Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-01-13
EVENING CHAT

Under the automobile law in Penn
sylvania at the present time when an
autoist is notified to appear before a
justice of the peace. alderman or
magistrate and, on appearing, is fined
for violation of the statute, he has
no means of knowing whether or not
the money thus collected ever reaches
the State Treasury. as provided by law.
1t is warranted assumption that jus
tees of the peace, aldermen and
magistrates in Pennsylvania are, al
most without exception, honest and
able officials. but in cases where dis
honesty does prevail and where. on &C
count OF rush Of business, lack of time,
forgetfulness and other reasons, re-
turns are not made there is each year
sum of no mean proportion which is
not turned in.
To prevent the possibility of such
fines being withheld from the State
f. A. Jones, Second Deputy State
Highway Commissioner, in charge OF
the Automobile Division, has suggested
plan to check UP the fines imposed.
The plan outlined by Mr.. Jones is as
follows:
In conjunction with section % of
the automobile law, headed Dis
position of Fines etc. / believe there
should be some way by which fines
paid by automobile owners to justices
of the peace, aldermen and magis-
trates should be checked up in order
to prevent any moneys from being di-
Verted from the object for which they
We're intended. or. perhaps, in some
cases to guard against dishonesty in
making returns for same.
Il would suggest that every autoist
uned take receipt in duplicate for
the payment of the same and forward
the duplicate to the secretary of his
automobile club, or, If not Il member
of club. then to a person designated
by the State Highway Department, so
that record may be kept of all such
fines and the State Highway Depart
ment Will be in position to check
them when the official report is made
to the department by the officers who
imposed the fine. This will keep a
check of the honest returns on all fines
collected for the violation of the law,
thereby giving this department, as we'll
as tne parties paying the fine. the sat
lsfaction of knowing that moneys paid
by them had gone to the place desig-
mated by the law
Il believe by the cooperation of the
secretaries of automobile clubs and
their members q complete check-up
system can be established and a cor
rect accounting for all fines thus be
made matter of State record. thereby
preventing any chance of dishonesty
and removing the possibility of un-
called FOR or unjust arrests
Friends of Professor II. A. Surface,
who some time ago suggested him for
Secretary of Agriculture under Gov
ernor Brumbaugh, are astounded by
the flood of newspaper comment since
Professor Surface announced he would
permit his name to be used in that
connection. Not a single objection has
been raised in the press and scores of
Democratic as well as Republican edi-
tors have heartily endorsed his candi-
dacy The work of Surface is we'll and
taVorably known in every county and
not few of the writers add testimon-
ials of their own observations concern
ing its effectiveness. More attention
has been given to the Surface candi-
dacy by the newspapers than that of
any other man whose name has been
mentioned in connection with a cabi-
net place.
The coming celebration of the tenth
anniversary of Enola recalls the fact
that the initial account of the estab-
lishment there of the largest classified
ton yards in the world was
printed in the Harrisburg Telegraph.
When the story was handed to the
editor by reporter, who is still a
AiSilAbOi VI lHS IOlGSEdpn SldIl, some
or the facts were questioned. The re-
porter stuck to his assertions, how
ever, and the story was printed. In
less than twenty-four hours, letters
came from Pennsylvania railroad Off
cials in Philadelphia and Harrisburg
denouncing the story as a fake and
severely criticising the Telegraph for
publishing it. But the paper made no
denial. Several months later work
started Whnrl do
and negotiations begun for the pur-
chase of the property needed for the
new yards. The unauthorized an
nouncement proved to be one of the
biggest beats" in the newspaper his
tory of Harrisburg.
The Telegraph is also responsible
for the present name. Long after the
Enola yards were opened railroad Off
Gals referred to the new yards as the
West Fairview yards" The Tele-
graph continued to use the shorter
term and subsequently railroad Off
cials changed their order and it has
been Enola ever since.
There is still considerable gossip and
controversy as to how the little flag
station that was the original Enola
was named. Frederick william Leis-
man, Harrisburg's veteran German
newspaper editor, now residing al
Camp Hill, is credited by many with
the honor. The story is that Mr.. Leis-
man at one time owned property
where the yards are now located
There was no station nearer than West
Fairview or Marysville, and Mr.. Leis-
man had one established for his ac-
commodation. When asked for a
name he studied for a few minutes,
and then remarked, well we are all
alone here, so let's spell Alone back.
ward and call it 'Enola."
Another story is that Wesley Miller,
who owned a large part of the land
taken over by the railroad company
included in his terms of sale that the
new station and yards and future
town, il there be one. should be called
after his daughter, Enola.