Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-11-13
Euetttsg Gl1at

Roberts Valley, to which pretty
spot the Harrisburg Natural His
Tory society will make the mid-No-
Vemper pilgrimage on Saturday
afternoon, is one of the interesting
places near the city. 1t is not mucn
OF valley, but it is a location
whose settlement goes back almost
loo years and which was laid ont
as town before the Declaration of
Independence and when Harrishnra
was terry and trading station.
noperts valley was where men used
TO hunt when the settlers found il
necessary to build Fort Hunter as
al outpost against the Indians. The
taliey got its name from Daniel
Roperts, son of family which had
eo.Ile over from the British Isles
IN what was known as Rising sun.
Danlel Roberts was born in Mont
sofnery county and moved up to this
sectlon of which he had heard
through business dealings with
friends of John Harris, whose ferry
enterprise was in it's heyday of
prosperity. This early settler de-
cloed TO lay out a town and it is
said that he drew a plot about 177O.
That was the genesis of Rockville,
winch was for a time known as
brushy ROCK and then called by the
name which it has given to the great
rallroad bridge. 1t is separate and
olstlnct from CoXestown, which had
an carrier beginning. The McAnis-
Ter and Cox families were interested
IN the development of Roberts VAL
icy ana plotted parts of it for sale.
DANIEL Roberts, who had "a good bit
OF business with 'the settlers and
tne Indians and was man of sub
stance and wide influence, was the
ancestor of the Roberts family of
thls city and some of his kin are
buried In the ancient churchyard
near Lucknow, the title to. which
Blshop Darlington says is vested in
the primate of England.
State Geologist George r. Ashley
IN summary of the oil producing
situation in PENNSYLVANIA to-day.
SAID that drilling for oil in eastern
counties Will never pay ''It looks
TO me as though the man who drills
In eastern or southeastern Pennsyl-
Nania has passed forty miles beyond
the station where the gambler gets
orr. said he in pointing out that
Whlie many tests had been made in
Dauphin, Berks, Schuylkill and
other eastern counties they had
never produced oil in paying quan-
lties. The Seologist, who has been
making a study of the situation,
said that there are undoubtedly
some pools in the State which will
be discovered, but that they are in
limited area. All of the oil has
come from certain western counties
and it is safe to say, he remarks.
that the rest of it will come from
there. "Of hundreds of holes drilled
In the eastern area not one has
brought forth enough oil to pay the
driller's board bill, or if it has. the
secret has never leaked out" says
ne, in pointing out the difference in
the geological formation of eastern
: and western Pennsylvania.
.
Hundreds of dollars are being
paid to the State Treasurer by
treasurers of counties for hunters
licenses. with the remark that the
counties have been issuing permits
without the licenses. To meet the
situation caused by a demand for
licenses away beyond anything ex-
pected the State authorities said
that men could hunt with treasurer's
receipts. The treasurers in some
counties have had to order extra
receipts.
App; nee of some people who
were travelling from Northern New
York to Palm Beach in automobiles
containing trucks that looked like
a freight car attracted much atten-
: ton from folks walking along Sec
ond street. The cabins seemed to
be very complete but there was one
thing that appealed to many. 1t
was a Victrola or something like
that placed beside the driver so that
he can have music wherever he
: goes.
The Capitol Hill policemen's new
overcoats make them look like field
: marshals. They are of a handsome
cut and attract much attention from
: the populace. The other day Super
l intendent T. w. Templeton was com
! ing along when one of the policemen
| saluted him. The policeman dis
1 played the State arms in gold on mis-
j. sleeve and strict military cut to the
collar. This with the cap gave him
e a high rank appearance. II feel like
throwing out my chest when I see
that uniform" said Mr.. Templetou.
Those fellows call me boss"
Herman L. Collins, who writes un-
I der the name of Girard in the Phila-
delphia Press, has this to say about
n roads and railroads: "Our Highway
Commissioner, Lewis S. Sadler, told
r me recently that it costs 100000 a
mile to build our best State roads.
But Mr.. Plumb has it all figured out
that American railroads are worth
n only $4,000 mile. That is all they
could be worth if the railroads have
q as much water in their capital as
he says they have. l shall allow
, United States Government engineers
- to answer Mr.. Plumb In the case
:, of eight minor railroads-not big
trunk lines. mind you-these engi-
= lneers working for Uncle Sam have
found the average value per mile OF
road to be $4,000, or 245 per cent.
above Mr.. Plumb's guess. Moral:
Hot air shrinks wonderfully when
l..