| Timeline of the 1916 Season
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| Week of February 6, 1916
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| (8th-Tuesday): Bankruptcy auction proceedings of Adolph Blau's personal property and as the Blau Banking House force scheduling of his 130 shares of preferred stock of the Scranton Luna Park Company, 1 share of common stock of the Scranton Luna Park Company, and 1,393 shares of Scranton Park Company Stock. The former two sets of stock are later deemed worthless by attorneys. The auction is scheduled for Tuesday, February 29 but rescheduled by U.S. Judge Witmer to March 14. Sale of such a large block of stock will force reorganization of Luna Park's Board of Directors and Company Officers. Rumors abound regarding the park's finances and its liquidity but nothing public is yet made known.
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| (10th-Wednesday): Judge H.M. Edwards rules for two receivers in the case of the Blau bankruptcy that petitions of demurrer are overruled and all receivers are within their rights to take action against creditors of the former banker. 450 Promissory Notes are found among Blau's documentation. Among them is Note number 334, describing the $15,000 sale of two parcels of land from the Linwood Park Company to the Scranton Park Company. The note has been signed by park company representatives and is apparently being used as collateral for a loan requiring an annual payment since its inception in 1909.
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| (12th-Saturday): In a work session with Scranton City Council as reported by the "Scranton Republican", John Kane, an insurance agent, in a matter of discussion of park plans of the city, brings up the notion of the purchase of ground, reliably, upon which Luna Park, is built for $15,000. Once, years ago, the price was $50,000, a few years ago, $20,000, and now he is certain it can be had for $15,000. Council listens but takes no action. Robert J. Bauer, who is present, does not take a position of record. Also, perhaps allegedly attributable to Kane, among the vague whispers of not-quite-public rumor, is that the park has allowed its insurance to lapse, perhaps because of liquidity issues.
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| Week of February 13, 1916
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| (15th-Tuesday): Legal notice of the Blau Bankruptcy auction is published and includes listing of the Luna Park stocks. The liquidation of his assets begins with his personal property, business equipment, and his own personal land holdings.
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| Week of February 20, 1916
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| (22nd-Tuesday): Legal notice of the Blau Bankruptcy auction is published again and includes listing of the Luna Park stocks.
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| (25th-Friday): Heated but brief controversy begins over areas as Luna Park having fire alarm box protection yet schools and certain mills and factories do not. The Scranton's Chief of Fire [department] explains that most business entities install private fire alarm boxes that are not paid by the public. Out of this controversy it's learned not a single school building in the city has a private fire alarm box. Consensus of the general public is largely negative in various "Letters to the Editor".
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| Week of February 20, 1916
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| (29th-Tuesday): The 1,393 shares of Scranton Park Company Stock formerly belonging to Adolph Blau sell at auction to Peter Sinsi for twenty-five cents per share. This stock acquisition causes an overall devaluation and forces a change to the park's Board of Directors and slate of company officers.
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| Week of April 23, 1916
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| (24th-Monday): Announced in today's "Scranton Republican", a "new amusement syndicate" will open Luna Park for the 1916 dancing season on Saturday, April 29. "A large sum of money will be spent on repairing the present attractions and installing a large number of new thrillers. Gangs of men are already at work on the dance hall adding more lights and equipment for feature dances that are going to be the rage in the outdoor dancing program this year. The same excellent musical programs will be rendered... including cabaret features, dancing exhibitions, and dance contests." Also announced is that the Dance Pavilion is available to be rented out to groups as long as those groups permit park patrons to enjoy dancing even though they have the facility under reserve for a fee. The name of the "new amusement syndicate" or its members is not disclosed at this time. [Note: The syndicate name stays "The Scranton Park Company" through this process.]
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| (26th-Wednesday): A public/private group, the "Town Hall Community Dance Committee" schedule "Community Dances" at the Luna Park Dance Pavilion each Wednesday for the month of May. The committee decides to charge an admission fee of ten cents per person for the entire evening as their treasury is such as they have no need to charge on a per person per dance basis to cover rental of the pavilion and an orchestra. It is revealed during this announcement that Luna Park is looking for a new park manager as the new syndicate has not yet actually taken control of the park but expect to do so within a day or two.
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| (29th-Saturday): A remodeled Luna Park Dance Pavilion opens for the season at 8:00 PM tonight. The lights are thrown on with a shower of confetti. In an unusual departure from previous management practices, the orchestra or band playing tonight is not given public credit in newspaper advertisements. The name of the conductor is not known. [Note: Robert J. Bauer previously publicly stated he felt it improper to be affiliated with outside commercial organizations and various other groups while serving in a public capacity.]
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| Week of April 30, 1916
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| (2nd-Tuesday): Advertising the Luna Park Dance Pavilion as beautifully decorated and more enhanced and brilliant than ever, dancing with special contests and novelty effects, will be conducted every day of the week no matter the weather, except Sunday. The dance hall is declared the center of all of the park attractions this year. Special music has been engaged and will be augmented by special numbers, dancing exhibitions, and contests on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays this season. On Wednesday nights, the advertising states, the pavilion will be given over to the community dance committee to conduct a series of community dances in May under the same arrangement as the successful indoor affairs at "Town Hall". In a separate advertisement, the "Town Hall Community Dance Committee" announces the first of four community dances to be held in the "open-air pavilion" at Luna Park during May tomorrow night (May 3). Price of admission is ten cents per person for the entire evening. [Note: Review of area newspapers show, based on the quantity of advertising, that motion picture theaters are now well established in local communities. Also, note the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission begins recording motion picture theater history from this era, and does not include Luna Park, Scranton and its "moving picture" firsts in its literature as a pioneering site in cinema theater in Pennsylvania history. Undoubtedly, this is a researcher's oversight.]
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| (3rd-Wednesday): The first of four May Community Dances is held tonight in the Luna Park Dance Pavilion under the auspices of the "Town Hall Community Dance Committee".
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| (4th-Thursday): Today's "Scranton Republican" reports nearly a thousand people attended yesterday evening's community dance at the Luna Park Dance Pavilion. The paper reports "management" is offering special programs for the remainder of the week. A special musical program is to be rendered tonight. Tomorrow night, cash prizes will be awarded in a series of [unspecified] dancing contests. On Saturday (6th), there is an featured cabaret performance to be given and there will be no charge for cabaret tables. Goldsmith's Bazaar runs an adjacent advertisement for ladies new "R & G" corsets for those ladies that love to dance at Luna Park. The Honorable David J. Lewis, who spoke at the Druids Society outing at Luna Park two years earlier, is nominated for United States Senator of Maryland.
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| (6th-Saturday): Frank McHale has been secured by Luna Park management to personally conduct the Luna Park Orchestra. The "Scranton Republican" reports McHale has had unusual successes in Syracuse, Buffalo, and New York City that virtually guarantee the musical program at the Scranton park will ever be enjoyable and interesting. He has also been engaged to conduct the orchestra on Wednesday nights by the "Town Hall Community Dance Committee". Tonight inaugurates the regular Saturday evening cabaret program. New musical pieces to be introduced include, "Floating Down the Old Green River", "Kangaroo Kop", and "Bugle Call Rag", and many semi-patriotic pieces that have been adapted to the dancing vogue. The program also provisions for one-steps, fox-trots, and old-time waltzes for many that do not know how to do newer modern dance steps.
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| Week of May 7, 1916
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| (10th-Wednesday): The second of four May Community Dances is held tonight in the Luna Park Dance Pavilion under the auspices of the "Town Hall Community Dance Committee".
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| (13th-Saturday): After a lengthy absence, one-line Luna Park advertisements return to area newspapers, an example of which appears in the "Scranton Republican": "Cabaret, Luna Park, tonight. Dancing." The cabaret program begins at 8:00 PM on Saturday nights. The paper notes the weather has been favorable this past week and a large crowd is expected. Someone slips a $20 gold piece to ticket seller Miss Elizabeth Dean at the Luna Park Dance Pavilion and she is now on the hunt for the young man to try to return it. She tells a reporter if she can't find him, she'll buy a new spring outfit with the money.
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| Week of May 14, 1916
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| (16th-Tuesday): Today there are five separate one-line Luna Park newspaper advertisements, "Dance at Luna Park Tonight"; "Dance at Luna Park Every Night"; "Election Returns at Luna Park"; "Always Fun at Luna's Dance"; "Big Doings at Luna Tonight."
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| (17th-Wednesday): The third of four May Community Dances is held tonight in the Luna Park Dance Pavilion under the auspices of the "Town Hall Community Dance Committee".
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| (20th-Saturday): The weather this week turned unfavorable but its Cabaret night at the Luna Park Dance Pavilion. A dancing exhibition is promoted as being scheduled as part of the cabaret performance in an article in the "Scranton Republican" and a photograph is published of a dancing couple, but their identity is not provided. The newspaper indicates that park management expects a large crowd. An announcement is also made of the Knights Templar outing to be held in the park next Monday (22nd) and Tuesday (23rd).
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| Week of May 21, 1916
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| (22nd-Monday): The "Town Hall Community Dance Committee" charters the Luna Park Dance Pavilion for a Community Dance Celebration all evening. Admission is ten cents per person for the entire evening. Care is taken not to interfere with other scheduled events that utilize the Dance Pavilion at the same time. Today there are two separate one-line Luna Park newspaper advertisements, "Community Dance, All Week, Luna"; "Community Dance, Every Night, Luna";
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| (23rd-Tuesday): J. Victor Graybill is appointed the new manager of Luna Park by the Board of Directors of the Scranton Park Company. The "Scranton Republican" previously alludes to the Scranton Park Company as the "syndicate" as owners of the park. Graybill was previously associated as manager with the Mountain View Park located between Stroudsburg abd Delaware Water Gap and has twenty years of experience with outdoor amusements. He has consulted with Luna Park over the past six years. Graybill announces the park policy of free admission will continue at all times and many new attractions will be installed by the park's general opening date on Monday, May 29. The "Town Hall Community Dance Committee" charters the Luna Park Dance Pavilion for a Community Dance Celebration for a second evening. Admission is ten cents per person for the entire evening. Care is taken not to interfere with other scheduled events that utilize the Dance Pavilion at the same time.
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| (24th-Wednesday): The "Scranton Republican" editorializes that Park Manager Graybill's appointment is welcome news. It cites disturbing rumors that some of the attractions at the resort (Luna Park) might not open this summer. The newspaper notes that Luna Park has become so much of an institution in the area that it would be deeply missed should it be withdrawn from the list of area resorts. The "Town Hall Community Dance Committee" charters the Luna Park Dance Pavilion for a Community Dance Celebration for a third evening. Admission is ten cents per person for the entire evening. Care is taken not to interfere with other scheduled events that utilize the Dance Pavilion at the same time. 1,100 people reportedly attend tonight's dance.
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| (25th-Thursday): The "Town Hall Community Dance Committee" charters the Luna Park Dance Pavilion for a Community Dance Celebration for yet another evening. Today's one-line Luna Park newspaper advertisement, "Community Dance, Luna, Tonight."
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| (26th-Friday): The "Town Hall Community Dance Committee" charters the Luna Park Dance Pavilion for a Community Dance Celebration for the remainder of the week's evenings.
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| (27th-Saturday): Last day of the "Town Hall Community Dance Committee" charter of the Luna Park Dance Pavilion for a Community Dance Celebration. This last day represent a close to their community dance series and the end to Luna Park's pre-season 1916 dance season. Today's one-line Luna Park newspaper advertisement, "Last Community Dance at Luna Park, tonight." Provisions have been made for expanded Laurel Line and Scranton Railway Company Service.
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| Week of May 28, 1916
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| (29th-Monday): Today is the grand opening day for the 1916 season and is done with little publicity in the general press. Other than the previously published details concerning the Dance Pavilion improvements, there are no details concerning improvements made to other aspects of the park for this season. A small article notes there will be special celebrations in the park tomorrow (30th) for Memorial Day and that "Community Dances" will apparently continue, due to their popularity, each Wednesday. There is a rumor circulating among area sports aficionados that boxing promoter "Eddie" Burke is negotiating with the park to bring open-air boxing shows back.
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| (30th-Tuesday): Today is a drizzly Memorial Day and the "Scranton Republican" reports a record crowd at Luna Park as Veterans of the Grand Army of the Republic first hold a massive parade through the streets of Scranton, then memorial services in the adjacent Nay Aug Park, finally informally visiting Luna Park late in the day or evening as time permitted. No actual attendance figures are published.
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| (2nd-Friday): Mrs. Cora Darling arranges for a caravan of five lions, four leopards, four polar bears and other wild animals to visit Luna Park for opening week but park management cancels the caravan's trip to Scranton after the truck departs. Apparently this cancellation was done in error and now Mrs. Darling needs to find the truck before it returns to its point of origin, so it may continue its trip to Scranton. No one knows which route the truck has taken. Mrs. Darling is calling on citizens to help locate the truck.
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| Week of June 4, 1916
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| (5th-Monday): Mrs. Cora Darling and a group of automobiles that had been pressed into service is successful in locating the caravan of wild animals fifteen miles east of Scranton. A misunderstanding with Luna Park management caused the inadvertent cancellation of the animal show. The subsequent scheduling of the animal show at Luna Park is never publicized. [It is months early for the animals to be shown at Scranton's semi-centennial exhibition.]
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| (9th-Friday): A rumor is published in the "Scranton Republican" that well known Mid-Valley boxer, Willie Richie, will meet Tommy O'Toole of Plymouth in a boxing match at Luna Park in the near future.
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| (10th-Saturday): Perhaps indicative of a cash conservation strategy, Park Manager Graybill continues a policy of minimal advertising and public announcements. However, a "Lutheran Mission Festival in Luna Park" is announced via advertising for "Sunday, July 2nd at 3 P.M." This is a major departure from the previous ten years of business practice. A one paragraph update of the park's summer season is summarized with the park doing well with large attendance every evening; the park never looked better and the dance floor and music is near perfect; and community dances every Wednesday with a dime admission for an entire evening of dancing is very popular.
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| Week of June 11, 1916
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| (12th-Monday): The societies supporting the "Jewish Home for the Friendless" hold a Gala Day at the park. Large ticket sales were reported to the press in advance of this event but actual figures were not provided. With the advent of amusement park summer seasons, it is noticeable that amusement park attractions, vaudeville, and "moving picture" events are missing from the "Today's Amusements" section of the "Scranton Republican", only established movie theaters and films being shown are listed.
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| (13th-Tuesday): Committee members representing all of the Scranton Lutheran Church meet to discuss arrangements for the Lutheran Mission Festival to held at Luna Park on Sunday afternoon on July 2. This represents a major change in position since Dr. Anderson condemned the park for being open on Sunday years earlier.
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| (17th-Saturday): Another small advertisement for the "Lutheran Mission Festival in Luna Park for Sunday, July 2nd at 3 P.M." is run in area newspapers.
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| Week of June 18, 1916
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| (21st-Wednesday): The "Scranton Republican" on its sports page discusses Eddie Burke bringing boxing shows back to Luna Park and perhaps pairing Chuck Simler against Frankie McCann in a ten round bout. Simler challenged McCann and McCann is not the type to pass up the opportunity to battle with Simler.
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| (24th-Saturday): In a two-inch long park update article in the "Scranton Republican", the reader learns that the season is in "full swing" and that community dancing has now been extended to cover both Tuesday and Wednesday. For the price of a dime, one can dance all night long. The article indicates this season is the most prosperous in the park's history. Which has become the norm for reporting this season, no other information about the park is provided except that the Young Men's Hebrew Association will hold a Gala day at the park on Thursday, June 29. It adds that "Special inducements are offered should your group hold its outing at Luna Park." Another small advertisement for the "Lutheran Mission Festival in Luna Park for Sunday, July 2nd at 3 P.M." is run in area newspapers.
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| Week of June 25, 1916
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| (28th-Wednesday): The "Scranton Republican" reports the Young Men's Hebrew Association and their Ladies Auxiliary meeting with Luna Park management to complete arrangements for their annual Gala day. It is agreed no expenses will be spared.
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| (29th-Friday): Park Manager Graybill begins his day anticipating one of the largest crowds of the season as the Young Men's Hebrew Association and their Ladies Auxiliary Gala Day begins. In connection with Gala Day, 250 Sunday school children of the association hold their outing as well. A special two car train is chartered from the Laurel Line just to take the children to and from the park. Fifteen teachers accompany them. Picnic-style athletic events are scheduled for the afternoon. Each child receives tickets for attractions, and portions of candies, cakes, fruit, and goodies. When the children begin to arrive after 2:00 PM, the park is already busy. School Superintendent Milton Grase planned coordinated an afternoon of races and various contests. Winners of the races were Ruth Finkelstein, Sarah Weissberger, Anna Ackerson, Anna Feld, Sarah Block, and Sarah Lebowitz. One of the last things they did before leaving the park was enjoy ice cream cones. Thunderclouds gather in the evening. What the "Scranton Republican" describes as an "electrical storm" wreaks havoc on the Lackawanna Valley and Luna Park is no exception. With about 800 people on the floor of the Dance Pavilion at the time, and others scattered about the park, lightning strikes the base of the Shoot the Chutes ride and ignites the equipment shed underneath the trestle. The lights in the park flicker out. Amid vivid lightning, thunder, and sheets of heavy rain, huddled in the darkened dance hall, 800 patrons can not avoid witnessing flames flickering through the interconnecting tunnel between the Dance Pavilion, Shoot the Chutes and Scenic Railway platform. Park employees hurriedly comprise a fire emergency squad and in minutes, efficaciously extinguish the flames using chemicals. To the public, they downplay the damage, and the park's electricians soon have the lights working again. The crowd cheers and the band plays on. [Note: The electrical equipment (motor hoist, pumps) supporting the Shoot the Chutes ride is undoubtedly seriously damaged. The ride is never advertised again although advertisements would later claim all are working.]
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| (1st-Saturday): Park Manager Graybill announces "Community Dance days" have been switched to Wednesday and Thursday next week due to the 4th of July holiday. Ten cent admission to the Dance Pavilion and no charges for dancing. July 4 dancing is from 2:00 PM until midnight. Graybill claims the park has broken attendance records this week but does not provide actual figures. He also claims to have large group outings scheduled for the immediate future but does not provide names to the press. [It's possible he was trying to prevent poaching by other parks.]
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| Week of July 2, 1916
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| (2nd-Sunday): Today, Sunday, Luna Park is chartered for the "Lutheran Mission Festival". Committees from all of the Lutheran churches of Scranton have been working together to perfect the arrangements which include sermons and participation of many types of choirs. The program begins promptly at 3:00 PM and thousands of people attend. Not since the Dr. Anderson incident two years earlier has there been this level of participation of a very large church group at Luna Park on a Sunday. Examples of participating churches are St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, St. Paul's Lutheran Church, and St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church. Pastors and parishioners reportedly attend from as far as Philadelphia. 4,000 people are known to attend including 25 prominent clergymen.
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| (4th-Tuesday): Luna Park celebrates the 4th of July by opening general admission at 10:00 AM, and the Dance Pavilion for at 2:00 PM. Additional rail service, specifically four cars every twenty minutes, is provided by the Laurel Line and Scranton Railway Company and local newspapers suggests thousands visit the park. One published report hints the crowds taxed the capacity of the amusements but that was handled ably by the park's competent work force that ensured everyone had a good time. Today was formerly scheduled as a "Community Dance day" but because of the holiday, standard ten cents per dance per person rates are charged. Instead, "Community Dance nights" are scheduled for Wednesday (5th) and Thursday (6th). An advertisement claims "All attractions are in operation." but it is known the "Old Mill" is closed and being reworked into a new amusement, and the "Shoot the Chutes" is idle. [Note "A Trip To Rockaway" has not been advertised as a working attraction for years.]
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| Week of July 9, 1916
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| (11th-Tuesday): Tonight is a "Community Dance night", the dime per person for admission to the Dance Pavilion for dancing all evening rule applies.
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| (12th-Wednesday): The South Side Hebrew Ladies' Aid Society conducts its annual outing at Luna Park. This is not a "Community Dance night". Their outing begins at 3:00 PM. A large crowd is in attendance. Contests and races are conducted. Sewing contest is won by Mrs. Gross. Ladies Foot Race is won by Mrs. Wershberger. Whist game contest, First place: Miss Feldman; Second place: Mrs. Freidman; Third place: Mrs. Newman.
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| (13th-Thursday): Tonight is a "Community Dance night", the dime per person for admission to the Dance Pavilion for dancing all evening rule applies.
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| (14th-Friday): Tonight is a "Community Dance night". The dime per person for admission rule to the Dance Pavilion applies. Renovations are announced as completed on the "Old Mill", "Trip through the Arctic Regions" building. "Hundreds" have already patronized the newly painted and reopened exhibition which features five of the great Arctic Explorers and their flags with an American flag flying proudly planted in the middle of their party. The front of the building is said to be painted to represent broken ice and snow melting with icicles hanging over the arches at the front of the building. On the inside is a scene of the setting sun which will not be seen again until the following year. "This realism has merited favorable comments from all sides." according to published reports.
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| (15th-Saturday): Park Manager Graybill announces four "Community Dance nights" will be held next week. He has also decided to make available free use of Luna Park's picnic grounds due to the extremely hot weather of the past few days.
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| Week of July 16, 1916
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| (18th-Tuesday): Tonight is the first of four "Community Dance" nights to be held this week. The dime per person for admission to the Dance Pavilion for dancing all evening rule applies.
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| (19th-Wednesday): Tonight is the second of four "Community Dance" nights to be held this week.
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| (20th-Thursday): Tonight is the third of four "Community Dance" nights to be held this week.
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| (21st-Friday): Tonight is the fourth of four "Community Dance" nights to be held this week. Benjamin Dustavich, age 8, sustains lacerations of the left hand while playing with a sharpening machine in the park. His injuries are serious enough to be mentioned in a separate article in the "Scranton Republican".
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| Week of July 23, 1916
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| (27th-Thursday): After a lengthy abscence, Luna Park is relisted in the "Amusements" section of the "Scranton Republican". Park Manager Graybill announces "Lawrence's full prize band will give free concerts every night from Monday, July 31st, continuing until Saturday, August 5th." There is a "Community Dance" tonight. The dime per person for admission to the Dance Pavilion for dancing all evening rule applies.
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| (28th-Friday): There is a "Community Dance" tonight. One dime per person for admission to the Dance Pavilion for a full evening's pleasure of dancing is the rule of the evening. In today's "Scranton Republican", appears a one-line Luna Park newspaper advertisement, "Open Air Concert at Luna Park every evening for the week commencing July 31 by Lawrence's Band." A slightly larger but more formal advertisement stating the same also runs in the paper.
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| Week of July 30, 1916
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| (1st-Tuesday): Young Men's Hebrew Association and their Ladies' Auxiliary announce they are planning a second Gala Day to be held in the park this summer. Date is yet to be determined.
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| (2nd-Wednesday): Tonight a "Community Dance" night is scheduled. Although free concerts have been announced for the Alexander Band the entire week, this is the only "Community Dance" publicly announced for the week.
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| (4th-Friday): Park Manager Graybill announces that due to the "13th Regiment being called", the Alexander Band Concerts this week have been discontinued indefinitely.
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| (5th-Saturday): Park Manager Graybill advertises "Dancing and All Park Attractions Now Running " in the "Scranton Republican" and also announces that Welsh Day will be held at Luna Park on Saturday, August 26. Planning is extensive and includes an invitation to U.S. President Woodrow Wilson. In previous years, "Scranton Welsh Day" has proven to attract thousands of people from throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania to the park, certainly good news to management.
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| Week of August 6, 1916
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| (7th-Monday): Advertisements published in local newspapers list "Community Dance" nights scheduled for Tuesday (8th), Wednesday (9th), and Friday (11th) of this week. The weather is reported to be very warm.
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| (8th-Tuesday): Tonight, a "Community Dance" night is scheduled, "rain or shine". Young Men's Hebrew Association and their Ladies' Auxiliary meet again to plan their second Gala Day for the season to be held in the park. The date selected for the second Gala Day at the park is August 17.
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| (9th-Wednesday): A "Community Dance" night is scheduled tonight. Breaking a six day heat spell, a rain storm causes a significant temperature drop from eighty-eight degrees to an average day time temperature of seventy-two degrees. Ted Bauer picks up the baton and conducts a few tunes with a band at Hyde Park.
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| (10th-Thursday): The Northeast Choral Society is accepting singers to help sing as part of a big Semi-Centennial Choir at the Scranton Welsh Day ceremonies to be held at Luna Park on August 26. There is an expectation that every church choir in North Scranton will participate, a large male choir will be assembled, a children's choir, and a group of soloists will be assembled to perform. Miss Healy of South Scranton conducts a private dance party at Luna Park inviting Florence Walsh, Mamie Mulvey, Marguerite Walsh, Francis Smith, John Rogan, and Merton Walsh.
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| (11th-Friday): A "Community Dance" night is scheduled as previously announced, "rain or shine".
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| (12th-Saturday): Park Manager Graybill advertises "Spend this Evening At Luna Park. Dancing and All Park Attractions In Full Operation Daily. J. Victor Graybill, Manager." in the "Scranton Republican". It was reported the annual trolley ride from the community of Mayfield to Luna Park was full this evening.
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| Week of August 13, 1916
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| (14th-Monday): Park Manager Graybill announces "The Coney Island of Scranton" [Note: Never any company affiliation with the Coney Island Luna Park.] is enjoying a very large patronage during the day attributing to outings, picnics, and family reunions. He does not provide a list of names to the press as examples. He notes it still costs only a nickel to reach the park from anywhere in Scranton, and that he is now keeping the park open until midnight for the convenience of those who work as late as ten o'clock. "Community Dance" nights this week will be held on Tuesday (15th), Wednesday (16th), and Friday (18th). "The ten cent charge to the Dance Pavilion on those nights covers a full evening of pleasure.", Graybill explained.
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| (15th-Tuesday): Park Manager Graybill announces the state organizations of the Young Judeans will hold their Gala Day and annual convention on August 22 at Luna Park. Picnic style contests and athletic events are being planned. He reminds all a "Community Dance" night is scheduled tonight as previously announced, "rain or shine". Members of the Baptist Sunday School of Elmhurst held their annual picnic at both Nay Aug and Luna Parks today. It was popular to picnic at Nay Aug, then visit Luna.
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| (16th-Wednesday): A "Community Dance" night is scheduled tonight as previously announced, "rain or shine". The event is advertised in local newspapers.
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| (17th-Thursday): The Young Men's Hebrew Association and their Ladies' Auxiliary hold their second Gala Day of the season in the park. More than 1,000 are said to have attended with some estimates, such as by committee chairman Samuel Grossinger, as high as 3,000 people.
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| (18th-Friday): A "Community Dance" night is scheduled tonight as previously announced.
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| Week of August 20, 1916
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| (21st-Monday): In a curious article published this date in the "Scranton Republican", in answers to a law suit filed by F.R. Davidson against brother, C.P. Davidson, in which F.R. claims C.P. owes him $70,000, and C.P. counter-claims F.R. owes him $50,000, while F.R. states he does not owe the larger amount, it is disclosed that ownership of 945 shares of Luna Park stock are in dispute as collateral for a loan between the brothers. "Community Dance" nights are advertised for tonight (21st), Wednesday (22nd), Thursday (23rd), and Friday night (24th) this week. A dime's admission to the Dance Pavilion on those nights covers "a full evening of pleasure." The hottest day of the year is recorded today with temperatures reaching 95 degrees at 1:30 PM. The area surrounding Nay Aug Gorge, the forests and fields surrounding Luna Park, are dry and withered from the continuing heat wave.
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| (22nd-Tuesday): Today is the first annual outing of the various state organizations of the Young Judeans. Athletic programs are arranged with winners awarded valuable prizes. First place winners of the athletic contests are as follows: 100-yard dash boys over 15, Lester Schwartz; 100-yard dash boys under 15, M. Schogan; 100-yard dash girls over 15, Sarah Barlow; 100-yard dash girls under 15, Bessie Schafer; Running broad jump for boys over 15, Louis Smith; Needle threading contest for boys and girls, Pearl Freidman. Attorney Maurice Suravitz is president of the state organization and coordinated the event. The Dr. Parry Glee Society and the Patagonia Glee Club have decided to contribute their voices for the big Welsh Day celebration scheduled for Luna Park on Saturday, August 26. Final arrangements for the overall program are being made. Congressman John R. Farr is a planned guest speaker. The "Scranton Republican" reports John Secundini, a man with a sight disability, is arrested on an arson charge at 1:40 AM at 118 North Ninth Avenue, and charged in Scranton Police Court, but released due to a lack of evidence on that charge. He is fined $10 on a disorderly conduct charge.
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| (23rd-Wednesday): The "Scranton Republican" reports a stick of dynamite has been found in Nay Aug Park. The explosive was marked "DuPont Powder Works - 50%" and is in the possession of the Scranton Police Department headquarters. It is approximately seven inches long. The dynamite was discovered by Park Patrolman Daniel Muldoon. In Luna Park, final arrangements and preparations for Welsh Day are completed. Councilman Robert J. Bauer organizes his band and agrees to conduct one concert, and also have the band contribute music to Welsh Day under the lead of over a dozen guest conductors. Over 22 patriotic songs and Welsh hymns are scheduled to be sung, divided between day and evening programs. A number of prominent out-of-town and local speakers are expected to be present. This Welsh Day event is expected to be bigger than any previously held in the park. At 2:30 PM, a severe squall-line, "electrical" storm strikes Northeastern Pennsylvania including vivid lightning, high winds, and torrential rain. The air temperature reportedly drops from a daytime high of 92 degrees to 67. Wind speed is reported to be "that of a gale". Damage is reported up and down the Lackawanna Valley and all through Northeastern Pennsylvania, which included lightning strikes, wind toppling trees, and flooding.
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| (24th-Thursday): Early in the predawn hours, Luna Park's patrolman, John Fitzsimmons, who functions as park officer and watchman, is not on duty. At 3:00 AM, Scranton City Patrolman John Horn discovers a fire burning on the eastern side of the Dance Pavilion [Laurel Line side]. He runs to the nearest fire alarm box which is near the carousel. He breaks the glass, and twists the apparatus to sound the alarm. An alarm bell doesn't ring in the park but actually rings in Scranton Fire Department Headquarters with a light, numbered 137, illuminated on a large wall panel. The duty officer dispatches the first alarm to the park. In the time the fire companies arrive, the fire gains considerable headway, Moosic Mountain, from a distance seems aglow. According to the "Pittston Gazette", "The fire had a good start before it was discovered and there was no possibility of saving the [dance] pavilion." This is a multiple alarm fire and multiple companies are needed. The fire, according to reports, seemingly burns downhill, that is east to west. The Dance Pavilion, the runway of the Shoot the Chutes and the interconnecting wooden tunnel or bridge underneath to the Scenic Railway roller coaster station, not to mention the surrounding woods, burn for several hours and are destroyed. According to the "Pittston Gazette", firemen are so hampered by a surprising lack of water pressure on the water mains, it became necessary to pump water out of the Shoot the Chutes lagoon. So intense is the fire that rails of the Laurel Line are distorted by heat, forcing the rail company to stop service on the Dunmore branch. But reports from the scene are confusing. According to the "Pittston Gazette", the fire proceeded from the Dance Pavilion, through the interconnecting tunnel igniting the Shoot the Chutes, or as the newspaper referred to it as "falling prey to the fire", then consumed the roller coaster station, and threatened the roller coaster itself before being brought under control. Park management is summoned by Scranton Police. According to the "Gazette", there was "a great danger the entire park being swept up by the flames as the heat was that intense, but fortunately, the winds at the time were blowing away from the rest of the park." Opinions are generous. Park Manager Graybill, who was asleep when the fire started, and was awakened by Scranton police, hints of incendiary origin. Members of the Board of Directors of the Scranton Park Company, that are on scene, recall an incident from years earlier, believing the fire began from ashes dumped from a passing locomotive near railroad tracks at the bottom of the gorge, as they thought the fire seemed to travel up the mountain from there. But that didn't make sense as the hottest parts of the fire, according to reports coming out of the "Gazette", were in that section of the park near the Laurel Line entrance. Rails were melted and ties were burned. How could a fire burn downhill? Was this an electrical fire as the Laurel Line did not use steam locomotives in this section of their railroad? A cold front had passed through trailing the earlier squall line - could wind have downed a power line? or driven a burning brush fire up the mountain? [Remember, there was a driving rain storm hours earlier.] Was this the work of an arsonist? Perhaps, someone disgruntled with an ax to bear against the park? Perhaps, someone was burning trash, such as the "music-sheets fire" from years earlier? Nonetheless, damage is estimated to reporters at $15,000, perhaps a third of the park's estimated worth. Board members publicly confirm no insurance funds are available as the policy expired some months ago and inexplicably [at least publicly] not renewed. In an early morning meeting in the office of Board Member Peter Stipp, at issue is the park's lack of liquidity limiting the Board of Director's options, but the board sets a plan of action to direct Park Manager Graybill to keep the park and the rest of its amusements open, see to it to remove the fire debris as quickly as possible, and contract with the Peck Lumber Company to build a temporary dance floor measuring 40 x 160 feet, and possibly rebuild the roller coaster station. But available funds will not permit reconstruction of the near-destroyed, fire-blackened, Shoot the Chutes, and they look to replacing the amusement perhaps next season. To have any hope of salvaging the season and the park, they must make their contractual commitments for Welsh Day on Saturday, August 26. Surprisingly, considering the scope of the fire, the popularity of the park, the fact it lit up the pre-dawn sky, no photographs or drawings of the conflagration or the aftermath are published in area newspapers. [Note. No detailed arson investigation appears to have been done nor findings published. Making such an investigation nearly impossible, the contractor already has 150 men clearing the still-smoldering site by daybreak. Equally, the Laurel Line also dispatches men to replace the damaged track section when daylight permits.] In the "The Stroller's Notebook", a nostalgic-view blog-like feature found in the "Scranton Republican", the "Stroller" writes, "I have always believed that the construction of Luna Park prevented Rocky Glen from being a great financial success as an amusement resort. Arthur Frothingham was just beginning to see his way clear when to make a lot of money at Rocky Glen when Luna appeared to take crowds away because it had more attractions and could be reached quicker and for a smaller transportation fare. There is a popular impression that in recent years Luna was not a paying enterprise, but it could always command overflowing crowds on holiday occasions. ...For ten years this outing park has been the center of the young dancers of Scranton, who have patronized it by the thousands." Interesting, the "Pittston Gazette" notes the park was operated by "convicted banker, Adolph Blau", was a "losing venture from the first because of the immense capital investment in lands and buildings and the inability to secure a street car line into the park proper." Later that morning, the Welsh committee announces they will continue with their plans to hold Welsh Day at the park on Saturday but one change is made to move certain activities from the picnic grounds to the main areas of the park near the carousel and circle swing. [Away from burned forested areas? No information exists on the effect of the fire on the Picnic pavilion, which should have been near the path of the fire.]
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| (25th-Friday): The fire debris left over from the Dance Pavilion has been removed and a new concrete foundation poured. Carpenters have begun constructing a new temporary dance floor measuring 40 x 125 feet and expect it to be ready for dancing by this evening. [Note. Recall not only is the Dance Pavilion destroyed, but also several shops and amusements housed in the ground floor underneath.] The Board of Directors of the Scranton Park Company issue a statement to the press that the Scenic Railway Roller Coaster station will not be rebuilt this season. It is reported no further investigation is being conducted into the probable cause of the blaze. Park Manager Graybill advertises in the "Scranton Republican", "Arose from the Ashes. Community Dance Tonight. L U N A P A R K Brand New Dancing Floor - Enlarged Orchestra, Saturday August 26th - Welsh Day.". It was noted in the "Pittston Gazette" that the Board of Directors had previously only authorized operation of those attractions in the park that gave satisfactory financial returns in years gone by." [Another indication of the draining after effects of the failed bank on park financials?]
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| (26th-Saturday): Today is Welsh Day and the program is given in the main part of the park instead of the picnic grove as has been done in previous years. Bauer's band provides music. Hundreds of the best singers from different choirs participate. Ladies auxiliaries serve tea and refreshments. While on his way home from visiting Luna Park, City Detective John Cartusciello shoots and kills a highwayman who with a companion, attempt to hold him up at the point of a revolver. A one-line Luna Park advertisement appears in the "Scranton Republican": "Welsh Day - Luna Park - Today" 3,000 are reportedly to have attended despite inclement weather and a roofless dance floor.
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| Week of August 27, 1916
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| (28th-Monday): In recapping Welsh Day, the "Scranton Republican" calls the day an unprecedented success, joyful and hospitable. Congressman John R. Farr oration was "The Welshman's Duty to his Country.", which discussed what Welsh people as patriotic American citizens, should do in the great crisis the country now faces. The Honorable David Davis spoke next of "The Welsh Instinct" but not even five minutes into his oration, the skies open up into a heavy downpour and the crowds scatter. The Patagonia Trail-Hitters Glee Club expected to attend and sing, did not appear at all. In the evening, Judge H.M. Edwards spoke of the good qualities of the Welsh people, as did Reverend D. Pugh Griffiths. Music was orchestrated by the Robert J. Bauer Orchestra. While Councilman Bauer led one piece, the majority of the music was conducted by guest conductors. [Perhaps a fitting end to the years of diverse dance music at Luna Park...]
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| Week of September 3, 1916
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| (4th-Monday): Today is Labor Day and there is a special program planned according to the "Events of Today" schedule listed in the "Scranton Republican". However, the park has ceased advertising. The Central Labor Union marches for the first time without a band from Spruce Street and Franklin Avenue in Scranton to Court House Square, singing along the way. Horses and floats are not present in the parade this year either. Following the parade, and during the afternoon and evening hours, hundreds of men and their families reportedly journey to Luna Park and spent several hours there. Unlike previous years, there is no mass meeting following the parade, as had been the previous practice. [It is not known when the park officially closed for the season.]
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| (5th-Tuesday): A reporter for the "Scranton Republican" observed crowds "commenced early to flow into the pleasure resorts in the vicinity of the city, Nay Aug park and Luna receiving their quota of pleasure seekers." The Scranton Railway Company reports thousands were carried on their lines throughout the day.
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| Week of September 10, 1916
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| (10th-Sunday): [Approximation] Somewhere in this time frame is an often repeated local story of an event which occurred in the park where Park Manager Graybill advertised a "Free Admission Day" but charged ten cents gate admission. Although people entered the park, the lack of working attractions apparently irritated a number of customers, and as the story goes, a "riot" breaks out where the result is there is critical damage to much of the park. There are no widely-distributed, published reports of this incident, yet this appears to be the last event which forced closure of the park. It is known from reports that the carousel and the "Trip to the Arctic" was in operation at the time of this incident or at least until the park closed.
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| (12th-Tuesday): Harry W, Reinhart's "Double-Barrel Sporting Goods Store" begins advertising "Roller Coasters for the Kiddies just like the real, regular one at Luna Park". (See illustration of toy on Page 10 of the "Scranton Republican" on this date. One model which could be described as a 14 foot ramp attached to a stool is $3.00. The second model is 25 feet long and has a ramp and dip attached to a higher stool is $6.00. For each model, the ride-able car is painted yellow and blue and is supposedly strongly built. The ramps are able to be folded away.
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| Week of November 26, 1916
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| (27th-Monday): Due to a mix-up in a nuptial announcement, the "Scranton Republican" is forced to restate that William Schultz is the caretaker of Luna Park and that J. Victor Graybill is the park's manager. Luna Park is never mentioned in the context of a running amusement park again.
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| Week of December 10, 1916
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| (15th-Friday): Legal advertisement first published of action to be taken on Judgment Note #334 on a Promissory Note originally assigned to Blau Banking House as collateral on a $15,000 loan made in September and November 1909 for sale of two parcels of land upon which the park is built. The Judgement Note, while unusual, authorizes an attorney, holder, or clerk of court to appear for the maker of the note and confess or assent to a judgement to be entered to the maker due to default in the payment of the amount owed. In the advertisement, $5500 with interest from July 24, 1915 plus 10% attorney's commissions and costs. In this case, Attorney Ralph W. Rymer is acting in the interests of clients (Ralph W. Rymer vs. Scranton Park Company) he represents out of the Blau Banking House bankruptcy and attempting to recover as many residual assets as possible from the "bank" in the form of unpaid notes. The Promissory Note was among 450 discovered. The note was signed by Valentine Bliss and Thomas Franklin Penman acting on behalf of the Scranton Park Company. As the Scranton Park Company has not made the required end-of-season debt payment, Rymer exercised his legal authority to seize control of the asset [the entire park] without the rigors of a law suit. The Judgement Note directs the Lackawanna County Sheriff's department to initiate a public auction out of which taxes and costs will be be paid by the successful bidder. Attorney Rymer was forced to act under an expressed January 1917 deadline found in the Judgment Note. [Note: It is apparent that members of the Board of Directors were unable or unwilling to provide supplemental funds in addition to the seasonal profits (if any) to meet the note's interest fee. It is not known if interest was owed from previous years - a historical forensic audit would be helpful should the park's financial documents still exist - Nor the degree of the park's other debt, such as that of the costs of the partial reconstruction from the fires and other projects. This notion may explain why, based upon detailed examination of newspaper reports, attendance appears viable, yet the park financially collapsed. Under the laws of the Commonwealth at the time, financial books and related documentation could be legally discarded after a business charter of a company has lapsed for five years.]
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| Week of December 17, 1916
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| (22nd-Friday): As found in the "Scranton Republican" legal section, the public auction date of Luna Park and its two parcel property, sans mineral rights, is set for January 5, 1917 at 10:00 AM. This is includes all buildings and contents and is listed as item number 2 on the public sales docket. The notice is signed by Lackawanna County Sheriff Benjamin S. Phillips.
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| Week of December 24, 1916
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| (29th-Friday): Final legal notice of sale is published in area newspapers prior to the public auction of Luna Park on January 5, 1917 at 10:00 AM.
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| Week of December 31, 1916
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| (5th-Friday): The "Scranton Republican" reports "for taxes and costs amounting to $1429.20, Attorney Ralph W. Rymer bought in Luna Park when the amusement resort was placed on the block by Sheriff Ben S. Phillips and Deputy Sheriff P.V. Scanlon. Mr Rymer held a $5,500 mortgage on the park."
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Post-closure ["Who bought the park?", Buildings Demolished, "Stroller's Notebook", Human Remains Discovered, "Flashlights On Science", $32,000 lien, Footbridge Loss and an Embarrassing Oversight
| Post-closure timeline
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| Week of January 21, 1917
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| (26th-Friday): William "Fitz" Fitzgerald, a popular patrolman of the former park, passes away suddenly of an apparent heart attack. He was 63 years old.
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| Week of February 20, 1917
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| (19th-Monday): J. Frank Siegel, the "professor", a dancing instructor for a time at Luna Park's Dance Pavilion, is found dead in his home in New York. He had also quite notably managed Northern Electric Park and proved to be Luna Park's fiercest competitor.
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| Week of April 29, 1917
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| (2nd-Wednesday): In an article published in the "Scranton Republican", Attorney Rymer announces no effort will be made to rebuild Luna Park which the newspaper describes as "practically destroyed".
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| Week of May 6, 1917
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| (9th-Wednesday): On the financial page of the "Scranton Republican", Attorney Rymer is cited as saying he purchased the park for a client [Peter Stipp? of the former Bedford & Stipp partnership] and that the amusement buildings are to be razed.
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| (10th-Thursday): In the "Stroller's Notebook", the "Stroller" notes the passing of Luna Park will be felt by many with regret especially by those who spent many hours at the once popular resort. Stroller's assessment was that in its first few years, Luna Park attracted many thousands of people, so much so there were times it seemed nearly every resident of Scranton could be found there. But as the novelty of the attractions wore away, the resort simply seemed to decline in popularity. [Note: The Promissory Note held by the Blau Bank House was not widespread public knowledge at the time.]
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| Week of November 11, 1917
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| (15th-Thursday): Members of the Scranton City Planning Commission vote approval of an offer by Peter Stipp for sale of 43 acres of land which include property on which Luna Park once occupied.
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| Week of April 7, 1918
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| (10th-Wednesday): The "Luna Park Shooting Gallery" is listed as a viable business entity at 180 North Washington Avenue in the City of Scranton.
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| Week of June 16, 1918
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| (17th-Wednesday): An editorial, "An Offer of More Park Land", in the "Scranton Republican", advocates acceptance of the Stipp real estate offer and development of the former Luna Park properties as an addition to Nay Aug Park. By now, all wooden park buildings have been razed but concrete structures as the subway, lagoon, and dam remain intact.
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| (18th-Thursday): According to the "Scranton Republican", the city planning commission favors in principle the acquisition of the Stipp property, but there is a problem. Within the middle of the acreage, is a small tract of land known as the Wagner plot, and the owner wants $10,000 for it, an extraordinary sum. Council will not agree to purchase unless the Wagner plot is included for a reasonable fee.
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| Week of April 20, 1919
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| (23rd-Wednesday): A.J. Duffy, a former park manager of Luna Park who succeeded Len Sloss, purchases the nearby closed Rocky Glen Park for $110,000 with plans to refurbish and reopen the park. It is learned that Len Sloss is now managing the Glen Echo Park near Washington, DC. Northern Electric Park in Clarks Summit plans to reopen for the season as does Sans Souci Park in Wilkes Barre.
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| Week of June 1, 1919
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| (3rd-Tuesday): In the "Stroller's Notebook", the "Stroller" notes the bridge leading from Nay Aug Park to the Luna Park grounds should undoubtedly be "boarded-up" as floor boards are decayed or missing making crossing dangerous.
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| (6th-Tuesday): It is reported in the "Pittston Gazette" that Frederick Thompson, creator of many amusement parks, scenic railways, etc., dies after a series of medical procedures. Thompson built the New York Hippodrome, Luna Park at Coney Island, and many of the attractions at the San Francisco exhibition of 1915. He had no direct ties to the Scranton park.
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| Week of June 8, 1919
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| (13th-Friday): It is reported in the "Scranton Republican" that human remains were found by Fred A. Brown behind the area that was the plaza building near Laurel Line trackage. An anonymous note was found nearby. It read, in part, "If any friends should inquire for me, tell them I thought of them until the last. No one cares anything about me as I am incurable." Besides articles of clothing, an Eastern National Bank check stub made out to Miss Hazel Evans, dated May 31 for $45, a key ring with a disk stamped "414", and a razor are found. Nothing is found leading authorities to identify the corpse. Although speculation ran rampant in the local newspapers, a coroner's investigation revealed the man had been ill for some time, and that identification of the individual was impossible. The body was removed to Cusick's morgue. According to the "Pittston Gazette", the Lackawanna County Coroner did eventually determine the man was Charles MacWhorter of Washington, D.C. He was employed as an attache at the United State Capital Building and was terminally ill.
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| Week of August 31, 1919
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| (3rd-Wednesday): In the "blog-like" science column "Flashlight's On Science", in the "Scranton Republican", R.N. Davis, Curator of Scranton's Everhart Natural History Museum, authors, "The Plants of Luna Park". Dr. Davis observes the differences in the number of plant species between the park site (154) and a nearby adjacent wood lot (56) of a slightly smaller size. Several reasons are proposed for this difference. The destruction of trees to build the park open parts of the lot to sunlight, the destruction of buildings and forested areas by fire exposed soil to wind-born seedlings, and lastly, park goers left discarded fruit they had eaten accounting for apple and peach trees in the area. As the park environs has both dry and wet soil, and young trees are eventually growing tall enough to produce shade, Dr. Davis speculates the bio-diversity is now at its maximum and will probably reduce over time.
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| Week of February 8, 1920
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| (13th-Friday): It is reported in the "Scranton Republican" that Colonel and Mrs. L.A. Watres have donated a piece of land adjacent to the extensive holdings that included the Luna Park tract. Once again the Scranton City Planning Commission is urged to recommend the city buy the property that contained Luna Park.
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| Week of February 29, 1920
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| (6th-Saturday): The "Scranton Republican" reports Peter Stipp offers use of eight former Shoot the Chute boats to the City of Scranton. The boats will be pressed into service should the lower levels of the city near the Lackawanna River ever be flooded.
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| Week of March 21, 1920
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| (27th-Saturday): The City of Scranton is reportedly investigating options regarding floating of municipal bonds for purchase of the Luna Park site, the Wagner tract, and Linwood property. Estimates range from $22,000 to $37,000. There is general consensus that property inspections are needed.
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| Week of September 12, 1920
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| (16th-Thursday): In the science column "Flashlight's On Science", in the "Scranton Republican", R.N. Davis, pens an entry, "Hunting Golden-Rod" and observes that at least eight species of the plant can be found on the site of the former park.
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| Week of September 19, 1920
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| (23rd-Thursday): In the science column "Flashlight's On Science", in the "Scranton Republican", R.N. Davis, pens an entry, "The Asters" due to a discovery of unusual white and blue asters in the former park.
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| Week of December 5, 1920
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| (7th-Tuesday): William "Billy" Silverstone, a well-liked manager's assistant at Luna Park for many years, passes away at age 74.
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| Week of May 29, 1921
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| (3rd-Friday): At 10:30 PM, a rubbish heap near the old park site catches fire. Arson is suspected.
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| Week of July 24, 1921
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| (29th-Friday): Scranton City Council and the City Planning Commission hire New York City Planner, Frank Koester, to assess the multiple proposals to extend the Nay Aug property limits with special attention to be placed on the notion of acquiring the former Luna Park property for $12,000. As the concrete lagoon for the Shoot the Chutes is intact, the thought is this could become a kiddie wading pool complimenting the nearby Lake Lincoln. Also, as there is much level land where the old Luna buildings once stood, one idea being circulated is the notion of the construction of a dance pavilion or similar structure. The current price of all parcels and lots is a prohibitive $49,000.
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| (30th-Saturday): An editorial, "Possible Additions to Nay Aug Park", in the "Scranton Republican", notes "It is noticeable the taxpayers have never grumbled because of reasonable expenditures at Nay Aug Park."
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| Week of April 9, 1922
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| (12th-Wednesday): Reported in the "Scranton Republican", J. Selden Swisher, former excursion agent for Luna Park, passes away unexpectedly.
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| Week of July 9, 1922
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| (12th-Wednesday): Reported by the "Scranton Republican" that once again, Scranton City Council will view properties adjacent to Nay Aug Park currently under consideration for purchase at 2:30 PM on Thursday, July 13. The 12-acre former Luna Park lot, including the bridge and roadway is owned by Peter Stipp and is available for $12,000. The smaller 8-acre lot that was also used by the former Luna Park, owned by Stipp and Koch, is available for $7,500. The Linwood Park tract, owned by Stipp is available for $15,000. The 4-acre Reynolds lot has not yet been valued by its owner and is expected to be by council. The Watres tract, previously donated to the city, has been cleared of brush and timber. The city is looking into floating a $35,000 municipal bond to cover the purchase.
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| (13th-Thursday): It is reported that Scranton Councilmen Thomas H. Saville, M.E. Sanders, Stanley J. Davis, Harry E. Apgar, and Thomas L. Williams perform on-site inspections of the various properties under consideration for purchase. An agreement of sale of the property is reached with the sellers but not made public until early September. No public mention is made of the city assuming $32,000 in outstanding debts to be applied through confessed judgement. Members speak in public session of ideas to change the Shoot the Chutes lagoon into a wading pool, establish a playground, and build an open-air dance hall.
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| Week of September 3, 1922
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| (8th-Friday): It is reported that legislation preparatory to the taking over the purchased property adjoining Nay Aug Park is introduced at a council session today. The property includes each of the former Luna Park parcels, the Linwood parcel, the Reynolds parcel and other tracts. The applicable ordinance, number 52, becomes effective on October 3 (Tuesday) put is published for its required third time on October 12 (Thursday). The ordinance includes a legal clause about the city assuming confessed judgment on the property.
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| Week of October 1, 1922
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| (7th-Saturday): Scranton's Mayor John Durkan sends council a communication in which he points out the new land purchase does not include access from Myrtle Street, the only entrance to the park area from a city highway and much needed for emergency access. Council sends the mayor's letter to committee with the notion that owners of eight affected lots may sell those parcels to the city.
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| Week of December 17, 1922
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| (22nd-Friday): It is reported the deed conveying the formal transfer of the Luna Park properties to the City of Scranton is filed at the Lackawanna County Courthouse by Recorder of Deeds Peter W. Haas for a consideration of $12,000. The city confessed judgement in the amount of $32,000 to the Prothonotary. "Confessed Judgment" is a legal term used in conjunction with commercial cognovit and promissory note fulfillment.
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| Week of December 24, 1922
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| (26th-Tuesday): City of Scranton budgets $7,800 towards repair of the Luna Park footbridge. Although allocated when the budget is passed, the repairs are not done.
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| Week of September 9, 1923
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| (11th-Tuesday): Scranton City Controller Edward Eisele pays the $32,000 confessed judgement assumed by the city as a result of the purchase of the two plots of land that made up Luna Park.
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| Week of July 6, 1924
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| (10th-Thursday): In the science column "Flashlight's On Science", in the "Scranton Republican", R.N. Davis, pens an entry, "The Cat Tail Flag" noting that the Shoot the Chutes pool has a growth of cat tails referring to the area as an "artificial marsh".
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| Week of November 2, 1924
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| (8th-Saturday): The "Scranton Republican" reports Scranton City Mayor John Durkan, Solicitor P.V. Mattes and City Engineer William A. Schunk provide a recommendation to City Council that the Luna Park footbridge be taken down on the grounds the structure is unsafe. Approval is made without objection. The footbridge over Nay Aug Gorge is torn down sometime in the spring.
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| Week of December 6, 1925
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| (10th-Thursday): It is reported a Scranton City Council work session breaks out in laughter when a budgetary line item is discovered for an $8,000 allocation to repair the now destroyed Luna Park bridge. Apparently since the city purchased the property, funds had been allocated to repair the bridge, and the budget director carried the line item over from year to year, yet no action was taken to repair it. Director LaFontaine subsequently removes this line item from the budget.
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| Week of June 17, 1928
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| (23rd-Saturday): The "Scranton Republican" reports A.H. Strohl, local park concessionaire, is proposing a 50-year lease and redevelopment of the Luna Park tract into an amusement park to Scranton City Council. For the 50-year lease, he intends to propose a 10 per cent rental figure based on the city purchase price for the first five years; 12 per cent rental figure based on the city purchase price for the second five years; 15 per cent for the next fifteen years; for the last 25 years, 20 per cent.
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| Week of June 24, 1928
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| (29th-Friday): It has been determined that A.H. Strohl intends to install a roller coaster, carousel, a two story pavilion with one story to be used for dancing and the other for roller skating, swings, 100 picnic tables, a kitchen, and concession booths. There is concern among the councilmen that Strohl has only appeared to represent himself and may not have sufficient backing to support a project of the magnitude being proposed.
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| (30th-Saturday): During a Scranton City Council work session, John Hennigan, a delegate from the East Scranton Improvement Association tells the councilmen the proposed park by A.H. Strohl would be a nuisance. Upon urging of council, Hennigan said the association would submit a complaint in writing. During this time, Strohl questions the motivations of those rising against the project. After they leave, Jacob Castnor, a resident of Myrtle Street, advises council against the project. "The site is not suitable inasmuch as it is located between three railroads, one of which has a third rail; it will become a hang-out for tramps and lewd persons.", he complained. He continued, "Where the property meets Roaring Brook, several children have been drowned!" No action is taken by council in the work session on Strohl's proposal for a lease and redevelopment of the Luna Park tract into an amusement park.
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| Week of July 1, 1928
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| (7th-Saturday): Scranton City Council receives a formal petition from A.H. Strohl regarding application for a 50-year lease and plans for redevelopment of the Luna Park tract into an amusement park. He is referred to the Scranton City Parks & Playgrounds Committee.
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| Week of July 8, 1928
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| (13th-Friday): Reportedly A.H. Strohl presents plans for redevelopment of the Luna Park tract into an amusement park to the Scranton City Parks & Playgrounds Committee.
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| Week of July 22, 1928
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| (26th-Thursday): Members of the Scranton City Parks & Playgrounds Committee forward plans proposed by A.H. Strohl to redevelop the Luna Park tract into an amusement park to the Scranton City Planning Commission.
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| Week of November 11, 1928
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| (15th-Thursday): It is reported no action is taken by the Scranton City Planning Commission regarding the A.H. Strohl proposal to redevelop the Luna Park tract into an amusement park.
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| Week of November 25, 1928
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| (30th-Friday): Two protests are filed with the Scranton City Planning Commission concerning a proposal by A.H. Strohl to construct a new amusement park on the site of Luna Park. Henry Stipp submits a petition bearing the names of 100 residents and the Myrtle Street M.E. Church Reverend Clark Callender forwards a letter attacking the amusement park proposal as outlined by Strohl. It was determined some of those protesting the proposal were actually enjoying certain privileges on the city land in question.
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| Week of December 23, 1928
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| (27th-Saturday): The "Scranton Republican" reports the Scranton City Planning Commission has by unanimous vote, recommended to city council that the old Luna Park tract, now owned by the city, be directly operated by the city itself for recreational purposes or leased. A.H. Strohl, local park concessionaire, proposes leasing the ground long term for a new amusement park, with the park tract to be connected over Roaring Brook to Nay Aug Park using a bridge. Construction of the viaduct is included in Strohl's proposal, which happened to be submitted to the planning commission months earlier. The commission recommends a lease of not more than 25 years.
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| Week of December 28, 1928
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| (3rd-Thursday): The "Scranton Republican" reports the East Scranton Improvement Association in a meeting on this date go on record in opposition to leasing the old Luna Park grounds to A.H. Strohl for a new amusement park. The "East End Club" will ask city council to oppose the bid.
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| Week of January 6, 1929
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| (12th-Saturday): The "Scranton Republican" reports Scranton City Council as taking no action on the application by A.H. Strohl for lease on the Luna Park tract for a new amusement park. The newspaper reports that residents in that section of East Scranton are divided in their views towards the Strohl petition being circulated by the East Scranton Improvement Association against the construction of a new park. Although council has all pertinent paperwork, they decide to wait until all members can be present to discuss the matter.
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| Week of January 13, 1929
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| (19th-Saturday): Scranton City Council reportedly has discussed with A.H. Strohl his proposal to lease and construct a new amusement park on the Luna Park site and has indicated to Strohl they wish the mayor and city controller to review his proposal. There is an apparent legal consideration that a site lease would have to be offered through a bidding process based on high bid. Strohl said he and his associates are prepared to post a bond to guarantee the promises being made in their application would be carried out.
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| Week of January 20, 1929
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| (24th-Thursday): A scheduled meeting between A.H. Strohl, city council, the mayor, and the city controller is cancelled at the last minute as several council make a trip to Harrisburg to confer with the governor's office over a tax proposal. The meeting is scheduled for next Thursday.
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| Week of January 27, 1929
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| (1st-Friday): Briefly mentioned in the "Pittston Gazette", it is reported Scranton City Council has turned down a proposition to lease the old Luna Park property, now owned by the city, for amusement park purposes. According to the "Scranton Republican", Mayor E.B. Jermyn and Director of Public Works William A. Schunk expressed their opposition to the proposal noting that rental on the property for the first few years of 10% or $1,200 would not be offset by the cost of the city providing a police force to the new amusement park. Strohl initially proposed a 50-year term, and a councilman points out that even if a 25-year term is used as the planning commission recommends, and if the city requires all equipment to be turned over to it at the end of the lease, such as a carousel, roller-coaster, and two-story auditorium, the cost of those improvements would be entirely depreciated. Then there was the consideration of the petition received in opposition from the East Scranton Improvement Association. Council therefore motions to pursue formal action advising Strohl that his application will not be approved at this time.
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| (2nd-Saturday): It's reported by the "Scranton Republican" that the Luna Park plan of A.H. Strohl is now considered formally shelved when council adopted a motion offered by Councilman Stanley J. Davis advising Mr. Strohl the city is not prepared to sanction any lease at this time.
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