Before we get into the meat and potatoes of this week's quest, I do want to share something of historical interest with my readers. My acquaintance Mary, who manages the Facebook account Photos of the Lehigh Valley, is as passionate about preserving local history as many of us here. She has established a petition to try to save the farm which once belonged to Rev. Abraham Blumer. If that name sounds familiar, it may be because I wrote about him a few years ago; he was one of the courageous farmers who smuggled the Liberty Bell out of Philadelphia and into Allentown for safekeeping. His farm along Lehigh County's Jordan Creek has been neglected and is in danger of being demolished, but we're hoping it can be preserved and restored for use as an educational site. If you'd like to help us with this goal, please check out Mary's petition by clicking here and adding your name.
On with the blog post, then. This week I'm heading up to scenic Luzerne County, which I've not visited in quite some time, to learn about a man whose claims to fame include controversy, folk heroism, and one extraordinary mustache.
During the Great Depression, Dan made a name for himself as one of the attorneys for the Home Owners' Loan Corporation in 1934 and 1935. This was one of FDR's New Deal programs, designed to help refinance home mortgages which had gone into default, in order to help those homeowners avoid foreclosure and potential homelessness. The program was not without its issues, and is believed to have contributed to some aspects of racial segregation, but it did help a number of people retain their homes during this difficult period. His involvement with the HOLC seems to have led Dan into his political career, as he was appointed counsel for the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board from 1935 to 1939, as well as becoming the commonwealth's deputy attorney general, and was later appointed to a few roles within the state treasury.
In 1942, Dan's name appeared on a ballot for the first time as he ran twice against Thomas B. Miller. They were both campaigning in a special election in Wilkes-Barre, which at that time was part of Pennsylvania's 12th Congressional district, to take the seat which had been resigned by J. Harold Flannery. (Flannery was instead taking a post as a Luzerne County judge.) Dan lost both times; then, after reorganization of the Congressional map changed the Wilkes-Barre area to the 11th district, he ran again and again and again. The first half of his career in that seat was checkered - he lost in 1942, won in 1944, lost in 1946, won in 1948, won in 1950, lost in 1952, won in 1954, and won again in 1956. During the off years he continued his law practice. After the 1956 election, he retained the seat for 22 more years without any serious competition.
Anyway, as Congressman, Dan was a busy guy. He was part of the House Appropriations Committee, and in that position he was one of the powerhouses behind the creation of Medicare. He supported the presidency of John F. Kennedy and promoted the country's nuclear armament during the Cold War. He also supported the Area Redevelopment Act of 1961 and the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969, both of which were vital to Pennsylvania's coal region as that industry began to wane, threatening the way of life of thousands of families throughout Luzerne County and its neighbors.
Most famously, however, he threw his energy behind helping his district in 1971, when Hurricane Agnes brought devastation in its wake. The Susquehanna River swelled with the rain from the storm's remnants, causing severe flooding all along its watershed, and the Wilkes-Barre area suffered terribly. It was, at the time, the most damaging hurricane in the country's recorded history, with Pennsylvania taking more damage from it than any other state. Dan almost immediately went to work, using his decades of influence and friendships across party lines to convince his fellow members of Congress to send aid to the ravaged city. At his request, the Army Corps of Engineers was dispatched to keep the Susquehanna from escaping its banks any father. He arranged for air and boat rescues of stranded residents, helped to establish the official federal response, and even brought President Richard Nixon to Wilkes-Barre to see the flood's aftermath for himself.
"It took a Flood to tame a flood." (I didn't make that up, he did.)
However, by the late 1970s, Dapper Dan was finding himself in increasingly hot water. He was accused of financial misdeeds, in 175 potential cases investigated by at least eight different U.S. Attorney's offices. The most damning testimony came from Stephen Elko, who had been Dan's aide; he alleged that Dan had used his position and influence to help specific individuals and corporations receive federal contracts, and received cash kickbacks as a result. One of the best-known examples of this was that of Medico Industries, a company in Plains Township. Dan helped them to acquire a lucrative contract from the Department of Defense to make arms for the Vietnam Conflict, and was often given use of the company's jet in exchange for his help. In 1978, the testimony from Elko led to what we now call the United States House Committee on Ethics beginning their investigation of Dan, and he was indicted that same year on three counts of perjury relating to having lied about receiving payoffs. The following year, he was censured for bribery.
I was a toddler at this time, so I have no memory of the scandal and I also have no idea if any of it was true. But it seems likely, given all the evidence. Dan resigned from Congress in January of 1980. The following month he was convicted of conspiracy charges, though he was given probation rather than a jail sentence. This may at least in part have been due to his age, since he was 76 years old at the time. He returned to Wilkes-Barre, living out his retirement with Catherine, and despite the controversy he remained beloved by his former constituents for his actions during their time of need.
Whatever else you can say about Dapper Dan, his constituents were very grateful for everything he did to help the embattled coal region. Near the historical marker, which was erected in Wilkes-Barre's Public Square park in 2010, is an older granite plinth expressing the appreciation of "those he served for 32 years in the U.S. Congress." It's carved with the seals of Congress and the commonwealth, as well as an engraving of Dan's Congressional portrait - ensuring that the mustache will not soon be forgotten.
Except where indicated, all writing and photography on this blog is the intellectual property of Laura Klotz. This blog is written with permission of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. I am not employed by the PHMC. All rights reserved.
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