Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-01-18


posing assemblage the Governor of this
Commonwealth, because he has by merit
attained high public station and won an
honorable name in letters and In law.
lie is a successor of the sagacious and
virtuous Penn, the chief magistrate OF
state imperial in domain. resources ana
population, possessing greater wealth
than England in the days of Elizabeth
and a culture as wide and universally
diffused as the England of our own times.
Patient and reflective i'm temperament,
Industrious in mental habit, with the in
herent tastes Of a scholar, at the bar he
was not satisfied merely to advise
client or formulate arguments before the
court; he remained the indefatigable stu.
dent of history ever examining the great
events OF the past and their significance
that he might adequately comprehend
the social forces that determine legislation
and laws. Hence the bench was congo
NAL to him and he adorned it with the
soundness of his judgment, the ripeness
Of his learning the simplicity of his man.
ner and by the uprightness of his char
acter
Literature is indebted to his contribu-
tions, for they are the product of perse-
vering and profound research. lie has
illuminated the early history Of the
Quakers and the Germans along the
shores of the Delaware and delved into the
musty archives Of four nations that he
might with fidelity depict "The Settle
ment Of Germantown" and eloquently de-
scribe the life and civic virtues of the
learned Pastorius.
Sirice 1886 he has been a trustee of the
University, active in promoting it's inter.
ests. pleading always in its behalf, giving
without measure time and service. We
give generous praise to those who thus
labor in the cause Of education, opening
the eyes that they may see more and
farther; instructing the ears that they
may hear more perfectly; awakening all
the senses that they may more swiftly
appreciate; enriching the mind that it
may more wisely and efficiently under.
stand.
Strong and steadfast in conviction,
faithful in friendship, loyal in principle,
passionately devoted to Pennsylvania
and it's institutions. he has ever per-
formed with honor the respon ible duties
that have devolved upol him. For his
eminent services as citizen and his
lofty qualities of heart and mind, we the
trustees, present Samuel Whitaker Pen.
nypacker to the provost that he may re-
ceive the degree Of doctor of laws.
Ordering Lives Saved
The winter of 1904 was severe and the
Susquehanna, the most impressive of the
rivers Of Pennsylvania, was frozen across,
giving beautiful displays of ice effects
which could be seen from the windows of
the Executive Mansion. The thaw came in
the early part of March, the waters rose
to great height, piling cakes of ice In
huge masses. On Sunday, March G, in the
afternoon, while the rain was still falling
in torrents, ] was called to the telephone
and informed that near Goldsborough. a
few miles below Harrisburg, fourteen peo
PC were on an inland in the river, that the
waters were rapidly rising and had reached
the second story of the houses in which
| they had taken shelter, that the ice was
| piled up between them and the shore max
| ing them inaccessible and that unless re
! licved they would soon be drowned. 1t was
a situation in which I did not know what
to do ] so told the man at the other end
| and asked him what he had to suggest
| lie said he thought ! could, perhaps, get
| the life-saving people at the station at At
| lantic City to come up. could have done
so, no doubt but meanwhile the people or
the island would have been drowned
sent for Captain John C. Delaney and told
him to go down there at once and see what
could be done. lie soon returned with Tn,
report that the situation was hopeless. Al
the same time l sent for James NJ. Shu
maker, who at once had plan, which wa.
to take the riggers who were at work or
the Capitol, and used to moving arounf
with little support, with their tackle ant
necessary apparatus, down there. Shu
maker was the right man in the rjgh
place, and that was the very thing TO do. II,
was put in charge Of the arrangements
Senator f. X. McConkey, OF York, a fin,
fellow, who within a few years died O
heart disease, who had arrived on th
scene, assisted. They fastened ropes Z,
the shore, one man went out on the ice ,
short distance and there stood at the rome
Another went a little further, and SO on
until they had living chain reaching Il
the edge of the current Then. with
Doat' they took the people out OF the uppe
windows Of the house and brought then
ALL including a grandmother seventy.fv
years old, over the ice piles in safety Z
the shore. II was a thrilling and dramatt
incident and here was a man equal 70 al
emergency, who was willing to do his du,
and, when occasion required it. more tbo
his duty, deserving well of the State. Thos
rescued We're the families of John an
George Burger, who had been caught II
the waters on Shelly's Island.
Since Roosevelt had postponed his ma,
|
Day for year, the authorities of that :,
stitution invited me to deliver the oratio
on the 22d of February, 1904. IL Cave me IN
opportunity to present the thought wbic
had never before been suggested but whio
then' and have since, emphasized. tba
the public career of George Washinpto
was essentially Pennsylvania career, n
ginning and ending in this State, thong
he was born and died in Virginia. At n
same time that the University conferre
upon me the degree of doctor OF laws
conferred degrees upon the Baron ,,o
Sternberg, ambassador from Germany I
the United States, a slightly built sapc
ana affable German. with whom. throue
a number Of occasions Of meeting, I esta
lished an acquaintance; Chief Justice MI
ehell and James Whitcomb Riley. n
Hooser poet. whom then encountered +,
the only time, small man with n bar
| "a 10 mn