HARRISBURG, Pa., city of the third class, capital of the State and county-seat of Dauphin County, on the Susquehanna River and the Northern Central, Pennsylvania, Cum berland Valley and Philadelphia and Reading railroads; situated 106 miles northwest of Philadelphia, has been for many years an im portant railroad, agricultural, industrial and commercial centre. During the decade from 1902 to 1912 its citizens took up in earnest the matters of municipal improvement. The city's rapid strides along every line of activity in this matter were phenomenal and its growth into a model city was so extensive and successful as to attract general attention throughout the country.
History.— The site selected for his future city by the founder, John Harris, was on the Susquehanna River at a point where the river is nearly a mile in width and where the two great trails, the southern and western, inter sected each other as they trended from the north and east. The county of which Harris burg afterward became the county-seat, Dau phin, adopted its name from the title of the eldest son of the King of France (for the time being Louis XVI) and the name of the city in some of its earliest records being called Louis burg; France at that time being uppermost in the affections of the people in consequence of its friendliness and efficient aid rendered to the colonies in the days of their extremity. The original town was laid out in 1785 and was incorporated into a borough in 1791. John Harris, the elder, was an adventurous English trader who built the first house here in 1726 and secured a grant of 800 acres of land. His son John, the founder of the town, established a ferry here in 1753 and the place was known for many years as Harris' Ferry. The town of Har risburg became the capital of the State in 1812 and was chartered as a city in 1861. The Har risburg Conference, famous in American politi cal history, was held here in 1788 and Harrison and Tyler were nominated here in 1839.
High hills and higher moun tain ranges surround the city and the interven ing valleys are made up of rich rolling farm lands intersected by many streams of varying width. The Susquehanna river-front is spanned by four attractive bridges, two for railroads and two for vehicles and pedestrians. From various elevated points in the city glimpses can be had of the magnificent stone arch bridge of the Pennsylvania Railroad at Rockville, said to be the longest four-track stone bridge in the world.
Commerce and Harrisburg is a city of first importance in its iron, steel, lumber and railroad interests, the roundhouses and re pair shops of the Pennsylvania Railroad are lo cated here and give employment to thousands of workmen. There are extensive manufactories
of machinery, malt liquors, boilers, castings, brooms, cars, coaches, tanned leather, lumber, cotton goods, beds, mattresses, coffins, silk goods and a number of rolling-mills, tin mills, blast furnaces, nail-works, typewriter works and boot and shoe factories. The city has one morning and two evening daily newspapers and many weekly and monthly publications.
Public Buildings and The State capitol building, erected a few years ago at a cost exceeding $13,000,000, is the chief at traction among the public buildings. The main capitol building is constructed of steel and brick with facings of marble and granite. The style of architecture is composite. It stands upon an elevation and from whichever direction approached presents an imposing appearance. The main entrance to the grounds is from State street, facing due west, and is by way of a wide stone stairway broadening at the top into an esplanade with fountains at either side. In the centre, overlooking the entrance, stands the equestrian statue, in bronze, of Gen. John F. Hartranft, facing the Dauphin County soldiers' monument to the memory of those who fell in the Civil War. On either side of the main entrance to the building, the Barnard groups of statuary complete and harmonize a strong ensenible. The interior of the building is well worth a visit. The decorations are the produc tion of the highest art and are symbolical of the growth of civilization in America and the history of Pennsylvania. The State Library at the capitol, founded in 1790. contains over 100,000 volumes. The park which surrounds the capitol buildings is being enlarged and sys tematic steps are being taken for its future improvement. Among other places of interest in the city are the State arsenal, the courthouse, the Pennsylvania State lunatic hospital, the ex ecutive mansion and the post office. The Penn Harris Hotel, the new hotel erected by the citizens under the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce, was formally opened 1 Jan. The educational institutions include the central high school, the technical high school, the Harrisburg Academy, Saint Genevieve's Acad emy and a young, ladies' seminary. There are many charitable institutions, among the oldest of which are the Home for the Friendless and the Children's Industrial Home, the Harrisburg and other hospitals. The Chamber of Com merce and Civic Club are virile bodies and in active service.