PITTSTON, pits'ton, Pa., city in Luzerne County, is situated in the historical Wyoming Valley, along the Susquehanna River, nine miles northwest of Wilkes-Barre, the county-seat. Its railroad facilities consist of the Lehigh Val ley main line, Delaware, Lackawanna and West ern, Delaware and Hudson, Central Railroad of New Jersey, Erie and two interurban lines, con necting with Wilkes-Barre and Scranton. Pitts ton is an industrial centre of considerable im portance. It was settled, in 1770, laid out in 1768, incorporated as a borough in 1853 and in 1894 was chartered a city. It was named in honor of William Pitt, when it was first laid out, but for some years it was called Pittston Ferry. It is in the midst of the Wyoming anthracite region and its industries are connec ted with the mining and shipping of coal. In the 'vicinity are deposits of fire clay. The
chief manufacturing establishments are flour and lumber mills, knitting mills, foundries, machine shops, brick-works, stove and.engine works, breweries, ladies' underwear factory, car shops tape mill and steel range works. Its and various industries and facilities for handling and marketing products, cheapness of fuel as well as electricity which may be used for power purposes, make it an ideal place for the investor, the manufacturer, the laborer and the home-builder. The principal educational institutions are the public and parochial schools. It has one hospital which was opened in 1893. There are four banks in the city with a com bined capital of $700,000. The population of the city is about 20,000, with a population of about 60,000 residing within two and one-half miles of the city post office.