Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-09-09
ALL EYES ARE
UPON HARRISBURG
[Continued From FYrst Page. ]

loan to the people at the February
election in 1902.
The Board of Trade appointed a
committee of three to act in conjunc-
ton with four representatives from
the contributors to the expert fund to
help along the good work and the
Boards committee on legislation was
also instructed to help in every way.
December II, 1901. the ordinance
submitting the question of increasing
the city's Indebtedness for public i'm
provements passed common council
and on December 19 select council
also passed the measure and Mayor
F'ritchey attached his signature.
Civic Bodies Aid
About this time the Civic club and
other organizations got into action
and plans were started for the raising
of a fund to be used by the Commit
tee on Municipal Improvements in
pushing the campaign. A. C. Stamm
was the secretary of this committee.
Early in January. 1902, Mayor
F'ritchey issued a proclamation relat-
ing to- the proposed loan and the pub
licity plans developed with such sue
cess that the movement became the
foremost matter in the public mind.
Illuminated street cars, posters, mass
meetings, bill boards and every con-
ceivable method was employed to
| bring the proposition squarely and in
telligently before the public.
At the February election In 1902 the
loan carried by an overwhelming ma
jority-7319 for and 1929 against.
January 23, 1902, Mayor Fritchey
was hurt in a railroad accident near
Altoona, but hurried on to Harrisburg
and made an address at a mass meet
ing at the Courthouse in favor of i'm
provements. About this time Spencer
c. Gilbert was chosen chairman of the
1 IeW-r ssr. .v.1tN AF
which committee gave the movement
a great impetus through intelligent
and aggressive effort.
Tuesday, January 2S, 1902, Spencer
c. Gilbert, w. l.. Gorgas and A. c.
Stamm were elected by joint action of
councils as the first Board of Public
Works, the selection of this board. haV-
ing a great influence upon the cam
paign. this board having been given
great powers. Headquarters for the
Municipal League, which was made
a permanent body about this time,
were established at 11S, Market street,
with George F. Ross in charge. j.
Dock of the Civic club and many other
citizens addressed public meetings.
Tuesday, February IS, 1902, was a
red letter day in the history of the
city. On this day the people in the
municipal election authorized the first
At a meeting of the committee on
improvements held April 9 the Tele-
graph was given warm praise for orig
mating the movement and the NUM-
cipal League was established as per-
manent factor in the city's advance.
james II. Fuertes Engaged
Then followed the employment of
James II. Fuertes as consulting engi-
neer in charge of the filter plant and
other public work, and Warren H
Manning as landscape architect for
the new park system.
The finance committee of Councils
without dissenting vote reported af-
firmatively the ordinance giving the
sinking fund commissioners authority
to issue bonds to the amount of ST.,
090, ,000 and the measure was prompt
ly passed and approved.
The Paxton creek improvement re-
ceived first attention, being the most
urgent need. Contracts were awarded
for the work in the latter part of
1902.
Many societies and associations
adopted resolutions endorsing the i'm
provementS as outlined.
The Telegraph issued it's Greater
Harrisburg" edition June 21, 1902, in
which the features of the several inn
provements were discussed and the
city's expansion was outlined.
Three public loans have been made
for public improvements since the first
campaign in 1901. In 1905 the citizens
approved an expenditure of 100000
for the Mulberry street viaduct, more
sewers and street paving. In 1910
they approved a third loan of $641, 900
for the further improvement of Pax
ton creek, additional sewers, street
paving, the Thirteenth Street bridge
and the big intercepting sewer along
the River Front In 1918 they ap-
proved a fourth loan of 100000 for
sewers, bridges, a public comfort sta
ton, improved modern fire appara-
tus, street repair plant, and parks and
Fairgrounds. making the total of four
loans, S2,431,000. OF this amount
$66S,200 has already been redeemed
by the efficient handling of the citys
sinking funds. leaving outstanding on
the loans at the present time $1,762,-
500.
Great Valuation Increases
In 1901 the total valuation of the
city's real estate was S26,13S,799.l
Since that time there has been a grad
ual increase until the present year
when the total real estate value of
the city was placed at $50, 0,336,754, al
most twice the figure of 1901.
The four authorized loans of 1902
5-1O-13 were apportioned among the
several improvements as follows: Fill
tration of water supply, 100000; sew
ers, s9S1,000; parks, $3.50, 900; street
nayinp S2OO 000. PAXTON creek S100