Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-07-31
Ehrtttt1p Glrat

1t is interesting to note in connec-
ton with Governor Brumbaugh's ap-
pointment of the commission to ac-
| quire a tract for memorial for
Camp Curtin, the great mobilization
camp of the Civil War, that it is just
about fifty-two years ago that the
camp was closed. 1t was officially
terminated a couple of months after
Appomattox, but it was around Au-
J gust 1 that the government gave 1t
up. Few of the regiments that were
modified there were mustered out in
tht camp. Some of them were dis
charged in Capitol Park and some in
Market Square. Camp Curtins lines,
unfortunately, have not been COM
memorated, but there are men living
in Harrisburg who served in regi-
ments formed there and who were
young men who will be able to recall
where the exact limits lay. Camp
Curtin, it should be remembered, was
laid out in fields just as was Camp
Meade on the Young farms nineteen
years ago almost to this day. The
camp began just above Maclay street
ana the offices were, roughly speak
ihg' about where the Camp Curtin
school building stands There were
three sections to the camp, accord
ing to men who were there. The
men from other states were assem-
nied between Sixth street, then
fldse road, and not much of that,
ana the railroad; Pennsylvanians,
between Sixth and the crest of the
plu1, and prisoners of war between
the bluff and the river, or, rather,
cast of Sixth street. The prisoner
end was established after Gettysburg.
when there was necessity for some
place to put the men taken at the
battle, and vino were brought or
marched into this city, and a source
of embarrassment until a place was
made for them. In the last year of
the war the camp was used for what
was known as the invalid corps"
men who were not strong enough to
go back into active service and who
comprised the provost marshaps
force. They wore uniform of light
blue. For years after the camp the
old buildings remained, including
some used as barracks, and the struc-
ture used as the contagious disease
hospital was not torn down for
long time.
The Camp Curtin grounds were
what was known as the property of
the Harrisburg Park Association and
Captain E. c. Williams, who COM
manded Harrisburg soldiers in the
Mexican War, was requested by Gov
ernor Curtin to take charge of them.
This is said to have been followed by
the mastering of Captain Williams
into service by Colonel Seneca G.
Simmons, of the regular army. The
camp was originally called Camp
Union, but its name was changed.
In addition to Captain Williams, Cap
tain Isaac Waterbury was also in
charge of the camp in the eventful
year of its founding.
|
There is a large apartment house
wherein the average boiler inspector
will be about as popular as a rattle
snake from this time forward. 1t
seems that yesterday, when the heat
was at the worst and the humidity
was making it unbearable, the
boiler inspector came around. He
alleged that he had no other time
to inspect. So they fired up. They
fired up well. too When the occu-
pants of the apartments returned
after lunch for a bit of a nap they
thought that there was a fire. The
heat was going full force and it was
late last night before some of the
residents had the nerve to go back.
They rode around in trolley cars
until sleeping time.
The manner in which the home
defense idea has caught on is we'll
worth noting these days. Organ
izations are being formed in almost
every county, and while they are all
running up against the difficulties of
the proposition of getting rifles, they
are enthusiastic about drilling and
are working hard. Bradford, Ly-
coming, Westmoreland, Erie and a
dozen other counties have recently
formed organizations and Lacka-
wanna is planning a regiment of
twelve companies, most of which will
be in Scranton or its immediate
vicinity. The bulk of these organ
izations are along the lines of the
Harrisburg Reserves and include
many prominent men in their mem
berships. The home defense unit is
being encouraged by the State Com
mittee of Public Safety and the plan
is to get them into touch with each
other for uniformity in work they
are doing.
Lew r. Palmer, chief factory in
spector is a busy man these days.
He is not only running an elaborate
inspection system, but has been Civ
ing extra time to the Council of
National Defense of which he is
member.
Attaches of the Auditor Generals
department are rather used to odd
kinds of requests and letters, but one
came in yesterday which made them
sit up. 1t was forwarded to the
auditing department by the Attorney
Generals office and contained a re-
quest from man in New York state
to secure payment of bill owed him
by a PENNSYLVANIA. The Attorney
Generals department held that it
was without jurisdiction and figured
that possibly the State might have
claim sticking around. too. However,
the Auditor General is not collecting
bills for other people