Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-09-22
El1rttttg Gtrat

SteeIton furnace No. /, which has
played an important part in the in
dustrial history of Dauphin county
and which was the first stack to be
pullt by the Pennsylvania Steel
company, now controlled by Beth
ieheln, is being torn down and be-
fore long the tall chimney which
was one of the landmarks of Steel
ton Tor half century will disap-
pear. This furnace, which made iron
for steel for some of the early steel
rails rolled in Pennsylvania and for
bridges in dozen lands, was built
In 1872 and blown in the following
fall. 1t was originally 60x14 feet
and was remodeled in 1888. The
stack has remarkable history for
| continuous service. Before the end
OF the year it is probable that No.
furnace. which was blown in al
most on the Nations centennial day
in 1875, will also disappear. This
furnace was one of the first in East
ern Pennsylvania to attain the size
OF 8Ox2O feet and has been remodeled
| and improved several times. Both
| furnaces have had their share of ac-
cidents, but it would be difficult to
hnd any units of industrial estab-
lishments in this county which have
for fifty years filled so large a place
in the lives of thousands of men.
When the smoky plumes were rising
from the tall chimneys it was a sign
accepted by people of Steelton that
times were good and that the bor-
ough was busy" while the furnaces
furnished employment to couple
of generations of iron workers. They
were of the old type and like many
another similar plant will go to the
scrap pile before the march of i'm
provement Fortunately for Steelton,
new furnaces are rising to take the
places of the two pioneers and the
iron producing laurels will remain
there and not disappear as they
have from other parts of Dauphin
county.
A friend in the Grand Army of
the Republic in commenting upon
a paragraph in this column the other
evening about the organization of
the posts, says that Post 5S was
mustered on April "a, 1867, and was
one of the largest in the State in
short time. 1t still has u remark
aole roll, there being about IT'S, pos
Slply more, veterans who are mem
oers. This post has furnished two
commanders of the department of
pennsylvania, the late George G.
Boyer and the present commander,
George Rhoads. 1t was joint host
with Post 116 when the national
encampment of the Grand Army
was held in Harrisburg in May, 1888.
1t has a fine history, indeed.
Pennsylvania official goldfish
placed in the basins of the foun-
tains in the front of the State Cap
ltol this summer are having a hard
time between school boys, predatory
tom cats, hungry squirrels and the
weather. The fish are large hand
some fellows which were obtained
by the head of the State Depart
ment of Fisheries and placed under
charge of Superintendent Tom
Templeton. Before the school bells
rang the fish had only the cats to
contend with. Then the SQUIRRELS
began to try to fish. Some of them
fell into the basin, but the Capitol
policemen say that squirrels do try
to catch the smaller ones. The
basins have to be watched now to
prevent boys from taking the fish,
but the other day one of the guards
found that some boys had opened
the trap protecting the drain and
that some of the fish were heading
down the sewers for the Susque-
hanna.
It is a race with the frost in Penn
sylvania now. say State Agricultural
Department officials, who have been
getting reports of many late toma-
toes, beans and other produce and
OF much corn still on the stalks
Late produce seems to be rather
heavy, probably due in a measure to
the weather conditions and there
mas been a tremendous crop of
grapes in many sections which have
been much in demand by foreigners
and others who want to make their
J own supplies of wine. Corn cutting
has been under way generally, but
there was so much of it planted this
year owing to the attractive price
} that it will be some time before
1t is all in. The late vegetable crop
is large in the southern counties and
farmers are working to get the
apple and potato crops gathered be-
fore Jack Frost comes around.
Although 1919 automobile tags
have still over three months to run,
there have been a number of re-
quests made for 1920 numbers. Many
or them are from people who want
J to continue their present numbers
or to get some one which they failed
to draw last winter. The usual
freak requests for poker hands"
and odd combinations are being
made.
Owen Johnston, the author, was
among visitors to Harrisburg the
other day. He stopped here while
on his way East to see the Capitol
and meeting up with Captain Fred
A. Godcharles, an old friend. was
shown through the building and
about the city.
The State Medical Society. whose
members meet here tomorrow. is
one of the oldest societies in the
? country. 1t has met in Harrisburg
almost every five years and several
Harrisburg men have been honored
, bv the presidency