Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-09-23
IMPROVEMENTS SEEN BY TOWN BOOSTERS
ON BIG AUTO TRIP AROUND HARRISBURG
Tueny-Sr Main Points of Int crest ShoO What Remarkable
Proqress This LDe Wire Community Has Made

HOlnlS NlSllGu ny lhN NN"''
on the big automobile trip about the
improvements made during the last
fifteen wears are described in the Of
fetal guide issued by the 1arrlspuls
Chamber of Commerce as follows:
t. City's Formal Entrance -
Erected as a memorial by the henry
McCormick estate. This, with the eX-
cention of the one at st. Augustine,
Fla. was the only formal entrance IN
the United States at the time OF lts
erection in 1905. The pillars are from
the rotunda of the old State Capltol'
Market street bridge, which was ueul-
Gated on April 90, 1902, is a concrete
floored, steel girder bridge, replacing
the old Theodore Burr Camel Back
bridge. The establishment OF the lol
NAL city entrance was brought about
through the efforts of the Civic Cup.
2.-IsIand Playground-Splend
equipped playground of 22.6 acres
leased from Harrisburg Bridge Com
pany for 90 years at 81 year: state
wide high school track and field meets
and city grammar school meets are
held on this playground each year
The athletic field provides a one-quar-
ter mile running track, 22O yards
straightaway. football field. three
baseball diamonds, six tennis courts,
etc. There are grandstand seating ar
rangements for $500. Shower baths
and locker rooms are provided. There
is a 24-room locker house and slack
water pool giving depths of about hVe
feet-free suits for those under 16-
two lifeGuards on duty-attendance in
1914, 1857.
3.-Mcchanical Filtration Plant
With the daily capacity of 19,OOO,OOO
gallons of purified river water. Har-
risburg's mechanical filtration plant
was completed in October, 1905. II
has a daily capacity of 100000 gal
Ions, and the splendid bacterial eff
cheney of 99.1S per cent Water is
taken from the Susquehanna, passed
through sedimentation basins, treated
with coagulant and passed through
sand filters to clear water well,
pumped to east shore of the Susque-
hanna, thence lifted to the reservoirs
at Reservoir Park. The operation of
the plant is under the constant su-
pervision of the citys bacteriologist,
and yields a water supply of splendid
quality.
4.-MunicipaI Nursery Started
1906: has supplied practically all trees,
shrubs and flowers used in park sys-
tenn, saving thousands of dollars.
5.-South Front Street Park I'M
provcment - Former ragged River
Bank filled to a uniform line and
lTdUSlOTIltu llilO pal N WIN many
young trees and electric lighting.
6.-Rcinforced Concrete Pier and
Slab Type Dam-Completed 1915:
3,400 feet long, to II feet in height
and holds the water to four feet above
the former low water mark. This
dam backs the water up the river to
a point near Maclay street, eliminates
mosquito breeding marshes and pro-
vides excellent facilities for pleasure
boating on the river.
= City-owned Asphalt Repair
Plan-Daily capacity 100 tons of sheet
asphalt: cost Approximately 100000.
S.-PaXton Creek Improvement
former foul and flood-raVaged
creek converted into a straightened
and concrete lined channel. In con-
nection with the Wildwood flood con-
troll and the Paxton Valley interceptor.
this has converted a flood-menaced
valley into a section available for
commercial purposes. This drain is
1000 feet long. and with its four re-
inforced concrete bridges cost SOS, 900.
1t has fall of 12 feet from Maclay
street to it's outlet at the river.
9.-Paxton Valley Interceptor -
Constructed in 1903: handles all sew
age for western Hill district has
eliminated foul conditions in Paxton
,, creek
10.-Sycamore observation-disclosures
burgs third city-owned playground
accommodating children from the en-
tire south end of the city on the
southern portion of the Hill district
Sycamore playground comprises 5.62
acres of ground lying high above the
mills in this section, and so graded
to provide a full size baseball dia-
mond, four tennis courts. six volley
balls and two basketball courts. a one
eighth mile running track. 100 yards
straightaway as well as ample room
for playground apparatus and play
ground games. The ground was pur-
chased in 1914 for $14,042.50.
II. Cameron Parkway - Over 81
acres of land presented by ex-senator
J. Donald Cameron. to which the citS
has added-eXtends from Cameron
street to Poorhouse road-converted
! into park by construction of drive and
necessary concrete bridges, drilling
and wells, etc.
This park, which is one link in the
parkv ay, is one of the few sections
about the city where natural woods
and water conditions prevail. Run
ming through this park is a 4foo;
rectangular reinforced concrete sewer
Iaralleling Spring creek and extend.
ing from Nineteenth street to the
| river. This sewer drains the CloverlS
| Heights section and will eventually
carry the PaXtang sewage. Completed
| September, 1914.
12. Reinforced Concrete and RublC
Masonry Skew Bridgc-Replaces ole
wooden structure and eliminates two
| dangerous curves. Erected in 1911
| by the Park Department at a cost oi
| S1.700. Length, As feet over all
width, 81 feet.
IS. New Parkway Drive-Connect.
| ing link between Cameron Parkway
and Reservoir Park-2.67 miles o.
! DAD, several concrete bridges and {
modern steel and concrete subway.
The construction of this drivewa,
marks the completion of thirteer
years work OH the city parkway
ii. New Market Street Entrance Il
Reservoir Park.
Is. Reservoir Park-JeweI of Har
risburg's park system-S7.9 acres o
rolling land. 81 acres of paths ant
roads. 5 pavilions and administration
house, golf club house. tennis clul
house, s tennis courts. Fairgrounds
etc: also contains the two city reser
voirs.