Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-10-15
Enrntng Gfrat

10y the national government for
funds. Readers of this column are
familiar with the part that the ham,
let which grew up about John Har-
ris' Ferry and developed into the
Capitol city of the second state in
the Union has played in American
history and how it's sons not only
fought the Indians and the French
in western Pennsylvania and left
their bones from Quebec to Savan-
nah in the Revolution. but have
given of their lives in every war
and in every country wherein the
Stars and Stripes have been lifted
in battle. And the men who have
stayed at home have pledged their
money in equally patriotic fashion.
The residents of this district loaned
their money to the Congress at a
time when such an act was classed
as treason by the British govern
ment and to be caught meant the
moose. In the Civil War they loaned
money when Lees army was almost
in sight of the Capitol and confis-
i cation of property would have been
the result had the Southern army
crossed the sSusquehanna. They
have met the call in times more
fiery than those of to-day and when
1.-THE demand was almost as great in
proportion to wealth here as at
lpresent.
Just as an illustration of the spirit
which animated the Founder of Har-
lrisburg this well-authenticated story
may be told from the memoirs of
George Washington Harris, who lived
until a comparatively few years ago
and whose recollections of his dis
tinguished forefather were first
hand. When Independence was
first agitated," wrote Mr., Harris.
John Harris thought the Declaration
premature, but when Independence
was declared he promptly espoused
the cause" Just what this meant
lmay be understood when it is stated
this neighborhood. He was the
leading man and looked up to by
settlers and Indians alike. When
The made his decision there were
no Tories left in the neighborhood.
when the Philadelphia newspapers
containing the Declaration of 1875
arrived at the Ferry Mr.. Harris
writes that John Harris took his
mother aside and in the presence
. of one of his sons read that docu-
Iment to her. His mother was the
wife of the man who had estab-
lished the Ferry and the son was
the first white child born on the
banks of the Susquehanna. When
he concluded the reading wrote
whom the recital of this family scene
made great impression, "he OBJ
served that the act was now done
and that the war in which we are
{ about to- engage can not be carried
; on without money Addressing his
=, mother he said Now, we have 5000
pounds in the house, and if you are
agreed, l will take the money to
Philadelphia and put ii into the pub
, Ilic treasury to carry on the war.
: Mr.. Harris writes that when the
mother agreed Harris took the
money to Philadelphia where "he
deposited it in the Treasury and took
t certificates" After the war and
; when the debts were funded these
: certificates rose to be worth 25 shill-
l., ings the pound.
/ Not only did Harris reap, the bene-
l fit of his patriotism just as we APE
5 going to get ours in Liberty Bonds,
: but he had three sons in the Revol-
$ tion, wherein he had the rank Of
r lcaptain and quartermaster himself.
I David Harris was a colonel and
l William and John were captains.
= His son-in-law, William Maclay,
l later a United States Senator, was
g a captain. In 1878 when the situ-
Iation in Northumberland county was
, Icritical Harris wrote to the Execu-
lIlNe SOuHCll anu Ills dS-
. distance in transporting supplies to
/ 1.-THE afflicted region. When the peo-
r Iple from the Wyoming massacre fled
r down the river Harris cared for
. many of them here. One of the
: families whom he then befriended
!, was that of Conner, whose son David
\ Conner, later commodore and the
: Imam who took Vera Cruz, was born
here. Harris gave freely of his
o lmeans and loaned more money to
the government in these trying times
land in 1779 helped to establish an
: Iarmy supply depot at the Ferry and
4 advanced money to buy flour, while
!, lit is we'll known that supplies for
Sullivan's punitive expedition against
> 1.-THE Indians were gathered here and
- that Founder Harris helped in the
:, work.
The presence of Major william
b. Gray in town yesterday recalled
his speech before the Harrisburg
Rotary Club a few weeks ago in
which he told the Rotarians that one
of the chief reasons for locating the
: big ordnance and quartermaster's s
y Iplants at this place was the well
Is known loyalty of the people of this
;, section. Those familiar with the
x unsurpassed railroad facilities of
Harrisburg urged that the depots be
located mere Tor that reason, SAID
Y Major Gray. "At the conference
/, which chose the sites for these de-
: Ivelopments were many of the noted
k engineers and traffic men of the
c country, including high representa-
tives of the army. When the ques-
ltion of Harrisburg was under dis
1 cussion one of the most influential
and experienced of the army off,
] GERS said that Harrisburg should be
selected for the reason that there
never. was any question about the
loyalty of the people. This officer
told his fellows that a careful study
of the history of Central Pennsyl-
vania showed the citizens to be in
tensely patriotic and ready to lay
down their lives for their country.
He said IL the depots were located
here there never would be any ques-
ton of defense in case of invasion.
that the people would defend them
with their fe.blood."
State Commissioner of Fisheries
Nathan r. Butler is doing yeoman
service at the Pleasant Mount Hatch
cry. When the Commissioner went
, home to spend the weekend he
found that Influenza had hit the
establishment and yesterday he
turned in and spent the day work.
ing with the young fish and arrang-
ing the work. The Fisheries De-
lpartment has been hard hit, Chief
Warden Albert being among the men
laid up.
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