Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-05-31
Ehfntng Gl1at

According to people who have been
through the countryside in the last
few days, one of the effects of the
observance of Good Roads Day has
been to stimulate discussion of the
merits of portions of roads. and If this
Is correct as to rural districts gen.
orally ii will result to the advantage
of everyone. 1t Is not far from dis
cussion of ruts and bumps of stretch
of highway to starting movements for
improvement and Governor Brum-
bauGh's suggestion that the people
should constitute themselves vigilance
committees and bring to the attention
of proper authorities unsatisfactory
| conditions will need little further sup
! port. In half a dozen Dauphin and
Cumberland townships men who
| worked on the roads on Good Roads
Day and some who did not have
offered to unite with neighbors and
\ friends in fixing some sections which
| could not be reached. In other words,
| they are not content to wait until next
| Fall or next Spring. but are anxious
to get the roads bettered. In some
parts of the two counties there Is
very tangible movement under way to
| bring about betterment of roads which
| have been kissing and byword and
| 1t would not be surprising if the same
| situation prevailed in many other parts
| of the State and that purely local
| good roads observances would be
noted from time to time during the
summer. One of the things that in
terests people in this section is that
for miles around all roads lead to Har-
risburg and for years the condition of
some has not evoked favorable COM
ment. The increase of automobile
traffic among the farmers and the
development of the business of supply
ing its needs at country stores. coupled
/ uyil Of ftn nft ~ nyNlr
to help those in the country put the
highways into good shape, will prob
| ably lead to much work being done
before snow flies.
Speaking of Good Roads Day. it is a
| subject of much favorable remark the
way the newspapers took up the sug-
gestion From the very day that High
way Commissioner Cunningham laid
the matter before the Governor and
an executive proclamation was issued
there have been few newspapers in
Pennsylvania that did not devote col
umns to boosting the proposition. Some
of the country weeklies literally gave
yards to the suggestions sent out from
the State Highway Departments offices
and supplemented them by noting the
plans of folks in their own neighbor-
hood. The automobile associations and
the owners joined with various other
organizations and got their shares duly
noted. In fact, much of the success of
the statewide observance came from
the splendid support and encourage
ment from the rural press. The news
papers in the cities gave much first
page space, the valuable commodity,
and strong editorial commentator and
the general movement in favor of bet
ter highways in the press of Pennsyl-
Vanla was so great as to attract the
attention of newspapers in other
q Inn oNaRl d., sIV-... -.
while a little late in establishing a
Good Roads Day, made the rest of the
country take notice. and but for rain
would have made a record.
The last time the Brethren held
their convention in this section was
back in 1901. The convention was
held in Paxtang, where large assembly
buildings, dining rooms and other
| places for meeting were erected and
even temporary living places provided.
The convention was largely attended
| by people from all over the country
| and the deliberations attracted ma
tional notice because of the vigor with
which they were conducted. Some of
the most noted of the denominational
leaders were speakers and many mat
ters touching the daily life of the
members were talked over with can
dor, such subjects as life insurance,
personal ornaments and the like being
themes. The convention was the first
to be sheld in this section in a long
time and the presence of so many
earnest, upright people attracted pop
ular attention to the meetings. so
much so that visitors were very
numerous.
Some very attractive pictures of in
cidents in the life of the Harrisburg
Academy are presented in the annual
publication of the school. 1t contains
capital photographs of the property
and its environment and of school
sights and scenes. The central picture
shows eXPresident Taft and Governor
Brumbaugh at the school, the photo
graph being very like that which APP
peared in the Telegraph. There are
many interesting matters about the
educational institution, which is only
one year younger than Harrisburg
itself, in the publication.
In this connection it might be re-
marked on the subject of pictures that
those which appear in the Telegraph
from day to day form a record of daily
events in and about Harrisburg which
will be invaluable in years to come.
The progress in newspaper photogra-
ply has almost kept pace with the
! news service and the pictures in this
| newspaper will in time to come fur
| nish the local color" which the multi
| plicity of items nowadays forbids ex-
! cept in comparatively few instances.