Nov. 26, 1954
Shoppers hit
downtown stores
Downtown Scranton was filled with shoppers taking advantage of all the holiday deals.
Merchants were predicting an increase of 3 to 4 percent in holiday sales as compared to the year before. A few felt the mild weather on this day was helping sales.
Many of the downtown Scranton merchants also switched over to their holiday hours. On certain nights, the stores would be open until 9 p.m.
Parking and driving in the downtown was congested due the shoppers.
The downtown’s two large department stores, the Globe and Scranton Dry Goods, were having sales on men’s and women’s coats and shoes and women’s dresses. The Globe was also offering a 21-inch television set for $189.95 and radio-phonograph console for $129.95.
Mine hole opens near city church
A mine void opened up at 511 Broadway near Holy Cross Church. Numerous people gathered to inspect the hole that measured between 15 and 18 feet deep and 13 to 15 feet in diameter.
There was no word on why the ground opened up but Scranton city engineer Ben Watrous said the hole opened into a surface vein of the old workings of the Baker Colliery.
BRIAN FULTON, library manager, oversees The Times-Tribune’s expansive digital and paper archives and is an authority on local history. Contact Brian at bfulton@timesshamrock.com or 570-348-9140.