Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-05-17
Enr1tttg Ul1st

Mayor Charles A. Miller is one Of
those who helped bring the new
harrisburg into being. Long before
any of the great improvements in
recent years had been talked about
Mayor Miller, then city clerk, sat
at MS desk in the courthouse one
alternoon chatting with a young
nnewspaperman then doing city Of
Iice work for Harrisburg news
paper. 1t was during the days when
Inc river Front resembIed a public
lump, When consumers were able to
cuo the city water supply down in
the whole of Paxton creek valley
MT; Miller delivered himself of
LttIe talS that sounded like dream
siulI at the time but which now ap~
pears almost in the light of proph&
ecy. L have a big dream for Har-
rlspurg.' said Mr.. Miller, "and part
OF IL l owe to Simon Cameron, who
thought that retaining wall ought
70 De pullt along the River Front and
VINO was so impressed with the nos
sibilities of Eleventh street that he
desired Its name to be changed to
cameron. There is only one way to
bring those improvements about
and that is for the city to float bonds
to build wall along the river which
would be made to cover the outlets
10 the sewers, and in some way, Just
how, | do not know. to so divert the
waters of Paxton creek as to prevent
the flooding of the Paxton creek val
ley. When those things are done
Harrisburg will have the most beau
tltp river park in Pennsylvania and
What is now known as the SibletoWn
section will be reclaimed and Cam
eron street will take on the impor-
tance the old Senator foresaw for it.
another thing we must have" he
continued, lis filtered water" That,
as nearly as the writer can recall,
was the gist of Mayor Miller's con-
Versatlon. 1t illustrates the charac-
ter of man selected by City Council
to be the chief executive of the city.
Ihe wonder is that it has taken the
people all this time to find him out.
Andrew +. Buchanan. division
passenger agent for the Pennsylva-
MIA Railroad in this city and recently
elected president of the Rotary Club,
has sense of humor all his own.
lie was division commander of the
Blues in the Boy Scout campaign
Of last week. On the first day the
Reds" led by Flavel l.. Wright,
came out ahead and there was q
good deal of joking back and forth
at the expense of the defeated divi-
sion. The day following the "Blues"
forged to the front and in making
his speech of consolation Mr.. Bu-
chanan for a moment surprised his
audience by presenting Mr.. Wright
with a small flag of Holland.
This little flag is the symbol of
the dogged persistence of the Dutch
people, who know no such thing as
the impossible" said Buchanan. "It
typiiics the kind of courage you
Reds possess. 1t means that defeat
to-day is only a symbol of victory
tomorrow. 1t stands for persist
ence, perseverance and a dogged de-
termination to win," he added, as
tho Reds" broke into cheers.
But" he continued. while the
"Blues" roared with laughter, ''in
this particular instance it means that
you Reds are in Dutch"
These are the days when the rhu-
barb has the call. People who at
tended the markets of the city yes
terday morning appeared to be much
impressed with the food properties
Of the great spring tonic vegetable,
or fruit as some term it. and there
were few baskets which did not have
bundle of the long stems showing.
Rhubarb is Systematically abused
an6 very much used. A great many
people accustomed to it in their
youth pretend to pass it up, but it
is to be noted that almost everyone
eats it when it is served and that
rhubarb pie Is as popular in Har-
risburg homes as it was ten years
ago.
There were quite some noted men
in Harrisburg yesterday for hear
ings before Legislative committees.
In the number were ]. Benjamin
Dimmick, former mayor of Scran-
ton; eX-Judge w. +. Wheaton, of
Wilkes Barre; w. L. Connell, men,
ber of the conciliation board and
one of the big men of Scranton;
James Scarlet, the Danville lawyer,
and e. j. Lynett, the Scranton pub
Usher.
The smoke which swept over the
city yesterday and last night from
the forest fire in Perry County was
new experience for some of the
legislators. who did not understand
how the city should be so permeated
hy the odor when the fire was so
distant. Automobile trips have been
taken up the river by number of
people to see the fire.
One of the reasons advanced at .
the Capitol last night for the fixing
of an unusually early hour for the
convening of the House to-day had
q religious flavor.
"Why are these rural fellows so
pent on a $50 session." asked one
member who does not like to get up
early.
Don't you know? Well. the day
is Ascension Day. They want to go
to church." was the reply.
"As a matter of fact" said an old
observer of legislative matters to-
day. This session of the Legisla-
ture has had about all of the inter-
esting moves that have characterized
former sessions, but the dragging
manner of the whole business and
the tense situation existing between
two branches of the government have
rather prevented them from being
observed. More things have turned
up this session than usual and every
week there is some new ruction."