Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-01-01
EVENING CHAT

1t is rather interesting to note to-
day in view of the observance of New
Years Day that the celebration of the
opening of another year in any for
NAL manner has only been revived in
harrisburg in the last few years. Five
years ago the day was ushered in by
the traditional din of bells, whistles,
revolvers and cheers, but that was
where the observance ended except
by the banks and by people who adj
hered TO the good old custom of hav-
ing parties or teas or receptions. The
older generation used to make much
of the New Years day reception and
while it is, not referred to out loud,
there are stories that before the war,
punch bowls were not unknown in
some Harrisburg homes on the first
day of the year. Once in a while some
enterprising band used to parade on
New. Years day and when the day
came on Sunday it was duly noted in
the sermons and prayers, but such a
thing as general celebration has not
occurred in recent years except late
ly. Back in 1900 the advent of the
new year and the new century was
observed by a parade of Red Men but
1t began at midnight and not so many
people saw it as saw the mummers
last New Years day. Harrisburg used
to conflne It's burlesque parades and
things of that kind to Christmas eve,
although New Years was always the
great time for fun in Philadelphia.
We have borrowed from our ances-
trail city the custom of observing the
new year and the parade to-day will
likely inaugurate q long series that
will keep folks at home.
DIR. Brumbaugh mentioned a rather
unusual circumstance in Pittsburgh
low rxrIA L. col 1.
had served as a member of three COM
missions under Governor Tener. 1t is
rather unusual for the new governor
to be actually connected with the ad-
ministration of his predecessor. DIR.
Brumbaugh, however, has been so
prominent in educational affairs that
he has been called upon to give of his
time and thought to matters of State
import incidentally it might be re-
marked that DR.. Brumbaugh has done
something very unusual in going out
to Pittsburgh to talk over things in
stead of making people come to him.
1t might be surmised that he is 60
ing to visit every county when he is
governor. And maybe that would
not be a guess very far wrong He
is the kind of man to get down to
brass tacks and to see for himself.
Scarcity of Christmas trees came
nearly putting a Harrisburg grocer
out of business. He had an angry mob
at his store until almost midnight. 1t
was not the grocer's fault. People in
search of trees became desperate and
they did not care who else might be
disappointed so long as they got their
tree. This grocer had arranged with
Powl's Valley farmer to deliver two
loads of trees at his store by noon
Thursday. December "a. The first ar
rived all right. The farmer went back
for the second load. He reached Front
and VerbelSe streets on his return trip
and then the trouble started. One
woman stopped the farmer and bought
tree Before the farmer could move
there was an army of buyers about the
wagon and he just had to sell the trees
or. rs he says lose his cargo and get
nothing. Realizing that the grocer
had to be supplied, the farmer went
back for q third load, arriving in Har-
risburg about 10 o'clock. This time he
| reached State and Second streets. The
grocer never did get any trees. When
he was about to close the store at mid
night someone told him about men
and women mobbing q man who had q
| load of trees Il just got away with
my life because that man sold my
trees. and my customers had to be dis
| appointed" answered the grocer.
Speaking of New Years celebrations
In years gone by an old resident call
ed to my attention the fact that the
biggest celebration ever held of the
new year was thirty-nine years ago.
1t was the celebration of the advent
of the year 1876, the centennial year,
and Harrisburg stayed up most of the
night Bands were out all evening and
at midnight to a terrific racket from
engines, factories, bell towers, steeples
and guns q parade started. Tt was a
burlesque and the fire engines took a
prominent part. Many people did not
get to bed until dawn, but the new
year, the centennial year, was duly
inaugurated.
Tho discussion of the manner in
which City Electrician C. E. Diehl
tried to work out combination OF
numbers for the new year recalls that
in 1900 the officials gave 1t up. They
could negotiate the l and the 8, but
there was nothing in the whole cate
CORY of bell taps to make the 0.
Among visitors to the city yesterday
was Frederick w. HAYS, of Oil City
| councilman of the city in Venango
county He came here interested in
third class city legislation and met a
number of his friends.
Farmers who have friends in the
city council are commencing to ask
why some regulation can not be made
for the movement of teams in Chest
nut street on market mornings. Thit
street of all others in vicinity of mar
kets gives trouble because it is mar
row, has a trolley line and many peo-
pie stand their teams along the curb
The result is that the movement OF
farmers wagons and automobiles is