Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-04-20
MAJOR BENT, FORMER
STEEL HEAD, is, DEAD
[Coatlnued from First Page.l

and took took an active part in the
affairs of the old Harrisburg Light,
Heat and Power Company. He was
also a heavy stockholder in the subsi-
diaries of the Harrisburg Railways
Company. and a director in the Steel
ton National Bank and the Steelton
Trust Company.
Mr. Bent was a member of the First
Unitarian Church of Philadelphia. In
Philadelphia club life he was promi-
nent figure. being connected with the
Philadelphia. Art, Engineers, Corinth-
ian Yacht. Merton Cricket and the Au-
tomobile clubs of that city.
The Major was also an active mem
Der of the Loyal Legion of Philadel-
phia.
Surviving Major Bent are his widow,
who was Miss Mary Stern FELTON,, of
Philadelphia. and three sons, FELTON,,
Stedman and Quincy Bent
Man Who Made StecIton
In Steelton. Major Bent is looked up
on as the man, more than any other,
perhaps, who made the town what it
is to-day. Among the old steel work
ers his death is the only topic of con-
versation.
When Major Bent was at the head
of the Steelton plant, il was different
sort of corporation from what it is
I to-day. The human element predomi-
mated. 1t was a frequent occurrence
| for laborer to walk into Major Bents
private office and tell the Chief not
only the story of his difficulties around
the plant but of his personal troubles
as we'll. And the Major always gave
the right advice, says the old steel
workers. And the Major had habit
.of over-ruling his department heads
| frequently.
Many men in Steelton, whose hairs
are now gray, will remember the Ma
| jor's Police Court" q tribunal of sum-
mary conviction that held sessions
every Monday morning in Major Bent's
| Office.
Major ''the Whole Shebang'
In those days" said an old resi-
dent this morning. ''it wasn't necessary
to have any police here-the Major
! was the whole 'shebang.'
| Before this court every Monday
morning the Major would call the
weekend offenders against his unwrit-
ten code of rules. Serious offenders
would be dismissed from the plant and
ordered out of town. Those who mere
! ly "strayed," as the Major would put
! it. were given q reprimand or short
suspension. A great institution was
| Major Bent's court"
In all civic activities of Steelton
4
of years he was president of the school
/ board and did much to bring the Steel
| ton schools up to their present stand
ard. In honor of his activities in
school affairs the new grammar school
! on Hygienic Hill was named the Luth-
er S. Bent school Although taking an
! active part in the borough manage
ment he held no other elective office
As a tribute to Major Bents work
| in Steelton, the little hamlet of New
| Benton, settled by steel company en-
ployes, was named in his honor
"Bent's Row is another monument to
| the Major and it is estimated that
some two score of children in the bor-
oueh have been named after the Ma
jor."
Many a Story OF ''the Major
! Not only did the scores of the older
| businessmen, bankers lawyers, mer-
| chants manufacturers. of both Steel
ton and Harrisburg who had dealings
with Major L. S. Bent on a larger scale
| during his years of service at the
Pennsylvania Steel Works recall many
a story illustrative of his character to-
| day, but those who came in contact
| with the popular steel company off.
cial in a lesser capacity told their owT
| stories, too.
Among those who remembered some
of the characteristic high-lights of Ma
/ jor Bents services at Steelton was
Marion Nerbeke. one of the citys vet
eran printers and for years chief CLERK
in the Office of the city controller and
4 in the office of the department of f.
nance and accounts. Here are some
of his stories that date back to 1883.
So when MIR. Verbeke was a printer il
the office of the Steelton Reporter:
Remembered Faces
Major Bent probably did not know
everybody on the Steel Company pay
roll by name but II is pretty safe t.
say that he could remember the face!
of all the employees. So accurate wa
he in this respect that II was not un
common for him to readily pick out
man in crowd. For instance, in tn