Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-06-26
EVENING. CHAT

| EVCNIV0' dAI
One of these days the men compos-
ing the Grand Army of the Republic
will be SO diminished in numbers that
many or the posts will go out of exist
ence. OF course, we all hope that the
day may be long deferred and that the
veterans will be with us years to come
and that they may be enabled to par
ticipate in ceremonies as interesting
as the battle flag transfer exercises
| on Capitol Hill some ten or fifteen
days ago. But some day there will be
a passing of the organizations of the
veterans of the great war and many
objects of patriotic interest and relics
of great sentimental as we'll as his
toric value will then be in danger Of
dispersion. Some of the posts have
collections which should as a matter
OF public concern become the property
of the Commonwealth in whose regi-
ments the veterans won imperishable
glory, but unfortunately nothing has
been done to prepare a place for such
things Even the battle flag collection
which has been so much in the public
eye. lately is not complete and there
are flags which properly belong to 1T
which are owned by posts and individ-
uals, who are disinclined to present
them at this time because of desire to
retain them longer or because they
do not deem that the means afforded
for public display in the Capitol ro-
tunda are adequate. The State Mu-
scum, which has been developed in
the face of considerable discourage
ment to be frank about it, is going TO
be very much crowded within short
time and the space left by the transfer
of the flags will be quickly taken up.
The Museum is not large enough for
its purposes now and If these relics
OF war days, which stir the blood of
everyone and which form a mighty big
factor of interest to the boys and girls
at school. were to be offered the State
could not display them as it should do.
The Capitol is overcrowded and some
day the departments housed outside
will have to be concentrated. When
the time comes to extend the wings of
the great granite pile into what will
be park extension some thought
should be given to providing fireproof
quarters for a Museum worthy the
name and of the State.
There is a good story back of the
appearance in this city yesterday of
j. A. Shindler, member of the govern
ment inspection. party that is going
over the proposed Lincoln Highway
from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean.
l only few years ago Shindler who is
still quite young man. was an ap-
prentice boy in the office of the Sun
day Courier, and, tradition has it, was
one of the most mischievous boys that
newspaper ever employed. If there
| UT n hiIocr Oh he afio II
amiss 1t was safe to lay the blame at
Shindler's door. But the lad was am
bilious as well as active and his sur
plus energy prompted him to try his
fate in Washington, where after a
hard struggle he won a clerkship un-
der civil service rules in the Treasury
Department No sooner had he be-
come acquainted with his duties there
than he entered a Washington engi-
neer school for a course as geograph-
ical engineer After a year and half
of study, during which he worked all
day in the office and nearly all night
over his books, and during which
time he spent most of his money for
books and tuition and only a mere
trifie on food and clothing, he was
granted his diploma and at once pre-
pared for government service as geo.
graphic engineer. He passed his ex-
aminations and was sent to Ohio,
where he was mixed up in the great
floods that over year ago devasted
that State and was for time reported
dead. Recently for good work he was
assigned to the Lincoln Highway in
spection party and will assist in the
survey of the route to be laid out be-
yond ogden, Utah. the present term
mus of the route. Shindler wears a
handsome uniform and is to-day the
envy of all the printers apprentices in
town who know his story.
Last Monday was the fourth ami
versary of the nomination of Cover
nor John K. Tener It took place in
the Majestic theater on day, about
as hot as those we have been having
lately. 1t is also of interest to note
that the year before that the Gov
>ernor was the chairman of the com
mittee on resolutions of the conven-
ton which named Auditor General A
70. Sisson.
Work on the River Front attracts
the attention of almost every man In.
terested in municipal affairs whs
comes to the city. Lately because o1
numerous conventions there have
been many men active in the affair:
of their home cities and they have
taken trips over the park system ant
!, along the River Front One man wht
had walked along the whole Rivel
Front asked the cost of the parking
paving, river sewers, wall and dan
and when an approximate figure wal
given he remarked: "It would b,
cheap If it cost three times as much
; Just look what you've got. There's
nothing like 1t possessed by any othel
city in the State and Trentons jus
waking up to what can be DONE"