Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-04
The Harpooner Vetoes
the Camden Bridge
By STEPHEN ". MEADER

THE sun, low in the west, shone once more
i on cleaning grass and pavements, and
cool breeze stole across the square. A short.
fierce shower had cleared the air almost
magicsly of the sweltering moisture it had
held for days. ~ ...
TWO men came toward me along the wet
i aags-Officer Kelly in his neat blue uni
form and the Harpooner, carrying a long
handled brush on hia shoulder. AS usual.
K,lly grinned jovially. His companion was
fr1wning.
"A fine bit of a storm" said the police.
man in reply to my greeting An our frienq
here has been dyin' fer a smoke this half
hour" he added with wink he saw me
filling my pipe. The Harpooner briEhtemed
visbly | passed over the pouch without
word and az the same time handed the police
man cigar 1t is JOY to me to watch the
deft gesture with which he slips such offer
ings into the crown Of his cap.
ttTwAs Just sayin' to him." remarked
/ Kelly, what splendid thing twill be
to have this new Delaware bridge"
| regarded the Harpooner expectantly. FOR
now | knew what had caused his expression
Of gloonH
t{TTUMPH!" he returned. as soon as he
II was sure the black pipe was going.
"Al got to say is this: I've been hVin
'rouni here forty years off and on, Theres
been cranks talkin' bridge ever since l can
went back further'n that, Guess likely OIL
Ben Franklin was the first. an he prob'ly
got the idea from the Injuns. But OF Billy
Penn, he had pretty level head. an when
Ben come runnin' into City Hall one day an
saws Les have a bridge to Camden! BIZ
SAYS 'Hol' on. Boy, that amt common sense.
Thee think It over while An BY that
time Ben he d fergot all about the bridge an
was off flyin' kites. or writln' advertisements
fer the Sat'd'y Evenin Post. or maxim a
speech to the Poor Richard Club or some
such fooishness.
Anyhow, there's been talk about it every
little while fer good many years; an there
amt no bridge there yit!"
HNHERE was a pause while the Harpooner
i vigorously pulled at his pipe ! started to
make a remark but he checked me by hold
ing up a knotty. brown hand.
'Iemme finish" he said. Il was at q
neetin' last night an heard some mighty
st Sng arguments against prohibition. Looks
to me like them same arguments holds jes'
as good In this latter O. the bridge First
place. II we can build 'er, what're we goin'
to do with all them ferryboats? There's
thousands o. dollars tied UP in 'em, an hun-
dreds q men fnds the employment that gives
bread to their little ones by runnin' of 'em."
He leaned forward in a fine rhetorical
pause at this point
ttTTHEN. In the second place" he con-
/ tinued. ltd be a costly experiment. We
| amt never had no bridge before an we've
managed to get alone fair to middlin'. II
ferries was good nough fer George Washing
ton they're sure good 'nough fer me. What's
| more. there's lots O. folks tNatd rsther ride
on ferries fer the sea air. 'Taint democratic
| to make 'em go 'crost by bridge against their
will.
AN now" he rose in triumphant conclu-
| sion-"an' now. here's the final argument.
They put a tunnel under the North River up.
| at New York an there's jes' as many folks
| goes by ferry as ever-you can see em any
| day"
ItT,HERE yare!" said Kelly.
i And as his eye followed my pointing
finger eastward. where the wet arch OF q
| rainbow was fadinc above the river--"Surs
| an II there amt our, bridge to Camden !" he
chuckled.