Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-03-21
Errtttt1p Glrat

one OF the older physicians of the
city, was talking about changed
conditions in Harrisburg in regard
to quarantines for smallpox He re-
called the days when smallpox did
not bother people any more than
chickenpox now, even though the
mortality was far higher. Early in
the seventies, Harrisburg had re-
| currence of smallpox which had been
here off and on during the Civil
War. The disease appeared among
some of the less thrifty folks and the
first few cases attracted much atten-
tion. A couple of young physicians,
Just out OF college, put up signs that
fected houses. The people, how
ever, went in and Harrisburg had
one or the grandest outbreaks OF
smallpox 1t has ever had In conse-
quence, everyone got vaccinated.
those who would not, being made to
despite protests. In the eighties
there were n couple of cases. but
| they were isolated and not serious.
In the early nineties, several cases
appeared uptown, and in a short
time there were dozen or more.
rms resulted in the construction of
the municipal hospital about 1895
ana smallpox was fought hard. Mar
tin q. Stoner, was then chairman
or the city councilmanic sanitary
committee, with the late Charles A.
Miller, as clerk, and by dint of work,
amid much criticism, they succeeded
IN heading off Il more serious state
of affairs After the Spanish War.
some of the "Immunes" from regi
mentS mustered out here, scattered
around n form of smallpox but since
then, the disease has been growing
less and less, until within the last
year. Even now, however, in spite
OF the diverse elements entering into
the population of Harrisburg and
Steelton. the number of cases is not
much greater, proportionately, than
in the nineties when DR.. Chris"
Jauss, was the official smallpox doc
tor, and people used to regard the
municipal hospital at first as a place
to be stunned and then as Il summer
resort.
Stand anywhere along the main
line of the PENNSYLVANIA railroad or
the Philadelphia and Reading Rail-
way lines near Rutherford yards.
and you will see some long freight
trains. 1t is not only a further evil
dence that the railroads are doing
their best to help win the war. but
that traffic conditions are again nor
NAL. 1t was not very long ago that
a coal train with 80 cars was con-
sldered the average haul for one
engine. Now trains with so, 80 and
100 cars are a frequent sight. Just
now coal trains are given the pref
erence. The Reading is doing u
record business in hauling anthra-
cite, and also holding good in the
= movement of soft coal trains from
the west. On the Pennsy lines, soft
coal leads in traffic. Instead of one
train every half hour or sometimes
two in an hour as was the case IL
few weeks ago, coal traffic is now
taxing the freight crews and there
is almost continuous movement be-
tween Pittsburgh and New York.
railroad officials look for a new
record IN car movement for March,
The daily movement of cars just
now is above normal and vary from
5000 to 1000 cars a day.
Decision of the Public Service
Commission in the full crew cases
is being awaited with much interest
among railroad men in many sec
tons OF the state, as the case is the
first complaint to be pushed since the
federal government took over the
railroads. The charges were pre-
ferred last year. before Uncle Sam
began to run things, but the hear
ingS were held later. The commits
sion in deciding the case will rule
as to its conception of its authority
in such matters now.
The big U. S. A. engines which are
running on the Reading. between
this city and Rutherford, are mater
tally different in details from those
in use on the railroads regular serv-
ice. The engines have the bell right
behind the smokestack and have
enough places on the front end for
a corporals squad. There is a pro-
lection behind the cab and sufficient
sheet iron about the place for the
| engineer to warrant the belief that
the Russians wanted to make sure
that the men running the engines
were not hurt by bullets.
Some patches of snow can just be
h traced on. the sides of the cut where
l the parkway winds from PaXtang's
old red schoolhouse to the Reser-
voir. The snow is to be seen in the
seams where the ground was cut
down and is discolored and hard
Yet it is snow just the same. and
boys were able to throw snowballs
with the mercury above seventy
{ the other day.
1t is very probable that when the
members of the Harrisburg Reserves
hold their meeting tomorrow night
that they will vote to continue the
organization, but that a reorganiza-
ton will follow. The four companies
will be abolished and one unit form
ed, to be divided later when outdoor
work is taken up. The whole sys-
tenn of training will likely be chang
ed and such exercises as will be of
service to the men, If ever called
out or to train men of draft age will
ha worked ont