Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-09-11
Eirettfttg Ulraf

AZ an example of condensation of his
torlc Iact5 into small compass the in
scription prepared by State Librarian
Thomas Lynch Montgomery for the
John Harris Ferry, which some one
mas aptly termed the reason for
Harrisburg" is hard to equal. Mr..
Montgomery has put the history of
almost three-quarters of a century,
tne period or this community's swad-
dnng clothes, into a few sentences,
pointing. out the national Significance
of the Ferry. The average Harris
burger seldom thinks of the tremend-
Gus part played by the almost forgot
ten ford and scarcely more remember .
ed ferry in the settlement of PennsvI
vania to the south of us and to the
west of us, of Ohio, Kentucky and In
diana, parts of Virginia and even
North Carolina. There was a line of
forts along the Blue Ridge from over
In the Jerseys beyond Easton clear
down into Western North Carolina and
Harris Ferry was one of the places on
the line of defense, because that is
what 1t was as much as a trail of
pioneers. Hence Mr.. Montgomery
strikes at the high point of our past
history He has written for the bronze
tablet that will bear the words for
years to come that this was the site
of the crossing of greatest historic
interest on the wide branching Sus-
quehanna. "A great part of the early
migration into Western Pennsylvania
ana the ONO Valley passed this way"
ne says. When you stop to think what
that has meant in American history it
Is something to be so proud of that we
wonder why we did not mark the
place before. Mr.. Montgomery en-
podles In few more sentences the
| grant OF the ferry right and the re-
lationship of the two John Harrises.
1t is the story of our home epitomized
down to 1885.
The other day a well-known Har-
risburger stopped off in Elizabeth
vile and finding time hanging heavy
on his hands thought he would paw
call on his old friend James E. Lentz
Accosting small boy in the street he
asked:
II say, my lad. do you know where
Mr.. James E. Lentz resides?"
'Who?" asked the boy in return.
Mr. James e. Lentz," repeated the
man.
boy. ieO 'A0
That's strange, I thought he was a..
prominent man in this town. Seems
to me he's the assistant superintend-
ent OF the Sunday school, the chair
man OF the union picnic committee,
the chairman of the football associa-
Ition, the"
L AN, broke IN tne urch1n diSEuSted-
/. ly, he lives right down that street,
SIX doors. You mean Jimmy"
81 have been surprised at the num-
Der of former Pennsylvanians residing
IN California" said a resident of an
upstate county yesterday in talking
about trip he had made to the Gold
en- Gate. In every one of the big
California cities 1t seemed that 1 ran
across some one from this State, many
or them my own acquaintance who
had gone to the coast to live. Some
or them are taking prominent parts
IN the life in that section, too"
National Guardsmen in this city are
speculating on the make up of the
team which will be selected to rep
resent Pennsylvania in the national
rifle matches at Jacksonville. 1t hap
pens that this city has some of the
most expert marksmen in the guard
and the Eighth and other organiza-
tions hereabouts will probably be rep
resented.
Here is another jitney story: The
other day trolley car became stalled
on curve In the central part of the
city and gave an imitation of a roll
ing mill in Its efforts to get under
: way. The passengers became restive
and crowd gathered, of course,
: speculating on how long. the block
would last: Then right along side the
car moved in jitney and its driver
g with fine regard for the proprieties,
called out: Uptown; going now"