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

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Simon Snyder was the first Governor
of Pennsylvania to take the oath of
office in Harrisburg. This ceremony
was performed over 101 years ago and
was the third Inauguration of the
sturdy governor. General Snyder was
elected Tor three terms, taking the
oatn Tor the third time on December
20, 1913. The ceremony took place at
the oid courthouse. as the seat of gov
ernment had only been removed to
Harrisburg the year before and the
ioundations of the Capitol had hardly
Iy,si pESh more m lhan marked out on Capitol
ttiiL The Dauphin County Courthouse
was the temporary Capitol and on the
morning or December 20 the members
OF the Legislature, the principal Off
Gals. the judges and citizens to the
NUMBER OF several hundred proceeded
70 Ihe residence OF the General. said
TO nave been at the time in Front
street near the Kelker mansion. now
the nome OF the Dauphin County His
torical Society. 1t was war time and
there was a military escort, but not a
great one. Snyder disliked ceremony
aIo aIn tne Whole affair was very simple.
he was the first Governor to read his
inaugural address, as he was not a
speechmaker as were his predecessors
ana he had his remarks all written
out. The Harrisburg newspapers note
tne fact' actually devoting more atten-
tlon TO the news of the war of 1912
ana european dispatches than to the
inauguration which was destined to
pe tfst OF long line of such cere-
monies. There is mention of con-
gratuiations being extended to the new
Governor and of dinner in the even
ms anu theFe are some extracts from
the speech. Since that day in 1919
twenty-five men have taken the oath
Oh once as Governor of PENNSYLVANIA
anu III. Brumbaugh makes the twenty
thlrd Some of these Governors. like
snyder, served three terms and some
served twice, succeeding themselves.
Ohe man, Pattison, was twice Gov
ernor under the present Constitution.
In thls connection 1t is interesting To
note that Harrisburg has been the
state capital only since October 1912
dithough John Harris laid it out to be
capital of the State, donating four
acres and more March 4, 1885. The act
making this city the capital was passed
IN + fepruary, 1910, and the capital came
mere from Lancaster two years later.
Inc cornerstone of the old State House
was iald May 81, 1919. and the Legis-
lature occupied 1t for the first time
January 2, 1922. This CapitoI burned
FEBRUARY 2, 1897.
The reported financial troubles of
JOSIAH V. Thompson, of Uniontown.
attracted wide attention among men
active IN politics throughout the State
as ne Is well Known to thousands of
people because of his activities in busi
ness and politics. Mr.. Thompson was
much In Harrisburg several wears ago
ana when candidate for the Repub-
mean nomination for Governor had
headquarters at the Commonwealth
Hotel. 'N''''
1t a wonder that a city so full of
historic associations as this does NOT
take some steps to have the places of
interest marked so that visitors could
understand where history was made"
salu s one OF the men here to attend the
lhaugufation For" said he. II do
not know of any place outside of
Phlladelphia which has so much of
real state interest. The site of the old
courthouse. which was the first Can't
tol mere assuredly should be marked"
y good many visitors to the citv
who would otherwise have come here
yesterday did not arrive in Harrisburg
uhtil ths morning because of in
apillty TO get accommodations This
is growing to be the case more and
more and entails a hardship upon
people from a distance. One man from,
scranton came here last night and
went to Steelton to find a place 10
sleep. Another man said that he had
gone to Carlisle.
Apropos of this condition a funny
incident occurred Sunday at the cor
her OF Third and Market streets. A
man asked newsboy whats that
mole IN the ground over there" indi-
eating the site of the old Grand Opera
House.
That? oh. that's the site for the
new hotel We're going to get when
piled the youth.
William Perrine editor of the Phila-
delphia Evening Bulletin and one of
the most widely known newspapermen
IN the country, is here to see the
inauguration
When Governor Tener left bis offIoe
for the last time late yesterday after
noon he placed two keys on the desk
They We're the only keys to the offices
but they opened pretty nearly every
thing.
National Guard officers coming to
the city say that there is considerable
VIM being shown by commanders of
companies in the organized militia
because of the orders to recruit to tba
minimum. The orders were noted in
the Telegraph last week and it is an
interesting fact that the two infantry
companies here are not only at their
maXim9!m. which they have held for
seVeraFSEears, but that thev have a
waitingNiat. One of these days there
VIII be an infantry company i'm Steel
ton. too.
WELL KNOWN PFO