Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-03-07
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Pennsylvania will find quite a few
things of interest Just now among the
third class cities OF the State and some
activities which would not have been
thought of a decade ago are occupying
the attention of officials. Paved streets,
parks and improvsd sewer systems are
now regarded as much matters of
course as police and fire protection
and the new lines of activity are along
the lines of community work, espe-
cialy devotion Of certain streets at
fixed times to Fairgrounds for chill
dren and dancing; the close regula-
tion of markets. even to the extent
of bluntly telling food price gougers
to stop their practices and the opera
ton OF gardens such as were much in
vogue in the days Of the Pingree po-
tato patches, and along the lines of the
summer gardens conducted with so
much success in this city the last few
years under the auspices of the Civic
club and the associated charitable or
CARNATIONS. York and Wilkes-Barre
are giving considerable attention to
the gardens now, while Erie, which is
rapidly developing it's port facilities
and its fishing industry is doing the
same thing. Chester, which has had
a phenomenal Development, is now
planning annexation of adjacent dis
tricts to create gieater Chester and
TO make the water 'front.' O bigger bus
mess asset, to establish model hous-
ing and to extend parks Allentown
and Bethlehem seen to be forgetting
old rivalries and show a disposition to
work and plan for great things in the
days when their limits will be within
stones throw. Easton Is moving for
AnnQXnfinn n 1clo
goes through Bethlehem will grow up
in spite of county Ines. Pottsville is
giving countenance to refofeSting
plans in it's neighb,rhood and AL
toona and Johnstovn are keenly in
terested in development of water sup
plies and new highways. Out in the
coke country the cites of Uniontown
and Connellsville are projecting ex-
tensive municipal improvements and
the new city of Butler will launch an
ambitious program when it celebrates
its centennial this spiing. Coatesville,
which has been suffering effects of alb
normal industrial coalitions and i'm
ported labor now has plans for mu-
nicipal efficiency in administration.
All of the third class cities are grow
ing and have plenty of resources
which their people are now content
shall be employed for common bene-
fit to a greater. extent than ever.
In this connection it is interesting
to note from conversations of legis-
lators that some of the larger bor-
oughs of the State are awaiting
changes in the third class city code
and further tryouts for others before
submitting to their voters propositions
to become cities. On several occasions
recently questions of entering the city
class have been defeated largely
through antagonism of the liquor in
terests. which objected to the higher
license fees and were strong enough
to hamstring good municipal moves.
Enactment of a home rule" amend
ment to the constitution, such as is
proposed by Senator Beidleman, will
bring more boroughs into the city
class where there are greater opLor-
tunities and where they should be
with their big populations and fine re-
sources.
The manner in which every Hsr-
risburg kid took to coasting late yes
terday afternoon and last night was
we'll worth watching. There we're
dozens of shedding parties in the Hill
streets last night and they were by
no means confined to youngsters. tNu-
merous grownups took part, Quite a
few Harrisburgers went over to Gum
berland county to enjoy the hills and
of Swatara. township for fun. 1t was
about the last chance for coastins fun
this spring and no one seemed to
want to miss the opportunity. in the
east end of the city it seemed as
though everyone who owned a sled
was out for the fun,
Something seems to be wrong
about this Legislature" obserIed
| former member who stopped of here
| yesterday on his way home from the
Inauguration.
well, outside of the fact that 1t
has not done anything there does not
appear to be anything different from
other general assemblies" was the
reply he got from several newspaper
men who had run across him in
Capitol corridor.
You're a fine bunch of watchers,
you are" replied the eX-niember
'Iiere you have been in session two
months and YOU do not have bill
| flower"
Herman L. Collins, the Gifard of
the Philadelphia Public Ledger makes
this interesting observation on the re-
cent report of the Pennsylvania Rail-
road: "An annual statement by Pres
ident Rea is the talleSt talk we ever
hear. What I mean is that lie deals
in such stupendous figures on the one
hand and the tiniest fractions of PEN
nies on the other. Gulliver's giants and
| liliputians are mere symbols of the
/ Pixies Peaks and grains of dust which
President Rea must alternately nego-
tiate in his work. One moment he
needs Lick telescope and the next
g. thousand-power magnifyingj glass.
'Whadya mean telescope and micro
scope? you ask. Just this. Presi-
dent Rea with one breath tells us his
railroad system last year collected
$44S, 900, 900 of revenue. but that to
earn the price of one two-cent stamp
| it had to carry a ton of freight twelve
miles. Can you beat that for vivid
/ confras eff 2'l