Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-04-28
! EVENING CHAT

| While Harrisburg people have fol-
| lowed with great eagerness the devel-
opments at Vera Cruz and the manner
in which the navy has taken the place
under command of Admirals Badger
| and Fletcher, probably not u dozen
people in the whole city or roundabout
know that the commodore who COM
| manded the American ships when the
| first bombardment took place in the
| Mexican War. almost seventy years
ago. was a man from Harrisburg.
Very few people are living who recall
| the days of the Mexican War with
| clearness. And there are probably not
many to whom the name of David
IConner means anything. Accounts of
! the first days fighting by the navy
off Vera Cruz. back in March, 1S47,
show that the navy paved the way
| for Scotts men and that it kept the
forts of the seaport busy while the
army was busy effecting it's landing
near the city and preparing for the
| investment which resulted in the city
falling into the hands of the famous
general in short order. The commo-
dore commanding the American ships
| in the bombardment was David Con-
ner and the records state that he was
| native of Harrisburg, Pa. The COM
modore lived to be commandant of the
Philadelphia navy yard and died while
Old directories and records state that
Ia conner family liver here back in
the very early years. Beyond that no
one appears to know much of them.
David Conner is said by the only
biography of him obtainable to have
been born in Harrisburg about 1892
and entered the navy in January,
1909. He probably went in as a
iS ha nc
an acting lieutenant on the famous
sloop Hornet when it vanquished the
Peacock in the War of 1912. In the
action of the Hornet and the Penguin
he was badly wounded, but remained
in action and was voted the thanks
of Congress and a sword. He was in
active service Throughout the war and
became a commander in 1925 and q
captain ten years later. 1t is stated
that he was in command of the Amer
ican fleet off the east coast of Mexico
during the war and one history tells
how he got into his small boat and SUI
perintended the debarkation of SCOTS s
army to take Vera Cruz. He did not
stay on the flagship, but went down
among the small boats and ran the
whole business. He directed the bonn
bardment of the fortress at Vera Cruz
and 1t is recorded that he took Tam
pico, then a considerable port, the
November of the year before he bore
such a prominent part in the reduc-
ton of Vera Cruz. Throughout the
war he was a tower of strength in the
navy and was frequently mentioned in
dispatches.
Residents of this city who read with
interest last night that Lieutenant
Commander Ned Kalbfus had been
named to take charge of the quarter
masters stores at Vera Cruz will he
pleased to learn that another Har-
risburger has been named to impor-
tant work in the Isthmus. Samuel G.
Shearer, son of ]. l.. Shearer, a we'll
known merchant. has just been ap-
pointed superintendent of the big re-
pair shops at Balboa at the Pacific
end of the great canal. He has been
on the iSthmus from the time the work
started and his work in the shops was
so notable that he received permanent
appointment with the big shops under
! his charge. lie will have charge of
| all ship repairs as well as the main
| tenance work, requiring repairs on
the canal proper. 1t is place OF
much responsibility, and Mr.. Shearer
who has had wide experience in this
State and at Panama, has shown that
he can undertake it.
Early as is the season for auto
! mobile travelling and poor as are many
of the roads before the repairs are
| made, there are q number of people
| travelling and the runs to and from
Gettysburg appear to be as popular as
| ever. Yesterday half a dozen cars
| came to the city for brief stops on the
way from the battlefield and a number
of inquiries have been made here as to
| hotel accommodations by people who
expect to make trips.
Real Spring has certainly arrived
| All one needs to do is to go to the
| river front any evening. The manner
in which every bench is occupied
shows conclusively that the time for
| observing the Susquehanna after dark
| or "spooning," as some very carelessly
call it, is in our midst. Last evening
| there was not bench to be had be-
tween and 3. Sunday night, in spite
of the cool breeze, was worse.
| xarrst I/AINlATAI mr. mi