Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-03-01
EVENING CHAT

The proposed start on the big new
plant of the Hickok Manufacturing
Company only furnishes another Illus
tration Of the truth of the remark
made some years ago in this column
that the extension of Capitol Park
would not damage the city as much
as some of It's citizens feared and that
the State would not only be getting
bargains in real estate, but that the
municipality would get something for
Its donation of land in highways and
loss of taxable property The erec-
ton of the fine warehouses by the
Paxton Flour and Feed Company is
another. There are more. All one
has to do is to sit down and make Il
list of the properties sold and then
them went. 1t went right back into
improvements. Even the building ma
terials in the houses which the State
sold at auction went back into con-
struction 1t is an interesting study
of economics to trace the way the
money paid for the properties in the
Capitol Park extension, moneys to
which Dauphin county contributed it's
fair share, went back into building
which Will enhance the value of the
land the State is buying. Some of the
buildings to be erected will face on the
park extended. The Hickok works was
the most important manufacturing
purchase recently gave the State title
to the biggest corner of the tract. The
money received for il will be used to
develop a model plant within sight
of the Capitol and not in any way IN
terfering with late ideas in city plan
ming and building. The Paxton COM
pany not only used the money it re-
ceived for building a larger and bet
ter establishment. but added consid-
erably to 1t. The same is true of other
owners of properties in the district.
No doubt it will be the same with
others.
The organization of the jitney bus
line for the city. in which great deal
of popular interest is being taken be-
cause of the novelty and chances for
reaching developing sections of the
city not now accessible by trolley, has
a good many angles. one of these
directly affects the treasury of the city
itself. As Il matter of fact, the city is
a partner of the Harrisburg Railways
Company. Under the terms of a much
discussed ordinance the municipality
of Harrisburg receives per cent. on
the gross revenue of the company op-
Grating the trolley system. This is
pretty stiff allowance. even for Ameri-
can cities. and the city has profited
by 1t, as has frequently been noted in
the public prints. Therefore, every
dollar of loss of revenue that comes
to the traction company by the organ
ization of the jitney buss line means a
loss of three cents to the city of Har-
risburg.
One of the oldest and saddest coin
cidences in the life of State Librarian
Thomas Lynch Montgomery occurred
on Saturday morning. He was just
opening letter from one of his closest
friends, eX-Attorney General w. L.
Hensel, when he received a telegram
telling of Mr.. Hensers sudden death.
Mr.. Hensel had sent the letter from
the South few days before he died.
There is n use for that walk that
runs around the Jail wall on the inside
of the grass plats on the Walnut street
front after all. A good many people
have wondered if the walk was con-
structed for a short cut and some can
didly asked why it was built at all.
On Saturday couple of learners tried
out their roller skates on the walk
with perfect safety. They were in no
danger of falling. on one side the
grass plot stopped them and the wall
was there to lean upon.
Farmers in the citys suburbs are
taking advantage of the mild weather
to spread lime in great clouds. Many
of them neglected or We're unable to
do this work last fall, but they are
making up for lost time regardless of
the March winds that whirl the dust
about in all directions. Some farmers
say that they would rather spread
lime on a windy day than any other
because if they get on the right side
they can reach a large surface. The
fertilizing going on is rather extensive
Just now and leads to the thought that
Dauphin and Cumberland farmers in
tend to do considerable raising of
foodstuffs this year.
Winter wheat is commencing to
show the effects of the prolonged mild
spell last month and from the Capitol
one can see a score or more of good
green of the grain. In fact the view
of four counties to be had from any
one of the upper floors of the Capitol
shows that a pretty good acreage has
been set out in wheat this season and
that if all goes well there will be
big crop. Most of the 1914 wheat
around here has been Sold but there
are some farmers who have held back
quite a considerable amount. In the
whole state probably II or Is per cent.
remains unsold.
General r. c. dupont. who has re-
linquished the presidency of the big
powder manufacturing company, was
at one time interested in projects for
purchasing the trolley lines in this
vicinity. He later became interested