Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-11-12
EVENING Chat

People who have watched the re-
moval of the trolley tracks from South
Third street below Chestnut are recall
ing the stirring days early in the nine
ties when these rails were laid for the
Citizens Passenger Railway Company,
the first trolley line to enter the field
against the East Harrisburg, which
succeeded the City Passenger Rail-
way, the original company. The East
Harrisburg was built to connect the
city and Steelton and to give Allison
Hill line. 1t leased the City COM
pany and operated the r1rst trolley sys-
tenn. In the nineties the Citizens came
along and got franchises for Third
street from Walnut and also on Wal
nut and Meadow lane. Washington,
South Front Paxton, Berryhill ana
Nineteenth streets. as we'll as the
streets now covered by the Capital and
Seventh street belt line. 1t was nip
and tuck between the companies and
the Citizens had troubles of its own
getting its tracks laid in Walnut and
Third. Some of the track in Third
now being torn UP was laid at night
and the court records show how the
rivalry extended beyond the trolley
companies. the Philadelphia and
Reading being at odds with the new
company over a grade crossing in
risburg and Citizens formed the Har-
risburg Traction, the father of the
Central Pennsylvania Traction and
grandfather of the Harrisburg Rail-
ways Company. the Third street line
was operated for while, but it was
found that cars run down through
Meadow lane. Washington, Front, Pax
ton, Tenth and Berryhill did not pay
and the tracks We're gradually taken
up. Now only the link in Third be-
tween Walnut and Market and in
Berryhill from Thirteenth to Nine
teenth and the Nineteenth street line
to Steelton are used. Meadow lane has
passed out of history after figuring as
highway in Harrisburg for we'll nigh
200 years, as it was originally an In
dian trail. and Third street is no more
below Mulberry.
Speaking about things below Null
berry, the manner in which old Second
street has been transformed interests
many old Ilarrisburgers. A century
ago this was the important street of
Harrisburg. the Harrisburg Bank and
many leading business houses being
located south of the Square. while the
substantial citizens had their resi-.
denceS. 1t would be quite a jolt for
some of the old-timers to come back
and see a steam shovel delving in tho
middle of hole for a subway to note
cupy the sites of buildings which fig
ured much in the business and social
life of infant Harrisburg.
In connection with the transpor-
tation systems of the city it is matter
of moment to note the manner in
which the Reading is developing q
freight terminal along Seventeenth and
Eighteenth streets north of Derry.
Originally this line, known as the
Manufacturers Railroad, was buii
from the Lebanon Valley to the plant
of the Harrisburg Car Shops. later
known as the Foundry and Machine
Works. When the works moved to the
Tenth ward some of the buildings were
turned into warehouses and for q long
time people, while realizing the value
! OF the railroad frontage, made no effort
| to develop it, Now there are half a
dozen sidings and spurs from the line
| north of Derry street and the smoke of
| locomotives can be seen almost any
| hour in daylight. while the size of the
drafts of cars handled are steadily in
| creasing.
Among visitors to the city yesterday
/ was John Heydler. secretary of the
| National League. Mr.. Heydler is some
! golfer, too, and yesterday gave Gov
ernor Tener a tussle on the links.
| footbali' scores are pretty well
watched at the Department of Labor
and Industry. Among the officials of
that department who played football
were the chief and his right bower.
DR.. Jackson played half on State and
L. r. Palmer was Princeton end.
Representative r. ]. Baldwin, of
! Delaware, who was here yesterday. is
q great golfer. lie has won a mum ber
of prizes and his records are hung up
on Il dozen courses near Philadelphia.