Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-06-25
Ehrntng Grat

/ Deen interesting good many people
of the city the last few days have been
a subject of much discussion among
those we sometimes call the "old tim
ers," but who are essentially modern
in their criticisms. One man told
about the early days of ballooning in
Harrisburg in most entertaining
way. These ascensions were part and
parcel of the attractions of the
old Dauphin county fair which thirty
or forty years ago was the great event
OF the year. 1t was held in the up
per part of the Tenth ward and where
lthe Harrisburg Academy stands was
part of the race track. The balloon
was carted in wagon to Second and
Reilly streets as that was the northern
END of the gas mains and it was filed
with the assistance of hundreds of the
residents. When loaded it was tied to
1.-THE wagon, weighted with stones and
held down by men and taken to the
old driving park where the aviators
went up. And in going up there was
no trip of few minutes The bal
loon was filled with Illuminating gas
and was good for day or so. Free
lquently the ascenders went many
miles away. Barnum also had an
aviation stunt attached to his circus.
This was also years ago. The bal
loon was one of the kind now used. 1t
was filled over at Seventh and North
streets and sailed over the upper end
of the city until the gas gave out and
then it dropped. 1t was recorded as
having alighted in various yards, on
railroad tracks, on houses and one
time on church. Ballooning always
had a great attraction for people
from surrounding towns and they
came here in great crowds on the days
when the balloon was supposed to go
up.
President Judge Kunkel is COM
mencing to think about golf That
is sure sign that vacation time is
nigh. The judge spends his summers
at Port Deposit, one of the prettiest
places in this part of the country and
plays golf as he thinks out opinions.
Announcement that the Harrisburg
Public Library would be prepared to
send books to the Fairgrounds and to
have some of it's experts give advice
on books has resulted in more calls
for visits and books than the Library
can supply. The demands upon the
Library have been greater than ex-
pected and every day there are new
ones arising. The children's book de-
partment is the busiest of the Lii
brary.
People on Capitol Hill are watching
with interest the efforts of people in
Adams county to have the East Ber-
lin railroad saved as line. This COM
/ pany figured in proceedings in the
courts and in the public service COM
mission as well as before the attor-
| ney general. the owner declining to
run 1t unless 1t paid Now the people
of the district it traverses want to
raise the money necessary to keep it
L F.-s Ils.. i +
one of the few instances in the coun-
try of a railroad not being active.
Bass fishermen have been saying
s things about the condition of the Sus-
r quehanna that are not printable. The
r river has been very muddy the last
!. few days and fishing around Rockville
Y and down the stream as far as Collins
e station has been impossible. 1t is all
d the more aggravating because reports
It received before the season commenced
e indicated that there were many fine
: fish about p
: Prominent among visitors to the city
e yesterday wepe w. Fred Reynolds, of
/. Bellefonte, and d. J. Driscoll, of st.
y Mary's. Mr.. Reynolds came here on
= an automobile trip and stopped on his
a way east. Mr.. Driscoll is former
# chairman of the Democratic State
g committee and attended to business
!. here.
d The odd sight of wheat growing in
e q field under the rays of a city arc
). light and within ten feet of an
= asphalt street is to Ne seen at the
t, eastern gate of the city. And it is
n a big wheat field, too, no little one or
e two-acre plot. 1t is at least seven
hundred feet long. The wheat is on
property of the Rutherford estate at
" Derry and Melrose, across the line
from the city and right where the
city's last electric arc light shines.
The report to the Dauphin county
q court the other day of a lunacy COM
u mission recommending that a young
y woman inmate of the insane ward at
II the almshouse be sent to the State
: asylum for treatment touched upon
h a rather remarkable incident found by
a the commission in investigating the
a case. One night the attendants dis
, covered the girl rolling on the floor of
) her room and when they attempted to
O. demonstrate with her she became so
. violent that she had to be fastened
into a Straight jacket" This is made
of straps and heavy canvas and so
constructed that the hands and arms
of the wearer can be bound tightly to
5 the side of the body in such a way as
to prevent any movement of the arms.
Two minutes after the raving girl had
been encased in the straight jacket"
she tore herself free.
There is one jitney operator who
plays safe. He has a route down in
the business section and he goes right
up to the traffic officer and stops. The
other day he stopped beside the off,
Ger to be told when to go on and bade
the copper" the time of day. He
was nearly arrested.