Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-05
Ehpntmg Ul1at

| When the Rotary Club committee
went into the mountains above Har-
risburg to select community Christ
mas tree some weeks ago 1t picked out
what the members regarded as one OF
| the finest specimens in the forest, A
| few days later Chairman Frank B.
Musser took the foreman of his pole
erecting gang to the tree and told him
to cut it and bring it to town.
"I expect you to have the tree at
Market and Front streets and in place
not later than o'clock this evening".
he told the foreman. ''The time iaS
growing short and there is none to
waste. Don't fail me-"
At o'clock that evening the fore
man reported. THE tree is in place.
he told Mr.. Musser.
Good work." said the chairman.
| Did you have any trouble?"
I'VE sure did," replied the foreman,
I'VE smashed the tree you picked all
to pieces getting it out so we went on
the tract adjoining and cut another"
But great guns, man." exclaimed
the chairman, I'VE hadn't permission
to get that tree. l don't know even to
whom 1t belongs"
That's your trouble" observed the
foreman. You told me the tree had
to be up by this evening, and up
IL is. OruerS are ORDERS.
And now Mr.. Musser is awaiting the
first fair day to make trip to the
mountains to find whose tree graced
the community ceremonies on Christ
mas Eve and to pay for it.
In medical circles there has been
considerable comment regarding the
number of deaths from pneumonia
following operations for appendicitis, .
f.. w. Whitridge, a prominent street
nf fnI 90 NAr. IL
went an operation for the removal ,
of his appendix and two days later
died from pneumonia. Another case
was that of Frank r. Robertson, the
famous travelogist who gave a series
of illustrated talks under the auspices
of The Telegraph last winter. He
was stricken with appendicitis in
Denver and following an operation
suddenly succumbed from pneumonia.
Mr.. Robertson was making q success
full tour of Canada when he was
stricken with appendicitis. There is
general regret over his death.
A former Harrisburg favorite was
in the city the other day. He came
here with the Baldwin forces. His
name is Tom" Connor and he was
in Harrisburg but a few minutes when
his friends found him out. Connor was
at one time an umpire in the Tri-State
League and the best indicator man
who ever wore a uniform. The play
ers were his friends and while there
were some kicks, they came at lone
intervals. Tom Connor was also al
one time a Philadelphia police officer.
! He is now contractor in that city
and very busy man. He is q staunch
Republican and will be in Harrisburg
{ at intervals during the legislative ses-
sons.
, A new safety first rule adopted by
: a Pennsylvania Railroad clerk is to
avoid using tobacco from box that
has been opened before coming into
his ownership. This clerk received
two boxes of fine tobacco as a Christ
, mas gift. The one box was open and
he took it to the Office where he has
/ a collection of briar pipes. Loading
! one of the pipes he started to enjoy a
. smoke. There were several puffs from
the bowl of his pipe. The clerk made
an investigation. Then came two
more heavy puffs and the pipe crack
, ed. Opening the box he poured the I
tobacco out on sheet of white paper
Yes, there were many little BLACK
specks on the white paper. 1t was
powder. AS the present came from
several engineer friends he does moi
know who to blame for the joke.
Sounding the klaxon doesn't relieve
the automob driver of further re-
sponsibility to avoid a collision when
he approaches cross street. point
edly observed President Judge Kunkel,
the other day, in sentencing w. NJ.
Hurst to pay a 5000 fine for crashing
, into a loaded car in Front street.
? Hursts attorney had argued that he,
! Hurst, had carefully sounded q warn
ing of his approach via his klaXon.
THE purpose of sounding the klaXon
is to help serve notice of the approach
of the car and the intention in so do
ing is to avoid q collision. But the
, mere footing of the klaXon doesn't full
1r.azT Nest al-
though some drivers think that when
J they do this, their work is done. But
it isn't. They must do all they can
further to avoid a collision"
The following interesting account of
the origin of the word news" is given
in a magazine by Calvin Holbrooke:
THE word news as applied to the
happenings of the world has Il curious
and interesting origin. In the olden
days, long before there were any news
papers, events were collected from all
parts of the world. and brought in by
a messenger, very much as Is done to-
day. For many years no name could
be found which adequately fitted this
material. At last someone suggested
the initials of the quarters of the earth
north, east, west. south-since the
information came from there. The
letters thus taken were N, e, w, S,
and they formed the word news"
The word clung. and later when the
days happenings were brought to-
gether in the form of printed matter
the name 'newsnaper' was applied"
The meeting of the electoral col
lege to be held on Monday will take
place in the Senate chamber, where
such gatherings have been held since
the new Capitol was built. Prior to
that time the college met in the hall of
the House of Representatives. 1t fol-
lows a procedure which is a century
old.