Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-08-17
Ehentng Chat

If $1,000 is a fair average price for
the automobiles registered in Pennsyl-
vania, there is $13S, 900 invested
in pneumatic-tired motor vehicles in
the Keystone State, and they have
yielded the Commonwealth of Penn
sylvania considerably over a million
dollars in license revenue since jan
uary 1 last. The total number of
ppeumatic-tired vehicles registered in
the State Capitol is 13s,4O6 and the
number of trucks is 1853. The auto
mobile registration records of the State
Highway Department afford a very in
teresting study these days. They show
a total revenue from motor registra
tions of S1,576, ,020.50, all of which
goes back on the highways. To Au-
gust 5 last year the revenue had been
$1,1SS,3S1, so that the gain this year is
quite substantial. The total of all cars
ana trucks registered to this date is
1853 while to this date last year
the number was only 102.753 The
registration of pneumatic-t tired cars
thus far this year runs as follows:
Under 20 horsepower 14,543, against
11.107 last year at this time; between
20 and 35 horsepower, 112.70S. against
75,7O9, this class showing a tremen-
dous gain and investment of millions;
between 35 and so horsepower, 10, ,655,
against 9,759, while there is a drop in
the registration of cars having over so
horsepower from $40 at this time last
year to SIS. This is the only line that
shows a decrease. These cars are
very expensive and the increase has
been in the moderate priced cars TAX
ing these figures as a guide and aver
aging the price of cars at $1,000. the
total value of the pneumatic cars
registered to August Is last year was
900 and thus far this year
MAfT Ia rt-ft fs,1sV,
thus far amounts to 1911, against
13 .407 last year. If $3.50 is a fair
average for motorcycle values, this
means that the investment in such
vehicles registered in the State is
S2.416,650.
DR.. H. A. Surface, the State zool-
oeist, makes plea for the bat, provid-
inc the bat lives in the country. The
hat, according to the Zoologist, is a
destroyer of caterpillars and moths
and likes the pests that damage fruit
trees for his midnight meal. Moths.
asserts the zoologist, constitute tho
greater part of the food of the bats,
and that is the reason they are to be
seen fiuttering about arc lights and
standards in the cities, and why they
will dart in front of the glare from an
automobile headlight in the country.
DR.. Surface does. not think that bats
are very useful as eXterminators of
mosquitoes and winged ants, but he
believes that they are of value to tho
farmer and should not be driven off.
Come to think of it, did you ever
know a bat to fly into any PERSONS
hair or to get tangled in a woman's
hair during night chase to get a
flying rodent out of room? l asked
seven people, all of whom have gotten
up and shooed bats out of rooms this
GtlF m . had @F
bat even touching a person excepting
accidentally to avoid a swoop of a
broom? And not only had they never
been touched by bat, but they never
knew of anyone having such an eX-
perience. However, all admitted that
they never knew a woman to go after
a bat without a towel tied over her
| head.
Interest in national defense and in
the work of the State militia will prob
| ably lead to more spectators going to
Mount Gretna this week to attend the
National Guard encampments than for
long time. The contests for the
teams that begin the camp to-day have
been keen and it is probable that some
of the men who have been taking part
in regimental and brigade matches
will visit the camp. Adjutant General
II omas ]. Stewart. who takes a big
interest in the rifle practice, plans to
spend a couple of days watching the
men at the ranges. The trophies are
about the same this year as in former
years.
Commissioner, of Labor John Price
Jackson. who is an electrical expert
like his brother, Professor Dougal C.
Jackson. is to read one of the papers
at the convention of electrical fire
alarm men at Cleveland. DR. Jackson
was dean of the school of electrical
engineering at State College for sew
eral years.
Attorney General Brown is not get
ting much chance to enjoy his boating
on Lake Placid these days. For years
Mr.. Brown has spent his summers in
the Adirondacks and has a fine sum-
mer camp on the lake. They say that
when he does go to the woods he takes
papers along with him and works all
the time. He says he has to these
days with all the numerous things
cropping up in the State government