Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-01-19

the Governor of Pennsylvania, first ia
county. graphically picturing his bat ,
ties with adversely and fight for pref
erment. Brumbaugh came to Judge
Orlady's notice wnen the former was
seeking election as Huntingdon Coun-
ty Superintendent of Schools.
One day long-legged country boy
came into my law offics and said that
he would like to be county superinten-
dent" related the Judge. He asked
me il L were in favor of his election.
and what l though his chances would
be?"
Canvassing For Votes
Judge Orlady said that he looked
him over, told him that the was en-
tirely too young, and without political
influence could not hope to win.
brumbaugh was not crestfallen. He
lett Judge Orlady's offices, walked
through the county and won over an
older man. In his trip over the coun-
ty, seeking the support of the direc-
tors Brumbaugh reached the home
Of the late James Harper, a fine, stur-
dy, Scotch-Irish farmer, and asked
him for his vote. Harper informed
him that he favored one of his oppo
nents. 1t was late at night when
Brumbaugh visited the farmer.
Come in, anyhow, and get some
thing to eat. If you have no other
place to go [ VIII be glad to keep you
over night" cheerily said Harper to
Brumbaugh, about to continue his
canvaSsing.
During their talk in the course of
the evening Harper asked Brumbaugh
If he were any relative to the boy who
had helped his father float the tele-
graph poles the previous summer.
"Mr. Harper, 1 happen to be that
boy" he replied.
In that case I will support you,"
and L will tell the other man that
cannot support him"
Governor Brumbaugh was elected
by majority of one vote, and at the
age of % years became the youngest
superintendent of schools in Pennsyl-
lVania.
Judge orlady then told of the effort
| Brumbaugh made to save his fathers
farm. This story illustrates his char
acter, perhaps, stronger than any
other incident of his life.
| When he was a youngster his faith
er bought 1900 acres of timber land
| from J. Simpson Africa, for the pur-
pose of giving the men who owed him
for the supplies that they had bought
| in his store a chance to work it out at
/ the sawmill in the lumber camp, and,
of course, like those things usually
work out, instead of paying their debts
these men bought more than they were
earning. said the judge. When Gov
ernor Brumbaugh was Is years of age
and teaching in Juniata College, and
just graduating there his uncle Henry,
a farmer, went to him one day and
said: "Your fathers property has been
attached. 1t will have to be sold at
sheriff's sale, and it is due to the fact
that he would not collect his accounts,
and the people owe him more than he
| hut h &c
lected, and so his property will have
to be sold. The church had confer
ence at James Creek over this matter,
and they decided that if you would
take charge of your fathers business
as soon as you becomes of age, and
would get together, each one put i'll
what he could and give the money to
me, and j am to buy your fathers
property at sheriff's sale. l will give
him notes, and the members of the
congregation and / will hold the prop
erty as my protection until you pay
off those notes and when you pay off
those notes will deed the property
back to you and your father. You
are under age; you cannot do more
than give me your word Will you do
lit?"
| A Staggering Load
THAT was staggering load to put
on a young mans shoulders, but
Brumbaugh never wavered, and said
! he would assume his fathers debts.
The members of the church gave such
sums as they had and took his Uncle
| Henry'S notes, and he went to the
sheriff's sale, got the sheriffs deed for
the property. When Mr.. Brumbaugh
became of age the first business he un-
dertook was to pay that debt.
"This business was contract to
furnish telegraph poles to the Penn
sylvania railroad. After school and on
Saturdays and on holidays and all
through the summer young Brum-
| baugh worked to get out the poles.
Finally after the poles were all out
| they We're worked down to the river
to boom at Ardenheim, where they
were to be delivered f. o. b. 1t was In
July and young Brumbaugh worked
all day. and by the light of the moon
at night to get these logs over the
shoals because the river was low. Sud-
denly there came a heavy rain which
resulted In a freshet that carried the
| poles down into the boom, smashed
the boom and sent those poles all way
| down the Juniata to Harrisburg. There
was nothing for young Brumbaugh to
| do but to take a canthook. and with
his father they worked down the river.
rolled the logs in and fioated them
to the nearest railroad station, where
they were loaded. The two slept in
| barns, lived on milk and what they
bought from farmers and followed
those poles all the way to Newport.
in spite of the mishap Governor Brum-
baugh has since told me that he clear
ed So, 100 on that contract"
Member of Dunkards
| Governor Brumbaugh is a member
of the Society of Dunkards. a strict
religious body whose principles have
given to the State much of its stability
and instilled in her citizens sterling
principles of life and fair dealing.
This society very strong in Central
Pennsylvania, especially in Lancaster
county and that strip of land running
from the rich titled farms of Lancaster
to the mountains of the west, where
the Scotch Irish abound, has left an.