Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-09-23
Ehrntt1g Ul1at

Woods, nils = and valleys and the
pleasant towns of the northern tier.
or less provincial, the eight counties
that lie along the northern border
are little known. Indeed. there are too
many Pennsylvanians who live south
OF the forty-first degree who are more
familiar with the seacoasts of Maine
Massachusetts and New Jersey and
the bright lights of New York, tho
moat OF Fort Monroe and the rivers
OF Florida than with the scenery, the
people and the life of the upper coun-
ties of our own wonderfully endowedI
commonwealth. The Indians loved the
counties of the northern tier and when
the southern Pennsylvanians marched
up with Sullivan on his way to pun
ish the Redskins they were charmed
with the country. When one comes to
think about it there can be small Won
der that the New Englanders and New
Workers wanted the country which the
provincial administration at Philadel-
phia lorded over, but did not colonize
and which the restless Scotch Irish
overlooked because they followed the
Blue Ridge. In Harrisburg we have
grown to know the representative
men of the northern tier of our State
and to respect their strength of char
acter, to enjoy pitting wit against wit
and to marvel at their ability to get
and well administer public office.
There have been some famous men
from this part of the State, men who
have left their impress upon legisla-
ton and affairs and to whom Penn
sylvania was a lasting debt.
Robert Kennedy Young, State treas
urer. lawyer, lover Of the Keystone
State and its glorious history and
student of public affairs, has written
of his own beloved county of Tioga.
n =, I, Il Ia rty,z
the last twenty years and they used
to hear good bit of 1t fifty years
ago. Mr.. Young has composed ''Tales
of Tioga." He wrote them for his
friends last Spring and how he came
to write these sketches is told in his
forewood He says the articles were
written to break the monotony of
travel from Wellsboro to Harrisburg
| during the last three years. Nothing
of the kind was needed during the
return trip. for merely to keep ones
| destination in mind was sufficient to
dispell ennui." OF course, we feel
pretty sad that the thought of Har-
risburg was not enough to stir up ones
soul. but all must admit that the
keeper of the strong box of the COM
monwealth has had good bit to
think about in the last couple of years.
Mr.. Young expresses the hope that
his sketches may inspire some one to
|
treatment" Maybe some one could
If he happened to write a history,
but it Is the field of the sketches that
have come from Mr.. Young's pen that
bring the life. the people, the country
right before us and we can realize the
lively boyhoods of Frederick w. Fleitz
and Ed Van Valkenburg, to whom the
book is dedicated, in 'Old Tiog."
Mr.. Young presents in one of the
articles John l. Mitchell, legislator
and judge, well known to many of
the older Harrisburgers, one of the
sterling men who gave his State an
example of honesty and courtesy fl
deity to duty and loyalty to friends.
1t is related that Judge Mitchell new
er sought Office. 1t was always thrust
upon him, literally forced upon him as
the writer tells in the case of the
United States senatorship. Inciden-
tally, Mr.. Young tells some mighty in
teresting political history in which his
father. Hugh Young, power in the
legislature and in State affairs. took
part. In another sketch we can see
!. Governor William A. Stone travelling
across country on a hunt for a famous
trout pool and falling into hole in
; the dark. In another local characters
: with such unique traits that they
would be interesting in the Soudan
are brought out and some experiences
. are related in a way that makes one
, read to the very end and wish for
more. One of the sketches in more
or less serious vein is of Thomas Har-
! den, who married the sister of the
late Bishop Thomas McGovern. of the
: diocese of Harrisburg and who was
one of the figures of Tioga for years
the leading merchant of Wellsboro and
a wit that is still remembered.
x%
But, 1t is when that topic Of topics
: Wellsboro, is reached that Mr.. Young
naturally. becomes eloquent. This
! sketch follows an inquiry as to the
last Indian that lived in Tioga. Mr.
Young says of Wellsboro that mod.
esty and mental superiority are the
chief characteristics" of the people
of that county seat and it's vicinity
IT have never been much impressed
] with the former, but can attest to the
, latter. It is a pleasure to know that
it is spelled with boro' instead OF
borough and that this town ot
Pennsylvanians among Pennsylvan-
ians was founded by a Delawarean
There is an imposing array of men
who rose from Tioga county towns
or farms to places of eminence. Mr.
Young says with the delicious humor
/ that he lis driven to mention some
who repose in the cemeteries of Tioga
!; county and some who hope to do So
! tho former being widely scattered, un-
able to protest in unison" In the list
J are B. F. Bush, the railroad man;
, Walter r. Merrick, A. P. Cone, Major
, Cassius e. Gillette. Mortimer F. FL
, liott, the lawyer; John B. Cassoday
the jurist and many others not In
cluding Captain N. e. Niles, of the
, new Maine. In this connection Mr.
, Young remarks that Tioga renounced
her natural prerogative and contrib
uted but one commander of the fleet
of sixteen battleships that went around
the world. 1t is astonishing the num-
her OF famous men who have come
from Tioga county, but 1t is pleasant
, indeed to read that Wellsboro. noted
. for statesmen, celery. cut glass and
rich yellow cream" has a county jail
"for accommodation of unfortunates
; who live elsewhere" and that "from
its grated windows is just such a view
as some folks travel to Switzerland tc
. get"