Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-09-14
HOW RIVER BASH"
CAN Be DEVELOPED
Park Expert Manning Reports on
This Improvement to Plan
ming Commission

How the great basin OF the SuS-
quehanna opposite the city can be
developed and improved. how the
radial highways leading through the
city to various sections of the State
can be widened to suit increasing
traffic conditions, how dangerous grade
crossings can be eliminated, how Wal
nut street can be broadened, how a
new highway should be constructed
along Paxton creek-these were only
a few of the recommendations con-
tanned in the reports of Warren H.
Manning, park expert, which were
considered last evening by the City
Planning Commission.
Two reports were presented, one
dealing in preliminary way with the
proposed improvement of the river
basin, the stretch OF water extend
ing from the Rockville bridge on the
north to the dam on the south. The
other dealt with the changes of high
ways alone.
Many of the recommendations con-
tanned in Mr. Manning's report rela-
tive to the river basin had been dis
cussed by the expert on previous
visits.
The Channels
Among other things Mr.. Manning
points out the inpracticability of
channeling the western side of the
island because of the shifting of the
sand and coal deposits and the near
ness of the ledges of rock to the river
surface.
The enormous amount of river coal
that is taken from the stream was
mentioned by Mr.. Manning. In the
opinion of G. r. Brown, the coal fleet
captain of the Harrisburg Light and
Power Company, over 10000 tons OF
coal and about $4,000 tons of sand are
taken out each year.
About 500 pleasure craft of various
kinds are housed along the basin ac-
cording to Mr. Manning.
Crossing Maclay Street Rifles
How readily the passage of pleasure
craft from the deeper water above
and below the Maclay street RIFLES
can be had by the removal of the
rocky ledges to form so to 100 foot
channels, is accurately shown by tho
planning expert by means of an etch-
ing In discussing the attractiveness
of the Conodoguinet creek for boating
Mr.. Manning shows how the blasting
OF a channel to the creek mouth would
be splendid improvement.
The park expert goes into detail
relative to the construction of boat
houses. Owing to the necessity of
seventeen foot level" says the reporta
and preferably between the twenty
and twenty-five foot level, also the
undesirability of having boats drawn
over the shore promenade at frequent
intervals for storage. it was decided
to care for boats by mooring them in
the streams far enough away from the
steps to prevent injury, and also to
store canoes that will require protec-
ton in floating lighthouses
Standard Boathouse
These lighthouses should be of a
standard size, not over IL feet wide
by so feet long over>a all to facilitate
storage, and they should have fiat
roofs for seating and be as low as
possible. For similar reasons it was
decided to provide for bathers in these
same floating houses. A boathouse is
TO be provided on the island under the
protection of the water works wall.
with sufficient room for storage of
boats, canoes, flats, motorboats and
other craft, with possibly a canal and
basin leading to 1t from the river
Clubs are to be provided for in this
structure, instead of in separate struc-
lures along the Island shore. 1t is
certain that the commission will not
approve of boat or lighthouses to be
built on the Front street shore for in
dividuals or for clubs"
On the Western Shore
Mr.. Manning visited the western
shore of the river with President Z.
S. Herman of the Planning Commits
sion and inspected the old road that
extends along the shore line from
Wormleysburg to point opposite Nc
Cormick's Island. This highway has
been partly obliterated by "fll" from
the railroad.
The rights to such a road and to
the shore TO low water should be ac-
quired," recommends the park expert,
from the railroad bridges below
Wormleysburg to the existing road be-
low the Rockville bridge. This would
give a boundary to the Harrisburg
basin on the westerly side that would
correspond to Front street on the
easterly side"
Ferry Landings?
Other recommendations include