Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-06-16
STEELTON BOOSTERS
ENTHUSE OVER FUTURE
Continued From First Page]

sham, borough solicitor; Quincy Bent.
general manager of the Pennsylvania
Steel Companys local plant, and the
Rev. George n. Lauffer, pastor of st.
Johns Lutheran Church.
Each speaker told how in his opin-
ion Steelton could be made bigger,
better and buster borough and several
described the growth of the town dur
ing its thirtysiX years of existence.
1t was the most successful banquet
ever held by Steelton civic workers
and reflected the spirit of optimism
for the borough's future that is held
by every man in the town. When Su-
perintendent McGinnes traced, step by
step, the development of the borough
from O. little settlement of 1000 peo-
pie on the edge of a deep, miasmic
marsh to its present state of munich
pal excellence, there was round after
round of applause.
The only quietness during the big
affair was when Toastmaster Davis
referred to the late Harry C. Wright,
president of the Municipal League,
and who did much to place Steelton in
her present place.
Ovation For Quincy Bent
When Quincy Bent, the almost
youthful manager of the big steel
plant, expressed his pleasure at re-
turning to the town of his birth and
predicted a bright future for the bor-
ough, he was given an ovation.
Some of the older men present de-
clare that they do not recall any oc-
casion upon which a speaker received
such hearty greeting since the days
when the late Major Luther S. Bent,
father of the present general manager,
was the directing head of the big steel
plant.
1t was Major Bent, declared Toast
master Davis, who conceived the idea
of larger, better Steelton. 1t was his
faculty for selecting the right man for
the right place that resulted in the
borough'S present uneXcelled schools,
he declared, and gave impetus to the
movement for municipal improve
ments
! Repeatedly throughout the evening
| speakers referred to the late Major
Bent and told of his love for Steelton
and his efforts to make it grow, and
every time his name was mentioned
there was wild applause.
When the present Mr.. Bent was in
! troduced, however, it was evident that
the ovation was for him, not as the
son of his father, or the nephew of
his uncle, but as-Quincy Bent.
| Plans Are Big Says Bent
When General Manager Bent ex-
pressed his faith in Steeltons future,
the applause silenced the speaker;
when he declared big things are
planned for the borough" there was
bedlam.
II have come back to my native
town to live" declared Mr.. Bent.
This is to be my home and I want
to see it just as large and just as fine
borough as possible"
Speaking of the future of the big
steel plant upon which the borough is
dependent he said: while l am not
at liberty to discuss the plans of the
new owners for the steel plant here,
you may be assured that they have
their plan. 1 can't tell you yet just
what it is but you may be satisfied
that it is something big"
Latch String Always Out
Mr.. Bent also expressed his desire
to do all in his power to make the
town grow and prosper and asked for
the cooperation of it's citizens. II
am yet young" said he, "but / have
learned that if am to succeed, need
loyalty, confidence and cooperation
and this is what I ask you to give me.
II want you all to understand" he
continued, that my latch string is al
ways out when am of you wish to
come to me with any matter that has
to do with the welfare of Steelton."
These remarks we're the signal for
another ovation, an ovation that was
checked only when the speaker sig
nailed his desire to proceed, but which
broke out anew when he concluded
telling a little story about a foreigner
who wished to bestow upon his young
est son one of the nicknames of T. T.
McEntee, superintendent of the open
hearth department.
Regrets From Schwab and Grace
Mr.. Bent announced that Charles
NJ. Schwab and f. G. Grace, chairman
of the board of directors and presi-
Steel Corporation, had asked him to
present their regrets that they were
unable to be present because of Mr..
Schwabs slight illness and Mr.. Grace's
eXacting duties at the present time.
They had further requested, he said,
that he inform those pesent that
Messrs. Schwab and Grace were look
ing forward to the time when in the
near future they might have all pres
ent as their guests at a similar af-
fair"
Mr.. Bent's speech was the feature of
the evening and at the conclusion of
the banquet he was kept busy shaking
Hands and renewing old acquaint-
ances. His memory seemed excellent
and when old schoolmates and boy
hood acquaintances came up, nearly
all were greeted with the old boyhood
nicknames and there were few indeed
who needed the formality of an in
y
PRODUCTION.
McGinnes Tells of Growth
Steelton's history since its incor-
poration in 1880 was recalled by Prof.
McGinnes, who told how the present
excellent paved streets, filtered water,
parks and Fairgrounds were obtained.
Frank B. Wickersham, borough So
licitor, explained how the merchants
of town had supported every move
for advancement and told how coun-
Gil is now struggling with the knotty
problem of how to abandon the old
Pennsylvania canal.
Mr.. Wickersham declared that. con-
trary to law, the borough had been
stream and how now il would be nee
essary for the borough to spend S72,-
900 if it desired to build a sewer from
Locust street to the borough line He
asked the merchants to suggest some
solution to the problem.
Bank Employees Guests
The final speaker was the Rev.
| George n. Lauffer, pastor of st. Johns
Lutheran Church, another real bor-
ough "boster" He told of the advan-
tages of community optimism and
since the reverend is quite an optimist
himself he had no difficulty in con-
vincing the banqueters that optimism
applied to community is one of it's
greatest assurances of growth and
success.
The banqueters represented every
business and profession in the bor-