Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-07-23
STATE HIGHWAY
ON SOUTH SIDE

The preliminary survey for the
State highway petitioned for on the
south side of the river was begun yes
terday. During the morning Engineer
W. l.. Butler, Of Wilkes Barre, repre-
senting the State highway department.
accompanied by corps of assistants,
arrived in Danville and proceeded
Immediately to the south side where
the corps began work.
The appearance of the engineers has
revived interest in the proposition to
improve the Sunbury road under the
act of May /, 1903, which up to a few
months ago constituted an issue on
which the people of the South side
were nearly equally divided, many
advocating the State highway as a
much needed public Improvement
quite in line with the progress of the
times and others opposing the improv
ed highway as unnecessary and as en-
failing on Gearhart township a heavy
and needless expense.
The petition was originally made
about two years ago, asking for mile
of improved highway in Gearhart
township. Sunbury road to the line of
Riverside borough is less than half
mile in length In order that the mile
might be covered the petition asked
for the improvement alongswith the
above named thoroughfare, of Sun
bury street and. .Hazletons Avenue as
far as the borough line.
About this time theE Pennsylvania
railroad company entered upon repairs
on Hazleton Avenue, which rendered
reconstruction of that. t.street Lunneo-
essary. Early last spring the citizens
of Gearhart township and Riverside
borough Jointly petitioned the county
commissi oners for one mile of State
highway to begin at the river bridge
hart township and Riverside borough.
The proposed highway will extend
from the bridge to the farm Of John
Mowrey, the latter some distance be-
low Riverside borough.
The last proposition proves no more
popular than the first with a good
many of she tax payers Of Gesrhart
township. Iu Riverside borough there
seems to be little opposition.
The county commissioners of Nor
cumberland county upon the presen-
tation to them of petition from Gear
hart township and Riverside borough,
pursuant to the act of May /, 1905,
petitioned the State highway depart
ment to undertake the reconstruction
Of the Sunbury road
AS the next step provided for in the
act the State highway commissioner
caused the highway to be examined.
That the engineers have appeared and
begun the survey is taken by the pc
titioners to indicate that the represen-
tations were found to be we'll founded
and that the work from now on will
proceed with little delay.
The present survey is only prelimi-
nary in its nature, b-iug only mat
ter OF measurements an / the stalking
out Of the roadway. 4 circumstance
which treasures the petitioners is the
fact that while the petition presented
asked for only one mile of State high
way the engineers are under instruct
ion to carry the preliminary survey
four miles down the river. What may
be back of this order no one presumes
TO know, but it is taken to indicate
that the interest of the State highway
department. has been aroused and that
it is desirous of learning not only
what changes should be made in the
existing highway but also how far it
might prove expedient to carry the
improvement.