Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-04-12

|: [ EVENING CHAT
This city's hotels are getting into
the three day week class more than
ever, was the remark of man con-
lhected with the management of one
io1 the hotels by that l mean that
we nave about three rush days each
week, days on which we can not ac-
commodate all our people and have to
turn business away, while the rest of
the week, especially the weekend, we
are not even up to fifty per cent capa-
city. If 1t were not for our friends,
the travelling men, who come here for
their Week-ends we would have some
annoyances about getting any return
on the investment. The difficulty here
appears to be that the hotel people
are expected to take care of big crowds
from which we do not make as much
as people think and then to make ends
meet on small business" There is
something to the comments of the ho-
tel man and the situation has been
strfkingly illustrated during this leg
l1slative session. With exception of the
TWO or three days preceding the or
ganization of the Legislature and the
inauguration of Governor Brumbaugh,
the hotels have been hardly more than
a third filled during the weeS-ends
On Tuesdays, which appear to be the
time when the big hearings, demon
strations and other interesting events
occur at the Capitol; Wednesday and
some times on Thursday business taxes
the ability of the hotelmen to care
Tor guests. 1t also seems that Tues
| day and Wednesday are the big days,
| or the days when most of the crowds
come to attend the conventions, an
nual meetings and other events so that
the hotelman is right in saying that
/ large capacity must be provided for
some days in the week and remain idle
the rest of the time. In fact, this is
one of the problems that must be ans
wered in the construction and equip
ment of new hotel because If rates
are advanced, say the hotelmen, it
VIII drive away the travelling men who
come here after their tours of the
smaller towns. The Tuesday crowds
have been extraordinary this legisla-
tive session and the people here on
Wednesdays for various events have
also been large, but they have fur
nished the bulk of the business as the
number of legislators and legislative
attaches who stop at hotels is small.
Karl Bitter. the noted sculptor, who
died in New York as the result of be-
known to number of Harrisburgers
because of his visits here prior to the
making of the statue of Senator Quay
at the Capitol, but it is said that he
was so chagrined over the attacks on
the plan to place the effigy in the Capt.
tol that he never came here again.
The attacks were not on the artistic
properties of the marble figure, which
is considered a remarkable piece of
work, but the sculptor felt the matter
keenly 1t will be recalled that he did
not come here to direct the installation
of the figure Since that time many who
opposed the placing of the statue have
admired il very much. Mr.. Bitter was
not only in charge of the sculpture
for the San Francisco Exposition, but
had other notable commissions. He
designed the sculptures in the waiting
room of Broad street station in Phila-
de1phia, with which many Harrisburg
ers are familiar, and the statue of DR..
William Pepper on the lawn of the
University of Pennsylvania.
The rains of yesterday afternoon
caused number of babies to get un-
expected and unplanned baths. The
change to take walks was eagerly
seized upon by a number of people in
the afternoon in spite of the lowering
clouds and as result when the show
ers began some people were caught
|and there were wild dashes for shelter
which the youngsters appeared to
hugely enjoy.
No vacant lot is too rough for ball
game nowadays. There are lots which
may contain kopjes of ashes, ranges
of refuse and areas of tin cans with
depressons, holes and hollows, but
they have no terrors for organizers of
scrub" games, Saturday afternoon
there were dozens of games played
about the city and some of the places
selected for the games showed that
Young Harrisburg does not mind in
equalities of ground when he wants a
ball game real badly in the Spring. In
one place boys rolled telegraph poles
away and used pile of sewer pipe in
another for first base.
More people went into the woods,
mountains and parks, and into the
countryside on Saturday than for
many weeks. 1t was the first real day
when things were favorable for walk
ing and favorte spots were explored
and old-time rambles taken again. The
ATTRACTIONS of Wildwood Park were
strongly proved because many of the
people took walks through its trees.
The Reservoir and Fort Washington
were also visited by hundreds.
The itney automobiles which are
being run about the city are getting
so popular in the evenings that it
would seem that the attention of the
safety authorities would be advisable.
The other evening onel car went up
street with eight people in it. 1t was
small car. of course, but the balmy
air and the change in the open caused
good many people to take risks as
well as rides.