Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-13
Don Cameron's Chrysanthemums and
the Pennsylvania Steel Works.
L DESCRIPTION OF them BOTH
Wonderful Scenes at Night in
Mills and Furnaces.
INTERESTING COMPARISONS
STAFF Correspondence Of The Evening Star.


made precarious for it's citizens by an
overhead trolley system of street railroads.
All the business thoroughfares and many
of the residence streets are given up to
them and the avenues would be occupied.
too, If they were wide enough. But Har-
risburgs avenues are really it's alleys.
One would think that Strawberry avenue
was wide and attractive thoroughfare
upon hearing it spoken. but the fact is that
1t Is just about as wide as that alley which
opens on Pennsylvania avenue, north side
between 14th and 18th streets. All the
other avenues here are of about the
same width. This, however, Is a diver
gence. There are two companies in con-
troll of the trolley lines which extend far
into the suburbs to outlying towns on
both sides of the Susquehanna, and the
cars of each are equally noticeable for un-
cleanliness and bad odors. 1t is horrible
to relate common custom of some of the
men who patronize them. There Is law
forbidding splitting on the floor, so the in
dividuals in question. and I have seen
them SO frequently that I know 1t is
custom, expectorate tobacco juice, in the
small opening back of the seats, where the
blinds and windows rest when they are
pulled down! And the conductors never
say a word. There is one excellent point
about the system, however, and that is the
transfer arrangements. Passengers can go
from one line to another at many different
functions and a ride of nearly ten miles is
obtainable for a nickel
Don CamerOn's Chrysanth NUNS.
One trolley car trip out of Harrisburg
Is particularly interesting to a visitor. This
Is to Steelton, four miles east of Harris
burg. where the immense plant of the
Pennsylvania steel works Is located. After
leaving the city limits on this journey one
may stop off at Lochiel farm, near the
NJ hot
hour. Lochiel farm is one of the places
belonging to ex-senator Cameron. 1t is
baronial in its aspect as seen from the
road which skirts the base of the rugged
eminence upon which the comfortable
frame mansion Is built. A massive stone
wall incloses the park-ike grounds, and
at either end is gateway from which
wide roadways of pulverized stone. as
smooth as asphalt, surmount the hill I'M
der great oaks and spreading spruces.
Above the sleeps are grassy lawns smootn
as velvet, beautifully kept as ID every thing
about the place.
On the summit. some distance from the
mansion. are several conserva tories 1t is
here the sightseer may revel In beauty
and secure much interesting instruction.
We have chrysanthemum shows in Wash
ington, but for elegance and rarity the
Cameron Conservatives would be difficult
to equal Two large Conservatives were
devoted TO their cultivation this year and
when / was there few days ago they
presented a most ma gnificent appearance.
ii
hundred OF more varieties were in luXur-
liant bloom. They were all distinguished
by particular names. There was the Mrs.
George Pullman, a bright pellow; the
Shenandoah bronze, a striking bloom: the
Major Boniface, a rich yellow; the Helen
BloodSood, exquisite pink; the Camille
dAryille. very large white flowers; the
Mrs. Drexel, with great crimson blooms.
and on thrifty standards eight feet high
hung multitude of the Princess of Chrys-
anthemums. nine or ten inches in diane
ter. In the other conservatories were vio-
let's in rich array and choice roses and
orchids and the fern house contained
seemingly every variety, from the great
ferns OF the tropic to the delicate maiden
hair. The hot houses contained ripened
tomatoes and cucumbers. and in one q
pomegranate was Tearing fruit. Mr.. Cam
eron seldom favors LochieI, however, pre-
ferring his other magnificent place. Don
egal, about twenty miles from here.
American Enterprise Illustrated.
Leaving Lochiel the trolley car whirls
ore to Steelton in snort order. 1t is
long frar,e town, climbing steep hills
that rise from the canal along which the
main street runs There are many at
tractive residences on the heights and
the town is improving. The plant of the
Pennsylvania steel works parallels the
town and occupies an area across the
canal Il mile and quarter long and from
quarter to three-eighths of mile wide.
While not so stupcndOuS as the Carnegie
works ct Homestead, the works at Steel
ton present a panorama of remarkable
activity and bewildering interest
The first impression on crossing the
canal bridge is of immensely and
power. You are confronted with Evidence
of real American enterprise. Everything is
on large scale. Car tracks crowded
with cars loaded with Michigan ore run
between high piles of the same salmon
colored rock, so heavy that a compare
lively small piece is hard to lift. Long
Of IeI iOh yxyif rnlya a,1
on narrow-gauge lines that seemingly run
everywhere dinkey engines puff along
with cauldrons of boiling metal on great
moldS full of the same stuff in 4 more
congealed state. The enormous buildings
surmounted by forest of smoke stacks
give out thunder of sound, and on either
hand the great furnaces belch forth fire
and smoke as they digest the ore and as
Simulate the iron. 1t is at night when the
visitor receives the greatest pleasure and
most memorable enjoyment.
Fireworks Extraordinary.
The scenes in the great workshop where
the Bessemer process is carried on would
require the brush of a Dore to depict.
Such fireworks have never been created as
those which constantly play in and about
this spot. From the huge stack that sur
mounts the building there is a ceaseless
column of fire stars rising high in the
air. TO fall like fountain. Under the roof
one holds his breath in awe and admira-
ton. Believers in the physical qualities of
the place OF future punishment could re-
ce.ye a heSer idea of what it will consist
of. from NE minutes stay in the Besse-
mer building, than they could from read
ing eighteenth century descriptions for q
thousand years. Without intending any
irreverence, l thought while gazing on the
stupendous circle that in these days of
object lessons it would be an admirable
pace to bring Sunday school excursions
The fires from the hot metal that fly out
In all directions in all fantastic shapes
show as mary colors as a rainbow. only a
thousand times more vivid. Startling
greens. deep violets, intense blues, mnsle
and mix. and the color study is something
exquisite
The practical part OF it is no less en-
tertaining. A very simple looking contri-
vance like an enlarged pair Of iceman's
tcngs hang down over immense pot
full of spluttering. seething metal about
Of the consistency of soup. and picks 1t up
as IL 1t were gallon bucket of milk Then
O journey is made with 1t for several yards
and the cauldron is overturned into a
mold. The night 1 WAS there the work
was on steel rails for the Pennsylvania
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