The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1879-04-02
Harrisburg Letter.
HARR1sBURG, March 30, 1879.


the appearance in general of our Cap
itol city many will read the letters Of
"Verltas" and wish for some impress
ion of the place as we'll as purpose of
legislation. Harrisburg, as we used
to sing at school, is still on the Susque-
hanna. The river is wide, rapid and
shallow, dotted with islands; is not
navigable for steamboats,, and is
crossed by two bridges at this point,
one for the railroad, the other for gen
'eral travel. Front street is broad and
has a shady park on the side next the
riYer, while the other is faced with res
idences, many Of them fine specimens
of architectural splendor. General
Simoh Cameron's residence was the
old Harris mansion built in 1857,
although of course now remodeled and
improved, Near here stands the stump
of the tree to which the Indians tied
John Harris founder of this place.
They intended burning him but he
was rescued and lived to tell the blood
curdling tale to his descendants. His
grave is in the immediate vicinity,
according to his expressed desires.
Several squares farther up the river
stands Senator j. Don Cameron's
house, built of irregular blocks Of
limestone, forming o neatly fitting
mosaic curious and beautiful. The
Governors mansion is also on the
river bank. 1t is rather ordinary
brick structure but is elegantly fitted
and furnished within. Near Senator
Cameron's are the water works, and
running from the river to Capitol Hill
is broad State street. Here stands the
Soldiers monument, an obelisk OF
granite, effective in its simplicity. The
Capitol grounds are extensive and
tastefully laid out with drives, walks.
stone steps ascending the natural ele-
walton, trees, shrubbery, and in sum-
mer are made gay with flowers, and
musical with the tinkle of fountain
flowing over rockwork. A fine monu,
ment is here erected to the memory o.
the heroes who fell in the war of Mex
leo. The Capitol buildings are three
in number and rather ancient looking
of red brick with columned portico'i
in front. Entering the stone paved
rotunda of the middle building W,
turn to the left and are within tn,
Senate Chamber The room is fur
nished in green, and the fifty grave {?
Senators are presided over by you
pleasant neighbor of Warren, Lieut.
Gov. Stone. His arm. however, doe
not develop muscle as rapidly by tn
use of the gavel as does Speake
Longs in the House. just across tn
Totunda. In the latter Chamber 20
members are or DIVIDED in closely, an
when an exciting measure is before tn
House, it requires some pretty forcibl
blows of'the gavel to restore order
While one man speaking there ar
zoe brains trying TO pick a flaw i
what he says, if it is Of any import
ance; so there is often a confusion {
tongues. This week they have bee
agitated over the Riot Bill. Two day
of discussion have told against it, an
the presence of Sam Josephs an
others of that ilk here do not recon-
mend the Bill. John Welsh, ofSchuy
kill, in a communistic speech 10 i
favor said "he wished the losses ha
been $50,000,000 instead of$4, ,000, ,00t
and that the State had to pay ever
cent of it." The Hon. Johns consti
uents are calling him to account fC
his utterance. The Bill comes u
again Wednesday, and may be the
to see and here. Now let us pass
the floor above where are vario,
apartments, and the State Librar
This is we'll arranged, and we'll attel
ded by the librarian, C. L. EhreHfel
and his obliging and gentlemanly q
sistant Mr. j. R. Orwig. There are
believe, about 10000 volumes of La
and miscellaneous books. and it is
such rooms as these that we can reO
ize the full force of Solomon's aphC
ism: "Of making many hooks there
M nnA y Innrinn rnln ntn ntl-r Il