Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-07-29

valley bridge really is py tne way
could be partially appreciated when
the party had a first-hand view from
the island point.
The Pioneer Plunge
At Paxton street Superintendent
Hoffert swung mis- car into the park
river front and then much to the con-
sternation of his fellow-riders, ne
eehugged over the embankment to the the
broad granolithic walk along the
waters edge.
The bank, in time, was reached VIA
the Paxton street landing road put
Mr.. Hoffert kept to the edge OF the
park. Thus the route-tinders could
see more of the steps, the newly IN
stalled standard lights of the park,
and the sweep of the grading opera
tions on the embankment by which Mr.
Taylor is turning the lower river
bank into a real park.
Not so many years ago, when you
were seven or eight, perhaps' thaI
river bank was q mass OF 1lmson Weeu
end ,willows-splendid Indian ana puI-
falo' country. If you were seven or
eight, it's true-but not exactly con-
ducive to good health.
The Passing of Hunting Ground
Gone are the mouths of the sewer
inlets that offered such splend1d sum-
mering places for mosquitoes; gone
are the odors; gone the high water
possibles, the ragged line of river
bank" with it's heaps of ashes and
refuse, the jimson weeds and the will
lows. Only the memory of the hunt
ing grounds of the Indian and the but-
falo remain. That's matter of but
fifteen years, too.
The park car zigzagged along the
embankment edge and the route find
ers had a good view of the dam-the
only one of its peculiar kind of con-
crete construction in the country, tbs
said-and thence over the brand new
Dock street bridge to the new mu-
nicipal asphalt repair plant in South
Ninth street.
Upstairs a genial official opened a
big vat of boiling asphalt and showed
the party how the asphalt for repair
ing Harrisburg's streets is prepared.
After a few minutes of that the party
escaped to the outer air. where the
thermometer only registered in the
lower nineties.
The Story of a Great Game
Sycamore street Fairgrounds, the
new five-acre recreation section re-
Gently bought by Commissioner Tay-
Tor. was visited next Scores of men
were busy grading the eighth nile
track so that ii can be in shape for the
annual playground meet before school
opens. incidentally an excited crowd
of pig-tailed girls from the Penn
building vigorously explained to Mr..
Taylor how and why they lost at the
interplayground ball match.
From the Fairgrounds the car hur-
ried to the Cameron parkway Many
evidences of the improvement spirit
that has made Harrisburg famous are
there. For instance, along Spring
creek is the big four-foot steel rein
forced concrete sewer that drains the
whole end of the Hill south of the
Philadelphia and Reading railroad and
the new concrete stone-faced bridge
that spans Spring creek.
In Cameron Parkway
Less than fifteen years ago that par
ticular section of Spring creek valley
was little less than a chestnuting
ground for hosts of small boys who
wanted an objective point for Sat-
urday tramp in the country" To-
day it is splendid driveway and in a
few years, judging, from present ap-
pearances of the young elms along the
route, it will be arched with grand old
trees.
The first shovel of earth in the new
section of the parkway. the stretch
that will swing past Potter's Field.
skirt the edges of PaXtang Park and
follow the line of the creek past the
ages-old stone springhouse near the
PaXtang subway. was turned yester-
day. Park Commissioner Taylor
showed his party where the proposed
new roadway will be constructed.
Skirting the almshouse, the party
left the parkway route and swung
around to Melrose street and thence
through Bellevue into Reservoir Park.
In the distance the party saw the
green lacing of trees that marked the
valley of PaXtang creek-the route of
the proposed extension of the city's
new encircling parkway drive.
On the way to Reservoir the party
had another evidence of Mr.. Hofffert's s
ability at the wheel.
Nearer Their Home
The road winds along the East Har-
risburg Cemetery and the car had to
make a sudden sharp turn to get into
the main road. Mr.. Hoffert whirled
the wheel and the car dove-for a mo-
ment-toward the cemetery fence.
That" explained Mr. Taylor, who
acted as a sort of sightseeing an
nouncer, 'is the cemetery"
yes, I thought we were pretty close
to the cemetery that time" observed
Mr.. Hopkins when he had recovered
his breath.
A few minutes later the automobile
moved into Reservoir Park and for ten
minutes route finders sped over the
roads in that splendid part of Harris
burg's park system.
On Oak Knob
The stone parapeted outlook atop
reservoir. the acres of sloping lawns,
the new golf house. the tennis courts,
the links, and the great curving drive
way recently constructed to form the
Twenty-frst street entrance to the
park-they were all visited long
enough to give the visitors brief
idea of the wonders of the popular
recreation place.
From Reservoir the party turned
back to the citv. had a swift glance at
the Twelfth. Penn. Calder and EN-
erald street Fairgrounds and then
moved to Wildwood. lust as the car
turned into the park entrance the oc-
cupants caught glimpse of the con-
creted basin of Paxton creek. The i'm
provement begins at Maclay street and
is one of the big jobs which is prac-
tically completed.
Since the Days of the "Old Grass
Road
To tell a tenth of what the sight
seeing auto train will see in Wild