Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-26
Ehentttp Glrat

Return of the Eighth infantry from
lctive service on the Mexican border
litter having been in the federal army
called to many yesterday the return
of the Harrisburg contingents in the
army of the Spanish war and to older
citizens the stirring days when "men
in blue" came marching home after
the Civil War. The return of the
troops after service in the Spanish war
was made upon three occasions some
thing to remember. The Governors
Troop came here after duty in Porto
Rico arriving late at night and Com
pany | of the Fourth Infantry, which
was later taken into the Eighth under
the letter, received an equally noisy
demonstration when it arrived after
service in Miles expedition. The re-
turn OF Company ID, which was in the
Second Army Corps and closed its SER
vice in the South was the last of the
demonstrations of the war of 1898,
events which are we'll remembered
because of the great interest taken by
men, women and children not only of
TINS city but of surrounding towns
Harrisburg organizations in the Civil
war were given very warm greetings
when they returned from service at
various times, but these comings were
saddened by the losses sustained by
many families. The return of the
l2Tth, the Jennings regiment which
fought in Fredericksburg and other
great battles, was one of the demon
strations long talked about after the
war. This city was the center of Or
Sanization of many regiments of that
terrible struggle and it used to greet
and bid farewell to many commands,
reserVing to it's own outbursts that
were notable even in those days. Old
newspapers tell of the returns of Har-
risburg soldiers who served in the War
of 1872 and the Mexican war. The
city had eight or ten companies in the
army which was marched to defend
Baltimore and when Washington was
taken this place was a scene of great
activity. The close of active service
of these organizations was marked by
parade of the citizens and by lunches
and speeches.
A good record of the return of the
Cameron Guards the company enroll
ed here in December, 1916, for MeXi-
can war service under command of
E. c. Williams, later a brigadier gen.
eral, has come down to us. This
command composed over 100 men and
left here early in 1S47 and was mus
tered out at Pittsburgh in June, 1S4S,
after some pretty trying service with
American armies in Mexico. The
company was considerably thinned by
losses in action, sickness and transfers
and less than half returned to Harris
burg. They came direct from Pitts
burgh and were met at the foot of
Market street by military organiZa-
tfons, veterans of the service of 1912
and the rest of the town. The news
| papers of that day say that there was
| tremendous concourse of people and
| that when the train arrived the bells
| were rung, just as yesterday. How
ever, when the parade was passing
| the principal streets" of the then bor-
| ough cannon were fired in addition to
the ringing of the bells. The survivors
were marched or rather herded by
their grateful and admiring fellow
citizens to the public grounds in the
rear of the Capitol were Edward A.
Lesley made a speech thanking the
Guard for it's service. The article
/ closes the entire multitude then sat
down to an elegant and plentiful re-
past, which had been provided for the
| occasion, free of all expense" Harris
burg then contained about 1000 per-
| sons so that there must have been a
very energetic committee and some
liberal citizens.
A good many persons who have
been noting the general condition of
streams in this part of the State are
| inclined to the opinion that unless
there is a sudden and marked drop in
temperature the chances for trouble
because of ice are decreasing. The
| last week or so, say these observers,
there has been gradual eating away
of the ice and high water, which is
bound to come, will probably dis
solve much of the ice and lessen dan
| gers. However, residents of towns
down the river are reported not to be
taking any chances, especially those in
| Middletown who have the lessons of
1904 in front of them.
There was a proceeding Saturday
before the Public Service Commission
which attracted little attention. but
which really involved something like
a score of millions and the control of
the electric light of Reading, Lebanon
| and some other communities and the
street railway systems of Berks coun-
ty with important lines stretching
clear into Philadelphia and almost
| into Lebanon. For some time plans
have been working out whereby the
Reading Transit and Light Company
could unite into one great company a
dozen or more and establish a huge
enterprise under the public utility law.
1t is the same plan that the Philadel-
phia Electric has been working out in
the absorption of companies which il
controls and which is the order of the
day in big cities. In the Reading case
over 200 miles of trolley line are en-
braced and If the Public Service Com
mission sanctions the proceeding there
will not only be taken over one big
company which has half dozen un-
| derlying companies, but concern,
classed as a sublessee which has four
sub sublessee companies. Once in a
while such transactions operate to the
relief of the public by abolishing COM
plicated corporation relations if moth
ing else.