Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-02-25

ings with you, when all of the matters
covered In your statement Were fully
deed. several of the items you have
brought forward were explained to
your then apparent satisfaction, you
made no criticism whatever, but instead
expressed entire understanding of the
situation.
Surprising Situation
IT is rather a matter of surprise to
us that the statement purporting TO
sustain your action in dispensing with
the Superintendent of Parks instead in
ciude charges against the official ac-
tions OF the commissioners, whom you
nave recently asked to serve as an ad-
vlsory body during your admnistra
tion; All of the matters you have now
publicly criticised in a long written
statement made without any request
for explanation, were fully known to
you at previous meetings, and not then
THE commission feels that it's record
or accomplishment and administration;
its history OF the acquisition and de-
ttenopmient t OF the Harrisburg Park sys-
tenn, Its work in bringing about
unique and unequaled use of the parks
ana Fairgrounds. is the best answer to
as to your insinuatons
. What Taylor Said
AS TO your one definite charge, not
or Incompetence or of inefficiency, but
Forrer, we need only point out that en-
tirely within your knowledge he has
rteGben.ay rtsbry spent four weeks in the Har-
injury received in the performance of
| his duty. Indeed, to several of us you
have during the time of Mr.. Forrer's i'll
II ness bs,af expressed r., not only sympathy but
dent, giving as the only possible reason
Ior dispensing with his service a de-
sire re, to make show of economy.
ITO your criticism of the financing
or the work of the commission, we re-
ply that no time has the commission
peen able to secure more than 65 to 20
per cent of the funds estimated as re-
CURED to meet the demands of the peo-
pie upon the park system, and that we
have used the funds committed to us to
constantly handicapped by unforeseen
conditions over which we have had no
control, such. for instance, as flood
damage on the two islands included in
the system. You are of course fully
aware that the City Controller and the
city treasurer, acting jointly. have had
the commission, all of which have been
made upon warrants granted only after
approval of bills in a regular meeting
| or the commission.
You also realize, we trust, that the
| operations OF this commission have
| been continuous for eleven years, and
that we have therefore used such
means as were within our reach to
conduct properly our work from year
to year, with varying appropriations,
put with constantly increasing respon-
1
| Concerning Shrubbery
| AS to your charges in relation to the
park nursery, we direct your attention
to the accompanying letter from the
Berryhill Nursery Company, advising
you further that the few trees and
plants occasionally supplied for i'm
proving incidental locations (not one
item of which has ever related, except
upon proper payment. to any member
of this commission) have been surplus
stock, needing to be removed from the
nursery for the proper growth of the
remainder. and which, If not thus given
to help beautify the streets and park
way approaches of the city, would
| have been destroyed.
I'm view of the unfortunate differences
that have arisen we believe that you
Will be relieved of possible embarrass-
ment II the Park Commission sewers
the relation now existing between it
and Council, and we have therefore this
day forwarded to Council our resigna-
tion from the office to which we were
elected on January last
Permit us, in conclusion, to extend
to you in all sincerity. our best wishes
for successful administration"
The letter was signed by all of the
members of the commission: Charles
A. Disbrow, president: William E.
Bailey. John 7. Brady Henry q. Her
| Shey and j. Horace Mcfarland