Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-02-13
EVENING CHAT

governor Brumbaugh's announced
intention to visit the various depart
ments at the Capitol recalls the "sur.
prise. visits Samuel w. Pennypackel
USED TO pay about the Hill" The ex-
governor never announced that he was
gong visiting, but would drop into
uep; rtmental office at the most unex-
pected times and got lot of fun out
OF IL. AS FAR as known no governor
nad ever gone about the building to
see now things were run before and
ms nrst visits, which were made &c
departments far away from his own
suite, caused conservation. No one
knew what the visits were for and all
sorts OF nonsensical stories spread
put the governor was only going about
10 get the lay of the land and he en-
Joyed the time he went to one de-
partment and found five clerks sitting
ABOUT desk which was decorated
with feet. Everyone sought his own
pIace with marvellous rapidity. The
JOKE, however, was that the visit was
after 4 o'clock, which is quitting time.
When John K. Tener was governor
ne used to make some visits, but he
picked working hours and on two oc-
caslons found departments where work
was very slack. In one he discovered
solitary clerk engaged in work and
the man was fused" half to death by
his visitor who sat down and asked
all kinds of questions. The other de-
partment was visited in the middle
OF the morning and it happened that
the force was standing around the
nead or the branch of government in
|charge and getting fits" for some
careless work. The governor who has
Just retired, dropped in on the attor-
neNs general one time and as that off
clal was busily engaged in reading up
case he did not look up, but told his
visitor to wait a minute. The gov
ernor did and John c. Bell was the
most surprised man on the Hill a few
minutes later.
mere is fireman squirrel on Capt.
tol Hill, said a man who takes a big
delight in the animal pets of the State
L nave been in the park a couple OF
times when alarms have rung and
when the bell sounds the squirrel
shoots for home. Yesterday afternoon
when the Citizen bell rang the alarm
l saw the squirrel scamper down a
tree and make a bee line for the tree
on winch his or her box was perched
another thing, have you ever noticed
now the pigeons rise and fly around
When an alarm is rung. Just watch
them some day."
During the last few davs the waters
of the Susquehanna have receded to
SUCH an extent as to practically expose
tne whole depth of the front steps of
Harrisburg" as the river front wall is
frequently called, and the falling OF
the stream affords a good chance to
determine whether or not the engi-
neers' theory of keeping the steps clean
ls practlcable or not. During the re-
cent hlSh water the river covered the
walk on top of the wall to the depth
OF several feet. Tons of ice and drift
wood were piled upon the wall. "My,
on my observed many a stroller as
ne observed the great piles of rub
plsh, the city will have to go down
INTO Its pockets some to clean these
steps. j. ID. Justin, principal engi-
neer OF the board of public works,
held different view. THE steps are
sloped backward from the edge to the
Dase OF each tread to the extent of a
quarter of an inch on the theory that
water will roll off readily and so al
ways keep the steps washed clear of
debrls. Harrisburg never need trouble
itselt much about keeping those steps
clean. How well that theory is being
demonstrated can readily be seen any
day now. The falling waters have left
thS eHtlfe stretch of three-mile water
'front.' steps as clean as a new pin.
Attaches of the State Treasury Depart
ment have placed a picture of Anna
on the walls of the big department.
Anna is a crippled child whom the
men connected with Mr. Young's office
are Keeping in a sanatorium. The child
Is but five and thanks to the kindness
OF the men in the department is being
given scientific treatment and the best
of care.
Harrisburg hotels are unusually
crowded at the present time on ac-
count of the great demand for ac-
commodations by members of the Leg
islature and others here on Capitol
Hill business; and many complaints
are lodged with clerks by transients
who are unable to secure comfortable
quarters. Last night a man who said
he was an extensive traveller applied
at a Market street hotel and was
shown 20 cent room, the best that
was left in the house. He looked al
1t but refused it saying it was too
much, and went off to look for a
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