Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-28
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OF the ice and the weather remind one
OF the number of exceedingly fertile
Islands in the wide branching river
between Sunbury and the mouth OF
the Conestoga. There are probably
a dozen which have been noted for
\ decades for their products and which
nave IN some cases been occupied by
generations of families. Up opposite
ISellnsgrove there is Clemson's island
ana further on down Hartman's island
which was famous for it's farms Then
comes Duncan's, which is whole
township in itself. Opposite Perdix is
Barnetts island, called after the Perry
county family. McCormick's island
now the property of the city, was q
great farming island and survived
many flood. while Keystone island
which is beside it, was the site of the
big shad fishery before the McCalPs
Ferry dam was built. The city's play
i ground island, known as Forster's and
Hargests, was for years melon rails
ing island and was one of the best
trucking propositions to be found un-'
I'll the flood of 1889. came along.
Sheetz's island was also farmed for a
time. Suckers and Hesss islands
the latter opposite Steelton, have been
harmed Off and on for many years Hill
island, in the river near Middletown,
1uts up out of the stream like a Rhine
castle. 1t is the result of a singular
geological formation and contains
three farms. 1t is noted for good
products and for it's cattle, which are
to be seen away up on it's slopes above
the river. 1t has been noted in many
ways, chiefly because some years ago
band of Adventists went to the top
one chilly starlight night to await the
end of the world, which missed the
schedule, as usual in such cases. Then
comes Shells island, long famous for
watermelons and scene of some mid
night depredations by now we'll known
cltlzens. But that was in their younger
days. Duff's island, far down the
river, was for years famous for to-
bacco and so was Whisler's island, op-
posite tho Conewago, which raised
some wonderful canteloupes and to-
bacco.
Probably one of the best-known
islands is the Isle of Que. This is To-
Gated right close to the ancient uni
versity town of Selinsgrove. 1t is
owned by Charles L.. Covert and every
year he has a camp there that attracts
prominent men from many counties.
The Que society has its annual affairs
there and the people of the neighbor-
hood come around to hear views eX-
pounded on government, art, science
and last but not least, politics. Many
Harrlsburgers would not miss this out
ing for any island farm. The camp
ing equipment is the most complete in
the State, including even an electric
light system.
McCormicks island, which used TO
be called CoXe's island. after General
Cornelius Coke, and independence
island are probably best known to
Earrisburgers after Forster's island,
now called Island Park. These have all
been noted recreation places and sue
cessive generations of Harrisburgers
have gone to these islands to fish, to
camp or to spend the day, to say
nothing of swimming. Independence
island has been used as an amusement
resort for over half n century and un-
der that name. Its old wire rope ferry
has been an institution about Harris-
burg for many, many years.
McCormick's island, now the prop
erty of the park department through
the gift of its owner James McCor-
mick, is still given over in part to
farming purposes. After the flood OF
1889 it was left in many places from
ten to twenty feet deep with debris
consisting of houses, barns, chicken
coops, trees, farming utensils ana
thousands of boom logs. 1t is said
that the salvage on this lumber was
sufficient to pay for the loss of the
crops and a neat profit in addition.
The flood brought down racoonS, opos-
sums, rabbits, quail and many snakes.
[ which were left marooned on the
island when the flood subsidized, afford
} ing good hunting there for q number
of years. The snakes became a nui-
. SdlCC LOT tllnG InIll small DOyS OF
: the neighborhood took to going after
them, so that now the island is as
! free from them as it ever was.
T.. II. Kinnard, vice president of the
Bell Telephone Company of Pennsyl-
vania, and formerly of Harrisburg, is
one of the five men selected by the
: National Chamber of Commerce to
l help the government in the matter of
E quartermasters' supplies and facilities
in the event of war. Mr.. Kinnard was
5 selected because of his familiarity with
l business methods and the choice is
l highly commended in Philadelphia.
Dairy and Food Commissioner
James Foust's suggestion that people
; ought to turn to good old cornmeal
mush for their sustenance in these
! days of high prices for meat and Vege-
tables, calls to mind the fact that this
section of the State has always been
) famous for the quality of its corn
meal and that much of it is dried and
ground within twenty miles of Harris
: burg. The old-fashioned disk was
mighty popular hereabouts 100 years
ago and strange as it may seem there
was more than one party given in
those days when Harrisburg was
! young at which mush and milk was
served.
1t is an interesting thing to note the
manner in which many boxed up ar
ticles on cars are marked. The other
day car after car went by lettered in
Russian and for guidance of people
who had to go with the shipments
there was the word "Archangel." The
shipments were big trucks being sent
to an eastern port so that they could
be started for Russia's great northern
port when the ice permits. 'Bor-
deaux" and Genoa" are also to be
seen marked on some of the freight.
that is whizzed through Harrisburg.
These are the days when the man
connected with the United States in
ternal revenue service is having his
ears dinned by persons who have de-
layed until the last minute in making
out their income taxes. One man who
has been appealed to q couple of dozen
times a day has a little schedule of
questions and answers made up and he
Iwla. a. H..