Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-03-20
EhrntttD Gi1at

The unusually cold weather which
has been infiicting this neighborhoos
lately can only be exceeded for thrx
time of the third month by the cold
spell of sixteen years ago. There have
been cold waves in 1904, 1907, 1909
and 1912, the latter the coldest ever.
known, but they have not been in
March. In 1913, there was a cold wave
in May, but it only got down around
freezing and nipped plants and chased
home straw hats. The business-like
cold wave which we are undergoing,
therefore, has to go back to the third
week OF March, 1900, for any COM
parison. In that year, following a
comparatively mild February and not
unpleasant first week in March the
mercury went down about the TWEEN
tieth and gave the State the worst
chill it had experienced in a long time.
In some sections zero weather was OBJ
served and the official figures noted at
the government building were not far
from that point. The countryside and
the towns were not prepared for it
and the cold caused much suffering,
the violent change resulting in consid-
erable sickness. In many respects it
was not unlike what has been noticed
this year.
one thing this winter that is to be
noted is the abundance of coal. None
OF the Harrisburg coal dealers, in spite
OF the very heavy demands. has re-
ported any shortage of coal or any in
ability to get it for customers. In fact,
/ n ln L. Ill
stored with coal and to spare. A coal
! dealer explained this circumstance q
lew days ago when he said that he had
oruered more than usual, fearing
shortage because of labor troubles and
that he was not only stocked up, but
that his fellow dealers had also taken
the same precautions. Consequently.
the city is well supplied with coal and
the fall in temperature has not caused
trouble for those who needed coal.
|
Some idea of the serverity of the
March cold snap can be obtained from
the fact that big crows of the size one
ordinarily does not see in the vicinity
/ OF buildings have been noticed hang
ing about the outskirts of the city
and visiting Reservoir Park. These
! big fellows, which are common enough
in the depth of the country, are show
ing signs of hunger as the protracted
| Winter HIS uepIlNGu lnell Oh even inc
short rations on which they have been
subsistng for long time. Quite n
flock was observed yesterday about
the almshouse farm and more have
been seen in Wildwood park and
and along the river front
1t seems rather hard to realize that
1T will only be little more than three
weeks until the trout season opens,
and casting for the gamy fish will be
in order. The true trout fisherman
visits the streams or else gets conf
dental reports on conditions, but this
year many will have to act on hasty
information owing to the fact that
rigorous weather has prevented much
observation of the brooks. Quite
few yearling trout were put out last
year in Cumberland and Perry coun-
ties and there should be some fine
fishing according to State officials who
keep tabs on such things.
While Captain Edward IT. Schell. a
member of the city bureau of health
and sanitation, was chatting the other
day with a friend, a citizen (of the type
that feels it his duty to frequently
criticise most anything and anybody
connected with the city government
took the health official to serious task
because of the measles outbreak.
ber of the board of health should be
spoken to about this" finished the
good citizen. 81 think you should do
something about it," And he hur-
ried away.
oh" observed Captain Schell
trifie wearily to his companion, that's
nothing. Folks have queer ideas
about the duties and powers of the
bureau of health. The other day, for
instance, n man stopped me on the
street and asked me if 1t were true
that I'm a member of the board of
health. 7 admitted it.
well said he, I think you should
know of this; I've tried for four hours
on several occasions to get long dis
tance telephone connection to Phla-
delphia. Four hours, mind that! Now
then l ask you. as a member of the
public board of health, shouldn't
something be done about that? L
certainly think so. Don't you?"
Yes ! said as feelingly as L
could, L certainly do
Just as an instance of how rapidly
buildings are outgrown it may be
stated that the courthouse in Pitts
burgh which is being replaced by the
joint city-county building. was dedi-
Gated by Rutherford Il. Hayes in 1888.
The cornerstone of the new building
was laid Saturday with the Governor
) and United States Senators in attend
ance.