Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-05-15
EVENING CHAT

Harrisburg people are commencing
to figure out what to do about the
observance of Memorial Day and In
dependence Day, both Of which fall
on Sunday this year. Every six or
seven years. when this coincidence or
whatever it may be called comes
around. businessmen ask questions
about the day to observe. When
Christmas comes on Sunday, Monday
is generally selected as the day to
celebrate. This often happens when
the other holidays fall on Sunday. but
there are some people who get mixed
up every now and then and who
have to ask questions. Half a dozen
men spoken to yesterday said that
they did not know what they would
do. The banks will observe Monday.
Some of the business people say that
they will observe Saturday, as 1t is a
~half-holiday anyway. The chances
are that there will be a preparation
for the holiday on Saturday, religious
observance on Sunday and a real
holiday on Monday.
John Birkinbine, the chief engineer
of the State Water Supply Commits
sion. who died yesterday. began his
distinguished career in this city. His
father was the engineer who built the
Harrisburg city waterworks before
the Civil War and Mr.. Birkinbine
was a member of the corps of engi-
ners in charge of the work. He per-
sonally supervised some of the con-
struction II installation n made
friends who welcomed him back to
the city when he became the head of
the important commission in charge
of the water of the State.
He was a man of high attachments
and wide reputation. He was one
of the keenest admirers of Pennsyl-
vania and he often declared that the
Susquehanna was lone of the most
beautiful of rivers:
The big beds of hyacinths in Capt.
tol Park got a new name yesterday
when a couple of young
sters came along with their mother.
They had been feeding the squirrels
pigeons and their attention was
attracted by men engaged in taking
out the plants and preparing the beds
for h later flowers. Finally, N of
the kids could restrain himself no
longer and cried: Mother, look at
man digging onions"
Yesterdays ideal weather was the
cause of a boom in business for the
jitneys and they were on the go all
day to take care of the people who
wanted to go to h city parks and
to take trips about the suburbs. Its
fair days that we enjoy" said one
of the operators. Every nice day
and evening we have all the business
want and we can make a good
thing of it, but when a rainy day
comes the folks get back to the troll
ley cars. They say that they are
afraid of cars skidding and other
l was told hat n of the
run crowded TO capacity and 1 just
stood on the corner"
Just as an instance of the detail
that the States highest officials
do, il may be mentioned that
at the meeting of the Board of Public
Grounds and Buildings on Thursday.
the Governor. Auditor General and
Treasurer were called upon to
decide whether to sell an old horse
belonging to the Commonwealth and
to discuss some tenders for some dis
carded furniture. The act of a few
years ago, which was designed DO
the board the necessity of acting
on such detail, appears to have made
worse.
1t is probable that the State Fede-
of Labor will meet here two
years hence, as many of the members
are favorable to meeting here when
legislature is in session. This is
the plan pursued by the agricultural
organizations and enables the men
TO get into touch with the lawmak-
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