Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-07-31
Ehrntng Gtat

Harrisburg is declared to be tho
center of one of thes most unique
branches of mining activity in the
country by Howard z. Moses, of this
city, in an interesting study of the
river coal industry which appears in
the last number of the Journal of the
Engineers Society of Pennsylvania.
Mr.. Moses has put together the results
of extended observation and careful
inquiry and what he says about the
work that goes on under our eyes, anG
about which the average Harrisburgel-
knows so little, would surprise busi-
nessmen, manufacturers and mining
men. Ten Illustrations, made from
photographs taken opposite this ciry,
include typical dredges, hoists, includ-
ing the plant of the Harrisburg Light
and Power Company, and apparatus.
Mr.. Moses comments upon the fact
that for ninety miles along the Sus-
quehanna river coal is dredged, but
that the center Of the business is about
Harrisburg, nearly 100 miles below the
center of anthracite mining. Approx
mately 100000 tons of coal are taken
from the bed of the SusquehaBna in
this vicinity, he estimates. OF this the
over a third at cost which well pays
the effort. The fleet" engaged in the
industry in what might be called the
Harrisburg zone of navigation consists
of no less than 25 steam dredges and
$50 or more flats. The type of dredge
used here is known as the suction
dredge, which has been found to be
more adapted to the peculiarities of
the Susquehanna than the bucket
dredSe used along the Schuylkill. The
Susquehanna, or Harrisburg, type of
dredges are good for 100 tons of river
and "a good bar" struck. The article
considers the river coal one of the
advantages of location here. as we'll
1t is, because the coal dug from the
river bed has been found we'll suited to
power plants of all kinds, not the least
being that in the Pennsylvania State
Capitol, which gets possibly 10000
tons a year from the waters of the
Susquehanna.
Hugh Hastings, former State his
torian of New York, who died a few
days ago in New York city. was we'll
known to number Of Harrisburgers,
as he had frequently visited here. He
was for years identified with Jour-
nalism in New York State and was
noted for his researches in New York
history. After several years in this
New York city tax commissioner un-
der George 3. Mcclellan and then re-
turned to newspaper work, keeping up
correspondence with friends here. He
was head of the Cohoes Republican
when he died.
Harrisburg is about to have its first
school of Spanish, under the direction
of Mrs. Melvin Menges, and the study
of the language of Latin America is
apparently to be taken up by a good
many, judging from the number of
inquiries being made for works on
Spanish and Spanish textbooks at the
Harrisburg Public Library. Governor
Brumbaugh, who is an ardent advocate
of Spanish, says that it should be made
part of the course in language in the
schools, because in his opinion the day
is not far distant when IL will be of
more importance to American business
men than any except our own tongue.
The State Library has also had numer-
Gus inquiries for Spanish works and
State officials who have Travelled in the
last few years say that many of the
other commonwealths are reporting
marked interest in the language 1t is
also significant that in the last few
years several of the largest cor
porations in this State, notably those
engaged in export, have been requiring
their statesmen to have a knowledge of
Spanish, and at Pittsburgh and Phila-
delphia there are commercial houses
which give a place readily to anyone
with a business training who knows
the language of Latin America. Some
of the best examples of Pennsylvania
businessmen trained to the modern
requirements are in the service of tho
Bethlehem Steel Corporation and many
of them speak Spanish where a few
years ago it was unknown.
Now that we are to have Virginia
farmers come here to see what we
raise in this part of Pennsylvania, why
would it not be a good idea for the
folks in some parts of our own State
to come to the district within fifty
miles of Harrisburg and note the ex-
cellence of the farms and the variety
of the products" said q man who
comes from near this city. Take
Lancaster, Reading, York, Chambers
burg or West Chester. Each one lies
in a farming district which can hold
it's own against western agricultural
communities much more advertised.
Lower Dauphin and parts Of York,
Lebanon, Berks and Chester really be-
long to the garden county district
and I would like to have some of the
people from Easton, Scranton Will
Transport, Erie, Johnstown, Newcastle,
Greensburg, Washington and most of
all Pittsburgh travel through the
south central countless as they have
been called. It would do them good.
stead of through New York or Balti-
more or Philadelphia and thereby save
money"