Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-04-15
EVENING CHAT

! fltty years ago to-day Harrisburg
learned that President Abraham Lin
coin had died from the bullet wound
ne received when John Wilkes Booth
shot him the night before and judging
from old newspapers probably at no
other time in the history of the city
was so great demonstration made of
sorrow and grief at the loss of the
great man. The flags at the Capitol
and State arsenal were put at half
mast. church and firehouse bells toll
| ed, celebrations of recent Civil War
victories stopped, buildings draped,
guns fired every half hour in honor of
the dead executive. The body was
taken on a long tour throughout the
North, stopping in many cities. 1t
reached Harrisburg on the evening of
the twenty-first of April, and was sent
to Philadelphia on the twenty-fourth.
Lincoln was born on February IL,
1909, died April Is, 1865, and was
buried May 4, 1865, in Springfield,
Illinois, amid the most sincere DEM
onstration of sorrow ever given an
American statesman up TO that time.
AS In Harrisburg, in many cities big
celebrations of Grants victory over
Lee were to take place on the day
that Lincoln died. Every one of them
was stopped, and the fire works for
the lighting of the cities were kept to
light up the funeral professions of the
dead president in the places through
which the body passed. 1t was a menu
orable time for Harrisburg.
The Harrisburg Public Library has
been the means of affording consider
able pleasure to a good many people
in Harrisburg and case has just come
to the front which shows how it is eX-
tending its work. Harrisburg man
bert Knibbs, author of Overland Red
and other stories, wrote to him away
out in Los Angeles telling of his in
terest in his books. Mr.. Knibbs wrote
to the Librarian, Miss Alice r. Eaton,
to kindly do what she could for him.
1t happens that the man got the books
from the Library which his friends
have been reading to him, as he is
blind and seriously i'll. AS a result
some special allowances for time on
books have been given to him and the
best of reading matter provided.
1t might be added that the Library
has been able to meet probably the
greatest list of questions ever asked
of an institution in the city lately.
During March no less than 349 ques-
tions We're asked of the reference
desk and they ranged all the way from
information on the best makes of ten
mis- racquets to addresses of business
firms in Philadelphia and how to get
supplies of various kinds. The Library
was asked for about twenty historic
dates and for information on matters
pertaining to the countries at war and
the tonnage of their battleships
If YOU live within the asphalt street
zone, it may be news TO YOU that many
of the old friends of wood and meadow
are lin our midst again. If YOU don't
believe Spring is here with the beauti-
full wildfiowers just take a hike
through Wildwood, Sleepy Hollow,
over. Crooked Hill or through the
Cameron Parkway. If you don't find
Violets, liverwort, the Spring beauty,
anemone. trailing arbutus, blood-root,
and what not, you must have a poor
how to scratch the leaves from where
the beauties grow.
Pennsylvania chiefs of police went
home last night bubbling over with
kind words for Harrisburg. The auto
ride over the city yesterday after
noon was not only a treat, but n big
George w. Harder. of Williamsport,
had a whole lot to say about the clean
streets. The visiting chiefs also
watched the traffic officers at work.
Another favorable impression was
made by Captain Joseph p. Thompson,
who passed the chiefs on his rounds.
You certainly have neat looking Off
GERS" remarked one of the chiefs.
Detective Joseph Ibach was given high
praise for his interesting explanation
of the Bertillon and finger print sys-
TENS. "Harrisburgs we'll equipped
police department and its efficient Of
hcers is a strong argume It in favor
of a civil service department" added
an Altoona representative.
While walking down Market street
Tuesday night, one of the delegates in
attendance at the convention of the
State Association of chiefs of police,
lost his watch fob y newspaper re-
porter picked it up. 4 half dozen or
more chiefs We're asked if they had
lost the fob. Finally the owner was
found. He was rather surprised to
have his watch fob returned. Gee, 1
could not afford to lose that" he re-
marked. After thanking the finder,
this chief said This is great town.
You can't even lose anything here.
Everybody watches out for the safety
of the visitors"
Ex-President Taft speaks to-day
from the rostrum of the House of
Representatives. which was the place
where Secretary Bryan spoke two
years ago and which Mr.. Taft occu-
pied once during a visit to the Capitol
while President. Colonel Roosevelt
also visited the hall of the House on
the day he dedicated the Capitol.
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