The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1914-11-10
ClTY'S TAX RATE
TO Be No LOWER


said they are desirous of cutting down
the millage although, they add, there
is little hope OF accomplishing de
crease if the desired departmental
changes are to be made. Several rea,
sons already have been assigned for
keeping the taxes at the same rate as
during the present nine month period,
Say More Police Are Needed
Half dozen policemen were added
to the force during the present year;
several Others must be added this year;
any surplus money the city might have
had through the large tax rate in the
present nine-month year was absorbed
Through the payment OF Deficiencies
which had been aeeumulating for ten
or more years and additional street
nights will increase the expenditures.
These are but few causes OF prob
able increases in the eity's liabilities
and are in addition 10 those incurred
through the employment of additional
help IN the several departments. There
has been some talk of raising the sal
AIRY of the chief OF police. who now
gets but $1,000, although no one com.
missioner yet has Indicated who will
father the ordinance providing for the
increase.
The erection of four reinforced
concrete aud steel girder bridges over
Paxton creek are improvements which
1t is planned shall be carried under the
1915 budget Along with that comes
the lighting of the river front. City
Of1pfNlS Of
city alone is liable for the construction
OF bridges over Paxton creek despite
the fact that legal action was begun
20 nave the court decide whether the
I eity or the county is bound to finance
| the Improvement.
Bridge Ordinance Is Passed
Inc bridges are to cross the creek
| az Mulberry, Walnut, Cumberland and
hei'N streets. The one at Mulberry
street will have a sixteen foot drive.
way with a four-foot walk, while the
rest win have only twelve,foot drive
way with four-foot sidewalk.
An ordinance providing for these
Improvements was introduced by High
way Commissioner Lynch week ago
ami was passed finally to-day. The
measure gives to the Board of Public
works the power and authority to con.
/ Struet the bridges and it is now be-
[ ueved that tine work can be done for
/ $4,000 or less.
| Nith view to appointing a commits
SION OF three members whose duty il
snail De TO supervise the planting and
/ trimming of shade trees and the care of
them, the City Commissioners this aft.
ernoon decided TO confer next Tuesday
with Horace Mcfarland. of this city
former member and president of the
. CRY Park Commission and one time
/ president of the National Civic Asso.
( citation.
rne shade tree commission DILL passed
I oy the Legislature in 1907 was drawn
/ oy Mr.. Mcfarland and it is his inter
| pretatlon Of that act which the CITY
! commissioners now seek. Before the
commissioners appoint a Shade Tree
! Commission it is necessary for the CITY
( TO accept tne provisions of the act of
1917. although before doing 50 they
want TO be more familiar with its rro.
visions
More of River Front Is Sought
One provision of the measure directs
that the cost of planting shade trees
and tearing up and rebuilding sidewalks
I lncldcnt thereto, shall be borne bv the
4 property owner, the city thereafter to
( pay the cost of maintenance. The com.
misSioners object TO one property owner
paying for tine tree and another getting
. the shade.
City Solicitor Seitz also will be ask
ed TO attend the next meeting of the
City Commission and to suggest the ad-
ylsabie procedure under which the city
may acquire the ground ON the west
SHE of Front street as far as the river
edge, between Kelker and Naelav
streets. Commissioner Taylor said his
men are working in that vicinity and
have been ordered by ''eertain property
owners to stop. The park employees
are scraping the bank and planting
shrubberv.
The Solicitor. in communication
suggested tnar the city may follow one
of three plans: Condemn the ground
under street orening ordinance. have
the Sheriff sell the ground on paving
liens levied against the property, or ac-
cepV deeds from the property owners
under the condition that the paving as
sessment on the west side of the street
6e paid by the city.
ine plah TO SEND a movie MIN. snow
ing Harrisburg industries and street
scenes, to the Panama-Pacifc exposition,
in San Francisco, Cal, in 1915. has
been abandoned on the ground il would
not benefit the city. The film would
have cost something like 500.
City sealer's Annual Report
Harry D. Reel, City Sealer of Weights
and Measures. to-day submitted his an.
nual report to the City Commissioners
He made 6,574 inspections, sealed s..
664 weights and measures and con
demned 10. He made 265 visits to the
markets, brought four suits against
dealers, resulting in three convictions
and one acquittal. The Commissioners
limited that as soon as it is possible to
get the proper type of scales, a sugges
ton of the sealer to place municipal
scales in the markets will be adopted.