Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-05-23
Ehrntng Gl1at

1fNs "oo tCIHlGu py lawyers ell
application" and regarded by most
people who knew of it as a purely
routine proceeding, occurred yester-
day before Public Service Commits
sloner Samuel M. Clement, Jr., at
the state Capitol, but it was an ac-
ton In accordance with State law
filled with historic interest and of
more or less sentiment in the world
or transportation and finance. 1t
meant the disappearance as a cor
poration of one of the oldest rail-
roads in Pennsylvania, line which
has contributed immensely to the
prosperity of Harrisburg and which
was among the earliest to carry out
in terms of modern transportation
what the Indians saw long, long
years ago. John Harris located his
ferry here because it was a place
where valleys crossed and Indians
| Travelled for centuries. The railroads
came here for much the same reason,
town having grown up. Harris
burg and its railroads afford one of
the best examples of the way nature
makes cities the center of web of
roads and railroads. But to return
to the seemingly dry proceedings
yesterday before Commissioner Glenn
ent, who by the way, was impressed
with the historic significance of the
so-called application" 1t was the
proposition of the Pennsylvania rail-
| road company to take over the Cum
berland Valley railroad. The Cum
berland Valley has been in fact a
part of the great railroad system for
years, but it preserved it's corporate
| identity long after other railroads,
| famous in their time, had been
merged into the Pennsylvania. The
cars and locom olives with the name
Cumberland Valley in gilt letters
have been looked at by many persons
who have travelled on the Pennsyl-
vania and they have asked how it
came that the line, an integral part
| OF marvellous system, was separate.
But now, or rather when the Com
mission issues its formal approval of
the application" the Cumberland
Valley name will commence to dis
appear. Federal control of railroads
did much to wipe out distinctions
between systems. but Harrisburg got
a foretaste of what was coming when
a short time ago Cumberland Valley
engines said farewell to the round
house at White Hill, in use for so
many years. and made their home at
the Pennsylvania round houses up
town. The process which marked
the disappearance of the Northern
Central some years ago has begun.
l.
Like the Northern Central which
for years had its main offices here
and under j. Donald Cameron was
one of the noted railroads of the
country, the Cumberland Valley has
played large part in making Har-
risburg. 1t dates back to the thirties.
II Harrisburg capital helped establish
n fNA Ia rieIt !, 80
list of stockholders and generally on
its directorate ever since. 1t has
been a part of Harrisburg and we
have stood at the northern door of
the valley from which it takes its
name and received daily scores of
cars of people and of goods. The
Cumberland Valley railroad was
chartered by a special act of Assem-
bly, dated April 2, 1881. There have
been numerous supplements, but
that is the start of the railroad which
is soon to disappear from the list of
names, but not from memory for
many years. In time it took over the
Franklin railroad, the Cumberland
Valley annd Martinsburg, the Shen-
andoah Valley and others until 1t
was system of it's own. The Penn
sylvania is a younger railroad, as its
incorporation is given on the papers
as April 13, 1886. 1t was in 1889
that the Cumberland Valley COM
pleted its bridge across the Susque-
hanna and came to Harrisburg COM
mencing a career in transportation
filled with service to the Nation in
time of need, upbuilding the re-
sources of one of the farest portions
of the Keystone State and enhancing
Importance and welfare of the capi-
ta1 Of I,n ,1A
The way the river sand and coal
fleet has been scurrying around the
last two days because of the rise of
the Susquehanna furnishes an inter
esting study to the man who likes to
think about what the stream would
be like if it normally contained
enough water to make it of value
as a commerce carrier. The coal
fleet men had to get out and make
fast their dredges and flats which
were threatened by one of those fast
and furious increases in water and
speeding up of current that come
with freshets on the Susquehanna.
especially when the Juniata and the
two branches unite in pouring in
the result of hard rains. The coal
men say that the river is erratic
this year. probably due to the
weather, they declare, and they have
lost lot of sleep making sure that
their charges did not go down
|stream. In any event there are more
boats to be seen moving about now
than known for long time.
Some of the conductors on the
Harrisburg Railways lines have col
lections of money which they carry
around with them and say things
about. Once in a while they can be
induced to comment upon them and
the remarks are always interesting.
These collections are made up of
coins with which the conductors
have been stuck" One man yes
terday showed plugged money, cut
money, bad money and questionable
money of American make, Serbian,
Japanese, Canadian, Cuban. French
and Spanish money Every time I
get a crowded day add to the col
lection" said he.