor, culm banks, mine acid runoff and the quality of life for those who worked the mines are all issues leaving legacies and scars that continue to this day. By 1914, almost 198 million cubic yards of material had been removed from beneath the city. In contrast, only 100 million cubic yards had to be removed during construction of the Panama Canal.6 This massive excavation caused surface cave-ins, which created havoc, especially in the West Scranton area. Because the coal companies showed little compassion, the responsibility for their actions would be argued all the way to the United States Supreme Court.
As the culture of coal receded, the challenge of maintaining a community was faced by men and institutions alike. The Scranton Plan became a model for communities who needed to attract new industries and keep their children from finding destinies elsewhere. The Scranton Plan would bring nation-wide recognition to Scranton with a new identity of “All-American City” during the 1950s.
Over the years, Scranton has undergone a series of identity changes: “Anthracite Capital of the World,” “The Electric City,” “The Friendly City” and today, “Steamtown USA.” Scranton now fights against the flight to the suburbs, the lure of the sun and surf, gated communities and the excitement of the big city. The challenge to keep Scranton as the financial, medical, educational, cultural and commercial center of Northeastern Pennsylvania is an ongoing challenge.
For 100 years coal and shale was dug out of the earth, creating a vast labyrinth of shafts beneath the ground. Then, for more than 50 years, culm was pumped back into the mines through flushing programs to stabilize the city’s foundation. Abandoned railroad beds are being developed into recreational trails.
The political history of Scranton has been forged against the backdrop of these and other issues. Over the past 140 years, men of vision and civic responsibility have stepped forward to lead the City of Scranton with the title of “Mayor of the City of Scranton.” This is the story of those men and their accomplishments.
Copyright 2008 David Wenzel. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.
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