Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-04-10
EVENING Chat

PRESENCE oil many owners of trac-
tion engines and threshers In the city
this week caused much discussion OF
methods of maintenance OF highways
and 1t appears that the owners of such
apparatus and many of the local au-
tnorities in their districts are at odds
over what should be done. Some of
the machines are so heavy that their
passage over a township road is detri-
mental and the State authorities have
taken steps to regulate the manner of
travelling. Only the other day permit
was asked for traction engine weigh
ing $4,000 pounds and it was turned
down because of the law, which Inn
tied the weight of machines that may
be allowed on State highways to 26,0O0
pounds There is constant tendency
to enlarge and the next Legislature
will have troubles of it's own between
the owners of machines and the high
way people, State and local. Inciden-
tally, the wearing of roads into rutS is
coming to the front, as it does every
Spring. and some of the officials say
that 1T is up to the people of the State
TO take such means as will stop the
practice. One of the stories brought
to the city Il $ week told of the man
ner in which the Germans sought to
break up the practice of continuing in
the same ruts day after day. The
German empire has some splendid
roads, but the experience has been
the same as in America in regard to
travelling in one line. Finally some
Prussian hit upon the plan of placing
big stones, regular rocks, in the roads.
This makes the drivers, horse and mo-
tor. go around them. The roadmaster
changes the position of the rocks
every day or so and there is even
wearing on the metal or surface of the
road. Furthermore. it is an offense
move n 40
we can just imagine anyone trying
that plan in Pennsylvania.
The late Andrew Jackson Dull was
at one time part owner with his
brother. the late James j. Dull, in one
OF the largest ranch properties in
Texas. The Dull ranches, as they
were known. attracted much attention
because of their large extent and the
business-ltke way in which they were
conducted. These ranches were vis-
ted by Harrisburgers from time to
time and were a matter of local pride
that the ownership was held in Har-
| risburg. One of the largest properties,
| which was thirty-three miles long, was
| In LaSalle and McCullen counties.
There was another in Pecos and Starr
counties. These properties were bought
| by the Messrs. Dull in the seventies
and were held until ten years ago.
when they were sold. The day of the
| great ranch in Texas is passing and
| these great properties are now being
sold Off in farms. In their day they
were known far and wide as among
the largest fenced-in properties.
Members of the Public Service Com
mission are having troubles of their
own these days with the tremendous
amount of accumulated business.
There are many new lines of activity
for the commission and comparison
with the old commission is impossible
because the new body covers fifty
times as much. In fact, there is
enough work for ten commissioners
nd people who think that the COM
mlssionerS have much time for any,
thing else are mistaken, and badly.
This week the commissioners have
been in session three times a day and
until almost midnight on three nights.
State Zoologst H. A. Surface saws
mat II people in this section of the
State give attention to apple culture
there will be no difficulty about have
'ng apple shows hereabouts. In fact,
the soil here is well adapted to fruit
growing and all that is needed Is sys-
tematlc care and attention to the
trees and cultivation.
Baseball appears to have started up
with a great deal of vigor all over the
city. especially among the younger
generation. This was evidenced yes
| terday by the fact that a red-hot scrub
game was played on one of the uptown
diamonds with a chill wind blowing
and the mercury down around 40.