Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-03-07


two men, all expert mechanicians,
understanding the construction de-
tails and the operating methods of
the machines and they will go on a
schedule to be arranged by the State
Department of Agriculture The
orders for the first twenty-five ma
chimes were telegraphed last night.
Six makes were ordered and some
of them may be delivered by Mon
day. In all probability the cars will
be modified here while the men to
have charge are being secured. Some
of these men have already been en-
listed and for a day or so there
Will be a state school of instruction
for tractor operators. BY that time
the machines will be assembled and
Will be shipped to points designated.
The general plan, as outlined by
ieutenant-Governor McClain and
Secretary of agriculture Patton is
to have the tractors sent out by
special arrangements with railroads
and the headquarters of each to be
at some place where repairs can
easily be made. The Department of
Agriculture has been swamped with
applications for tractor services in
ploW1ng as the spring season is
nearly ready to open and O schedule
for each machine is being made up.
The total cost of operation, including
fuel, drivers and repairs, will be
worked out and charge made
either per hour or per acre. The
tractors can do an immens amount
of work and the Department has
been offered the experience of men
who have operated them in Penn
sylvania. The work has been car
ried on extensively in several coun-
ties, notably in the southeastern
section where there are scores of
tractors on farms.
In another month it is expected
to have the whole forty out at work
on farms of the state.
Big Lease Approved.-The' Pub
lie Service Commission has APPROX
ed the assignment of the lease of
the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chi
cago, Erie and Pittsburgh, Pitts
burgh, Youngstown and Ashtabula
and Cleveland and Pittsburgh rail-
roads, long held by the Pennsyl-
vania Company. to the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company. The matter is
the largest of the kind ever acted
upon by the Commission. The Com
mission is considering the applica-
tions for various changes in the pipe
lines of the Pure Oil Company,
which involves three, corporations,
To License Trucks-Steps to pro-
vide for q system of licensing mo-
tor trucks which are being sent
across the state for Army use are to
The plan is to have q special license
provided as was done in the case
of the Army ambulances modified
at Allentown. Scores of trucks are
passing over the Lincoln highway
every day and more will start with
in month.
Water Accounts-The Public Ser
vice Commission has fixed March
21 as the date for q conference with
representatives of water companies
of the state for a conference on the
proposed uniform method of keeping
accounts of such companies. The
Commission, through it's bureau of
accounts, submitted a proposed sys-
tenn which would make eXamina-
ton easier to the companies at SIX
cities last December and hearings
were held in various places. The
meetings were productive OF num-
ber of suggestions and crltlclsms
which were used in revising the
plan. The bureau will recommend
that the system be made effective
as of January l last, but that they
should not install the balance sheet,
income and surplus accounts until
January l, 1919.
Nav Reduce Steers-The State
Department of Agriculture has
called attention to reports which are
coming to the Capitol from farmers
in Lancaster and other counties
where cattle are extensively raised
that they will be compelled to re-
duce the number of steers fed next
spring unless steps are taken to,
make the feeding more profitable.
Can't Sell 1t neutrality-suspicious.
is not going to be made a dumping
ground for 1916 poultry and people
who have brought it into this state
will have to take 1t out again. If
they attempt to sell j. orders have
been given to agents G. the state to
prosecute them," said Dairy and
Food Commissioner James Foust in
a statement issued to-day on the
poultry Investigations at Philadel-
phia. 1--WE have discovered that
poultry which can not be legally sold
has been shipped into this state and
we have it located. 1 have asked
the Attorney Generals Department
to push the cases we bring and
James Scarlet may be retained to
prosecute them"
Boards Asked Action-It devel-
oped to-day that Secretary of Agri-