Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-05-05
Ehrntttg 0f1at

The State government of Pennsyl-
Vania has offices in ten different
buildings in Harrisburg and TO con-
centrate the government here and
bring people from Philadelphia and
Plttsburgh and other places here,
the Commonwealth has to rent Of
ilces outside of the Capitol, its rent
roll being considerably larger than
the carrying charges on a big bond
issue for erection of buildings to
take care of its own business in a
business like way. The moving
around of several departments the
last week or SO has called attention
to the situation in u striking way.
The Highway Department, which has
/ TO be expanded to handle the road
program the voters of the State di-
rectly authorized, is now occupying
quarters in three buildings outside
OF the Capitol and a floor in the
Capitol and the Public Service Com
mission also has three bureaus out
side of the Capitol, all in different
places. The Printing Department has
two branches outside of the Capitol
and the Department of Agriculture
and the Department of Health each
have groups of workers away from
! the State House. The Labor and
Industry Department, which Is con-
fcentrated more than it has been
since 1t started. is entirely out of the
| Capitol, its quarters having been
taken by the Highway Department,
while in a short time the Public
Instruction and other educational
branches and the Department of
Mines will have no offices in the big
| building at all and will have quar-
] ters in the business section of Har-
| risburg. There are half a dozen de-
partments of the government which
have not had offices in the Capitol
for years and one or two which have
never been in the building as far as
| domicile goes.
| 1t is probable that the rent roll
OF the State by the end of the year
Tor offices will be greater than ever
known before, because there are
other branches of the government to
come here and Harrisburg is not any
TOO Well supplied with offices for
ltself. One of the plans was to tear
doWn buildings still remaining in
ule capitol park extension district,
put no place for the occupants TO
) go that would meet requirements was
to be had. The situation is one that
IS much commented upon among
legislators and will lead to speedy
action on the bill for the construc-
tlon or the States own buildings as
matter of good business, as sug-
sested by the Governor some time
ago.
1t was an interesting coincidence
that the veterans of the One Hun
dred and Twenty Seventh Pennsyl-
Nanla volunteers of Civil War DAYS
should be holding their annual re-
union in Harrisburg on Saturday,
when the veterans of Harrisburg
commands of the latest war were
getting ready to return to their city.
; The One Hundred and Twenty-Se
: enth, which was commanded by the
late Colonel w. w. Jennings, and
, made up largely of men recruited
, within fifty miles of Harrisburg and
, of native Harrisburgers as well, has
: been holding annual reunions here
/ for more than a quarter of a CEN
/ tury, being about as much Harris
, burg's Own" as can be. And in its
history, there will be written the fact
that the men who fought at Freder-
icksburg and on other bloody fields
of the Civil War, had sons in the
Spanish War and grandsons in the
war with Germany. One of the
grandsons of the Colonel is just home
from service in France.
George w. Rhoads, commander of
Post So, G. A. r., of this city and
: one of the most active members of
the organization, is being prominent
ly mentioned for the honor of State
! commander of the G. A. r. The
, State organization will meet next
, month at Lancaster and the Central
Pennsylvania men are strongly for
:, the Harrisburg man.
. The first man with nerve enough
a to wear a straw hat appeared on the
streets of Harrisburg on Saturday
:, and he wandered all about the bust
ness and theater section. The odd
: :. thing about that no comments ex-
cept that he was wise were heard.