Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-04-19
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John II. Bretz who was yesterday
appointed captain of infantry and
assigned to command Company ID,
Eighth Pennsylvania Infantry, the
"City Grays," has been a member of
the National Guard for Sixteen years
and has worked up his way. showing
now interest in military affairs and
sticking to it bring reward. His ap-
pointment will probably stimulate &
good many men who are in the Guard
for it is promotion by merit. Captain
Bretz enlisted March 13, 1900, and
was made a corporal next year and SER
geant in 1908. In 1908 he was elected
second lieutenant and became first
lieutenant April IS, 1911. His ap-
pointment dates from April IT. Captain
j. j. Hartman, whose commission eX-
pred on April H. and whom Captain
BretZ succeeds, has a long record in
the Guard. He enlisted in Company
ID, June 8, 1891. and advanced by
grades from corporal to captain, be-
ing given the two bars April IS, 1911.
He served as sergeant of Company ID
in the Spanish war. Jerry Hartman
is probably one of the best-known
IGuardsmen in this part of the State.
Josiah p. Wilbar, who was advanced
from second to first lieutenant has Il
fine record in the Guard. too. He is
one of the younger men, enlisting in
1903 and being made a second lieuten-
ant in 1911 after going through the
various grades.
Under the administration Of DIR.
Charles II. Champion, the Peoples
Forum during the past year has grown
from membership of about 75 to
more than 700, all of them enthusias-
tic and active. The weekly Sunday
afternoon meetings have increased
/ Iaay, Ir,,I
ing the year eleven of the best known
negro speakers of the country have
addressed the Forum and as many
white men of prominence. DR. Cramp-
ton is a Harrisburg boy, educated in
the Harrisburg high school and after
ward at medical college. He has very
distinct ambitions toward the better
ment OF conditions in Harrisburg and
is rapidly making for himself a prom
inent place in the community.
The post office plaza which just
now is anything but a beauty spot, is
more appreciated by the birds than
by pedestrians. The interior of the old
federal building has been ripped out
in the rebuilding process and tons of
all manner of debris are piled up on
the lawn. Thus come the nesting
birds by the hundred for material
with which to construct their summer
homes. The piles of plaster are par
/ ticularly popular. Here at any hour OF
the day dozen or more birds may be
seen with their beaks full of hair.
looking enviously at that they have
to leave behind and perhaps wishing
that they had brought a bag or Il
basket along.
Pussy-willows are budding in minia-
ture forests in Wildwood park these
Il V,1 4, i p.II 4
and young, who promenade through
the wooded stretches of Sunday Sc
riously and permanently damage the
growths in their efforts to cut or break
the prettily covered branches. With
the exception of the bloodroot
there are no wild flowers a-bloom in
the park as yet but the bloodroot and
the pussy-Willows appear to afford
easy picking" for the scores who go
flower hunting. The damage that has
already been wrought is matter OF
serious concern to the park officials.
Something should be done by the
people themselves to cooperate with
us in trying to eliminate the practice"
said V. Grant Forrer, park superin-
tendent. ut is against the park regu-
lations to pull the flowers or break Oft
the branches of the trees but the park
is so big that it is almost impossible to
protect the whole stretch All VIC
can do is to urge the common sense
folks of the city to help by doing their
little share. Whenever you see any
body pulling up flowers or breaking
branches from the trees, stop them
and see," added the assistant superin-
tendent smilingly, that you don't do
: it yourself"
Among visitors to the city yesterday
was William Dawson. of Scranton, who
was for years chief clerk in the State
Banking department. He came here
to file papers for his son Representa-
tive Hugh Dawson, who will run fol-
the Legislature again.