Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-20
Eurntttg Ul1at

o0tIl4 OGIGIAGo ST Af@t%& A~Ns~~
day. was widely known in railroad
circles. Veteran railroaders remem-
| ber him because of his friendship for
| trainmen, and railroad employees "a
general. Major Cameron at one time
was obliged to travel frequently over
the main line of the Pennsylvania
railroad. II time permitted he made
the trips on freight trains. When in
terstate laws did not interfere, he was
a familiar figure on engines and cab
ms When he travelled by freight lhe
always wore overalls, and cap, and
looked like O. real railroader. He be-
came quite proficient in handling an
engine Major Cameron never forgot
the many courtesies extended to him
by railroad men, and there were num-
erous times when a box of apples and
other fruit, or a bag of potatoes was
placed on an engine or cabin. Rail-
| road men between Philadelphia ana
| Pittsburgh knew him as jolly fellow.
| Some of his railroad friends are now
| on the honor roll and they recall many
| interesting incidents in connection
with the life of Major Simon b. Cam
| eron.
A friend who had read in this col
| umn last evening the article on the
various propositions to improve the
| navigation of the Susquehanna, calls
attention to the fact that the first COM
plants about the distractions in the
stream were made at the time OF the
| Revolution. In some provincial docu-
ments reference is made to the dtfti-
Guilty of getting the boats loaded with
grain and other provisions for the AM
erican army down the river because
of the rocks and that some supplies
intended for steerage at John Harris
ferry could not be fioated down be-
cause of the low stage of the river be-
tween Northumberland and the first
mountain and the rocks which filled
the bed of the stream. Much OF this
grain was intended for Philadelphia
and evidently had to be taken in wa
gons or on horses. The first move
ment in 1894 was followed by meetings
in 1903 and after the War of 1872, the
naming of the commission in the
twenties being the most systematic
movement.
It would be interesting to know Just
how far the work progressed. Appar-
emily the commissioners did little more
! than plan and possibly they main
tanned a force of engineers to survey,
| as has been done with some other
/ waterway projects of late years. In
any event there are evidences of de-
time and any attempt to revive the
I project, with an appropriation in the
next ten years led to pronounced oppo-
2 stion. 1923 the Legislature acting
2 upon the data in hand provided for
i removing distractions from North
= cumberland to tidewater and in 1928
y | the commissioners reported that the
i improvements between Columbia and
q tidewater were well worked out and
4 available for 50-ton craft, but that
: further improvements" would be
!. needed between Columbia and North
3 cumberland. Apparently the cost was
. pretty great because in the thirties
n meetings were held at which Congress
: was petitioned to take up the PROPOSE
= ton and when 1t refused the project
n was abandoned.
= What these forefathers of ours were
q driving at, however, was not so much
. to get the coal and produce of the up
= State valleys to Harrisburg and towns
- further down and to reach tidewater,
? but something very different. The
u memories of the War of 1912 were
. still fresh and the project as indicated
4 in correspondence between the people
= of Harrisburg and the War Depart
= :, ment was "sloop and steamboat COM
. munication between the Chesapeake
: Bay and the lakes byway of the Susque-
- hanna" In other words 1t was de-
; Tense as we'll as an economic project.
= It is an interesting fact that in the
A session of the Legislature of 1905 Wi
n conisco creek in the upper part of this
" county was declared a public highway.
= This act was dated April l and set
= forth that the creek, which was wy
= conisco" should be a public highway
- from its mouth to Isaac Ferris mill
> dam The Swatara had been declared
= a public highway very early as it be-
~ came a waterway in colonial times in
g order to have produce from Lebanon
u county, as it afterwards became, float
ed to Middletown for shipment to
- Philadelphia.
The fact that the Capitol Park Ex-
tension Commission has found it nee
essary to go into court on only two
instances to have old mortgages ofli-
cially marked satisfied is being much
commented upon about the city The
titles to the 537 properties were very
clear and they were found to be ready
for transfer when the title searchers
began work This is attributed to the
ample notice property owners had OF
the intentions of the State and to the
close work of the men who looked uT
the properties, this having been done
with the greatest care. The mort
cages which were found not satisfied
were for small amounts and evidently
for sale of lots.
J. Louis Breitinger, former member
of the Legislature and recent chair
man of the Board of Moving Picture
? Censors. was here yesterday to see the
5 first Harrisburg performance of not
: ed film. Mr.. Breitinger met mum.
/. ber of his former colleagues, but saio
that he not thinking so much of State
. affairs just now.