To most people its just a big pile of junk, an eyesore and a disater waiting to happen. To others it's a link to our past as the coal mining center that fueled the industrial revolution and should be preserved.
The only contact I've had with a breaker was the one on North River Street next to the Wilkes-Barre Cemetery that I climbed around and threw rocks at the few remaining windows when I was a kid. When they tore down the place and cleaned up the mess around it we all cheered. A nursing home in now in that location.
Some of the ideas for the Huber site are creative. Paul Golias has the idea of a regional anthracite magical mystery tour that would tie the Huber to the coal mine tour and museum in Lackawanna County with the Ashley Planes and Eckley Miners' Village, and its museum, near Hazleton. Tourists could plan multi-day trips based on the anthracite heritage of the region. History would come alive for school kids on day trips.
Why not schedule "Anthracite Days,'' an annual valley-wide celebration of our heritage?
Renita Fennick said she would be willing to contribute a few bucks to the project and has many fundraising ideas.
But the owner of the site, Al Roman, is threatening to sell the thing for scrap. So our county commissioners led by the football player went into panic pass mode and decided to take the property by eminent domain. Mr. Roman will have to be compensated and it will take millions to restore the building and develop the property. How will the county pay for it? Float another bond is my guess. This is an idea that is nice but we just can't afford.
For more info on the Huber Breaker see the Huber Breaker Preservation Society.
Gort, ever been to Pittsburgh? That's the norm to see buildings like that. Eyesore, indeed.
ReplyDeleteI'm angrier than Barbara Walters on a food shopping spree with Rosie O'Donnell that the Commie who hosts this site is against preserving the beloved Huber Breaker!!! In my day the 'ol breaker was the place to be; you got up at 4 in the morning, went down below and came back up at 6 at night--in the Winter you never saw the sun--and you loved it!!! And the kids back then knew the value of a dime--not like the little spoiled sissies of today--Dad was a breaker boy when he was 6, and he would spend his day seperating shale from coal--and if he nodded off the overseer would bash his head in to set him right--it was fantastic!!! Now when ever Thelma Jean and me get to Ashley, we drive the ol DeSoto past the Huber and just looking at it brings back such nice memories of my days in the dark dungeon--when a man was a man; not the prissy, manicured bozos that men are today. Guess that's why all the Commies want reminders of those wonderful days gone--they're ashamed of the sissiness and want any symbol of real manhood destroyed!!! And to the Commie who commented that breakers are eyesores--that eyesore and ones like it warmed your grandaddy's butt in the winters of yesteryear!!! Damn!!! What the Hell is wrong with my Country?!?! All you liberals can go to Hell--maybe ol Satan will put you to work shoveling coal--gotta keep it hot down there---by the way, I hate you all!!!!!!!
ReplyDelete