Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-12-12
EVENING Chat

time, gratifying fact for the people of
this city and vicinity to note. In the
midst of the discussion of National
Guard preparedness that the three
organizations of the militia in Har-
rfsburg have always been noted for
Keeping up their strength. One of
the prime causes of wholesale criti-
cism OF the militia of the country is
that the number of men on the rolls
is not what Is demanded by the ma
tional scheme of defense. OF course,
these reports are based on what is
found in the weakest State, the splen-
did organizations maintained by
pennsylvania, New York. Illinois and
other States not being mentioned at
all. 1t is we'll established by the off,
cial records that the companies of in
fantry and the troop of cavalry in
Harrisburg have been kept up to the
mark. AS Unle these organizations
nave waiting list The membership
in the Governors Troop has probably
not been below the minimum half a
dozen times in its existence and then
only for few days or until new en-
listments could be entered. Com
panies ID and l have time and again
taken the required number of men to
camp and turned them out on inspec-
ton day, while announcement of va
cancies has been followed by numer-
Gus applications for the places. Bet
ter still, the organizations in this city
have been matter of local pride and
the companies and troop have had the
support and confidence of their peo-
pie. No city in the State has shown
more interest in It's military organiza-
tons than Harrisburg and If the word
came from the authorities there would
be no trouble raising another infantry
company or a battery of artillery
which would have as strong a per-
sonnel of good soldiers as any of the
present organizations. And the popu-
lar support would be just as great.
Shooting matches do not appear to
nave lost anything in popular favor,
especially in the rural districts and
apparently the number of men who
have liking for a gun is growing. AL
most every Saturday afternoon there
are matches held near the city and the
ISportsmen from Harrisburg and Steel
ton and the smaller towns gather to
bang at marks and to try to show
that they are better than each other
in the fundamentals of national de-
Tense. Some of the scores hung up
lately are said to be excellent and to
show that the men of Dauphin are as
keen with the gun as We're their fore
fathers who could kill squirrels by
hitting the limb of the tree upon which
they sat with rife bullet.
Officials at one of the departments of
the State government are smiling over
some designations that have appeared
lately and they are wondering where
the senders get their ideas. One man
sent in his resignation as a justice of
the peace because he had applied for
appointment as postmaster of his
town. The offices of justice and post
master are incompatible, but people
at the Capitol are wondering why the
man got the idea that he could not
serve as an arm of the law while ap-
plying for place as postmaster
Men connected with the govern
ments of a number of the cities of the
State have been among the callers at
the city offices in increasing number
lately with the very apparent desire |
of getting pointers on how to run the |
governmental branches committed to
their care. 1t is a well-known fact !
that Harrisburg had more success with |
the old third-class city act than any |
other city in the State and there is |
great interest in the manner in which |
1t has tackled the intricacies of the |
Clark third-class city commission gov
ernment act.
Firemen about the city are asking |
when the next motor fire apparatus is |
to be purchased for the department
and there will be lively competition
Loh lit pitCSS LO ne DOuBnL. 1t Is
likely that the apparatus will be
bought soon as the demand for such
pieces is growing. Many of the small
towns about Harrisburg have such ap-
paratus and inasmuch as this city has
a very large area of paved streets the
efficiency of fire machinery would be
greatly increased through the mo-
bility of the automobile appliances.
The close of the rabbit hunting sea-
son is taking a good many people into
the fields and 1t has been noted that
in spite of the bad weather prevailing
this week that numerous hunters have
been out after the frisky cottontails.
Yesterday no less than a dozen could
be seen from Reservoir park. man
and woman being prominent among
those who were cunning. The hills
back of Steelton are another faYorite
place for gunners these days.
More than $50 of the city's own
young trees, trees that had been in
stalled as mere shoots in the city
nursery on the island and raised and
cared for under the direction of the
park department, have been planted
along the river parks and the streets
recently interfered with the planting
work but it Is the park officials in
tention to go on as soon as the cold
snap obates. All told 202 young trees
have been set out in the river parks
between Iron alley and State street
Fifty-one have been planted in some