Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-02-02

10 tne people OF Harrisburg the an
nouncement Of the death of General
| James A. Beaver at Bellefonte on
Saturday brought sense of keen per-
sonal loss and it may be said that not
even in his home town, where he was
noted in community famous for its
big men. is there more sincere mourn
Ing for the passing of the soldier and
| executive and judge than there is in
the States capital. Through his long
connection with the State government
and the National Guard. his deep in
terest In religious activities and strong
personality and family ties James Adj
dams Beaver was almost a citizen of
harrisburg. He Is we'll remembered
as the occupant of the Executive Man
sion for four years, for frequent social
visits to Harrisburg homes, as the
speaker upon many occasions in Har-
risburg churches and institutions, as
the central figure Of military pageants
and as a member of the Superior
Court. And before me Is photo
graph of him on almost the last pub
lie occasion on which he came to Har-
risburg, the dedication of the statues
created by the genius of his fellow
toWnsman. George Grey Barnard.
General Beaver took a prominent part
IN the program on that occasion in the
Fall of 1911. the fifth anniversary of
the dedication of the Capitol, and
when the exercises were over walked
along the Susquehanna, which he so
much admired, and remarked upon
the great strides taken by the city
which he had called home for a while
and which he loved to visit
Harrisburg people can recall the
great interest taken by General
Beaver in its churches. Long before
he became Governor he was we'll
known as a speaker at religious meet
ings of the synod of the Presbyterian
Church. speaking at Pine Street and
other churches, assisting in anniver-
saries at the Young Mems Christian
Association and being in sympathy
with every movement for a better city.
Largely to his aid the Olivet Presby-
terian Church owes its beginning and
for years after he left Harrisburg he
remained officially connected with it.
While Governor he attended Pine
Street Church and his last address in
Harrisburg church was given there.
Few know that General Beaver was
an ardent advocate of extension of
the Capitol Park and he regretted
upon more than one occasion that he
During his term as Governor he sew
eral times suggested that the time was
at hand to acquire the property that
Is now embraced in the Capitol Park
area, but State revenues in those days
were not as great as they are to-day
and there were so many other de-
mands that his thought could not be
worked out. Once he suggested in pri-
vate conversation that estimates be
ms nf nf Il in
and advised some people who urged
the widening of the streets surround
ing the Capitol Park to wait until the
park was extended. When the new
Capitol was projected the General re,
marked publicly that he hoped that
occasion would be taken to enlarge
the park while the building was going
on. And 1t might be added that had
his remark been taken up, the extern
sion might have been effected and
the Treasury not have felt the differ.
ence.
General Beaver was the Governor
who inaugurated the custom of giving
candy to children at the Executive
Mansion on Christmas morning, one
of the events of the great holiday in
Harrisburg ever since. He would go
to the door and greet youngsters and
added quarters to the candy he gave
1t will be recalled that the coming of
the Beavers to Harrisburg was marked
by the sudden illness and death of his
youngest born. James A. Beaver, Jr,
a bereavement which called forth ex-
pressions of sympathy throughout the
whole State and especially in Harris
burg.
Notwithstanding his loss of leg in
battle General Beaver was a surpris-
ingly agile man and he attracted wide
attention by his activities on the cam
paign platform. He was one of the