Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-07-20
Ehrntttg Gl1at

paper conservation free copies
should be eliminated by newspaper
publishers and the circulation re-
duced to purely paying basis may
be without parallel in the history of
newspaper making, but over ninety
years ago in Harrisburg there was
d strenuous effort made in the same
direction by the men who conducted
newspapers. 1t was just after James
Monroe had enunciated the Monroe
Doctrine and the people of the
young republic. recovering from the
effects of the War of 1912, were get
ting ready to meet whatever even
Qualities might arise as a result of
the intrepid Virginian's proclama-
ton of the position which has been
recognized by practically every
power in our own time. Business
was being put on very firm paying
basis and in newspaper circles the
publishers were informing their
readers that they could not read
without paying. The Harrisburg
Chronicle, in it's issue of December
l6, 1924, makes q very plain state
ment of just what publishers of that
day were up against The oweai
was somewhat noted for plain
speaking, and the files of his news
paper for a score of years contain
comments upon local affairs which
are only possible when the control
ling spirit of a newspaper writes his
own thoughts. This old-time news
paper man, by the way, was the
iirst one to recognize the Importance
or legislative and state official news
to Harrisburg newspapers, and his
issues contain anywhere from three
to five columns of proceedings of
the state lawmakers and the doings
| in the state offices, which shortly
before the time of the issue men
toned had moved into the first
Capitol. 'Sundry considerations"
writes the editor over his own sig
nature, induce us to make a call
upon delinquent subscribers. -
These considerations are but as a
drop in the bucket to the many that
urge us to the following determine
ton, which is: To ask respectfully
of delinquent subscribers to forward
before the first of January, 1925,
u sum near what they know to be
due; and, in case this request is not
intended to, to strike from our list
all who are in arrears more than
two years." The editor announces
the suspension of the free list.
This Harrisburg newspaper of
ninety-four years ago indicates that
, the official habit of proclamations
and messages was strong even in
those days. Four columns are de-
voted to the presidential message of
President Monroe, and the editor
hands a few remarks to the Gov
ernor. Printers" he writes, "are
not the only persons who discover
a laudable self-complacency with
regard to their own sayings and
ic
ernor of the Commonwealth, in his
grave message to the Legislature,
shows out the same way" Just to
illustrate that trouble with the
mails was no new thing, it may be
said the Chronicle has an announce
ment that "all difficulty on the Va.
niata mail route between Philadel-
phia and Pittsburgh has now
ceased, and by positive order of the
Postmaster General" the mails will
leave Harrisburg at certain times.
And what is more interesting as a
coincidence still is that the Chroni-
Gle contains the advertisements of
two hotels at Third and Walnut, in
our time once more the hotel center
OF Harrisburg They are the Eagle
Inn and the Jackson Hotel. There
was another hotel at that intersec-
ton and it was known either at
that time as the Dauphin or Man
sion, and it stood right on the site
OF the new Penn-Harris.
The Harrisburg postmaster of
that year was just as much in the
public eye as is Postmaster Frank
G. Sites with the War Savings and
various other activities incumbent
upon his office, but even Mr. Sites,
who has made the post office an
interest exhibit of war posters in
his efforts to keep the National
Governments requirements before
the public, would have hesitated to
do the advertising done by his
predecessor of long ago, James Pea
cock. Mr.. Peacock announces in a
seven-inch ad:
FORTUNES HOME FOREVER
BRILLIANT SCHEME
Union Canal Lottery, 14th Glass
Imagine Frank Sites, who is now
mobilizing our quarters for War
Stamps, advertising as postmaster a
lottery in which the capital prize
was $50,000 and which altogether
contained 1920 prizes and 23,100
blanks!
That pillar of finance, the Harris
burg Bank, declares in a paid ad-
vertisement, a dividend of four per
cent. for six months, while Pro-
thonotary Obed Fahnestock an
nounces two weeks of civil court
with about fifty cases, many of the
names being those of families which
are still prominent in the townships
of Dauphin county. John Fox, in a
legal advertisement, called upon
persons indebted to ain estate to pay
up and facilitate administration,
just as is done in our day.
The report of the legislative pro-
ceedings is Interesting because it
shows that what was nerplexing the
Pennsylvania lawmakers on Capitol
Hill a few years ago was also before
those of 1924. For instance, there
was a prolonged debate over the
regulation of the practice of medi-
cine and surgery. a new court for
Philadelphia was causing much
heartburning; the biennial fight over
the mode of printing the Legislative
Journal seemed to have been re-
vived, even in that year; resolu-
ton for Pennsylvania to unite with
Indiana in establishing a canal from
Pittsburgh along the Ohio; creating
a state road in Northampton county,
which was also done in the Session
Of 1917, be it said; while one Alex
ander Wright was communicating
views to the Legislature on removal
Of judges from office.
A singular coincidence with af-
N-s IL u a