Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-10-27
GREAT DEVELOPMENT
UNDER HARVEY TAYLOR
CONTINUED From First Page

Commissioner Taylor will have finish
ed a program of constructive work i'm
playground and park development
more extensive possibly than any other
city councilman. Commissioner w.
H. Lynch, superintendent of streets
and public improvements, shares with
Mr.. Taylor the honors for construc-
tive work accomplished in the city
during the last two years, although
it is conceded that the park head
leads in the extent and character of
permanent development projects
Reclaimed River Park
Standing out with special promi-
nence in Mr.. Taylors program is the
River Front Improvement. Thou
sands of yards of river bank was re-
claimed and turned into nice broad
stretches of park by Mr.. Taylor's eco
nomic methods of "'f1lling in" along
the parkway. Appreciating the worth
of the river front as a city asset, Mr..
Taylor devoted a considerable por-
ton OF his time and labor to grading
and planting of slopes in such a way
as to conform to the great river
front wall that extends the length Of
Harrisburg. Thousands of shrubs are
being planted on the slopes from Ma
clay street to Iron alley; along the
top of the bank from Maclay to Divi-
sion streets, strip OF park land mas
been reclaimed by fill and is now be-
ing planted with splendid elms.
Along the River
Not. however, that Mr.. Taylor con-
dned his efforts to the upper end alone;
South Harrisburg to-day boasts of a
stretch of parkland, especially from
Mulberry street southwark, such as
the lower end has never been able to
boast of before. Ramps have been
constructed at every block to make
access to and from the wall easier,
electric lights have ben placed from
Paxton to Dock streets, thus complet-
ing the chain in the park. incidentally
Mr.. Taylor added the final touch to the
attractivcness of the front steps of
Harrisburg" by placing 81 of the wall
standards in place this Fall.
So much for the River Front. On
the Cameron parkway all the neces-
sary land to complete the chain to
Commissioner Taylor and work is al
ready under way on the construction
of the broad driveway that begins at
the terminal of the present Cameron
extension highway and will continue to
Derry street before winter sets in.
Furthermore, negotiations have been
st~rted by Mr.. Taylor to obtain the re-
naming tracks of land north of Reser-
circling chain to Wildwood.
II
AS for Fairgrounds Commissioner
Taylor has completed two years of
service for the city in this direction
which has been unparalleled. Four
teen Fairgrounds were in active oper-
alton this summer and the largest
turnout of children in the city's his
tory fiocked to the recreation places.
In addition to the regular places of
amusement Mr.. Taylor provided
Sfr or he oil
colored children in various parts of
the city, and opened a playground on
a lot in the Eighth ward, borrowed
for the purpose from the Capitol Park
Extension Commission.
Two new Fairgrounds were added
to the city's list by Mr.. Taylor The
stretch at Sycamore and Fourteenth
track, tennis courts, etc, is probably
one of the most modernly equipped in
this section of the State. Not un-
mindful of the needs of the youngsters
of the upper end Commissioner Tay-
lor provided an equally attractive play
ground at Fifth and Emerald streets.
Permanent Improvements
In all the city-owned Fairgrounds
permanent improvements were made.
For instance at Twelfth streets cleo
trio lights were put up, permanent
ing iron standards for the wire screens
and setting the posts in concrete, and
a splendid formal memorial entrance
was made possible through the Coop
Grafton of colored and white friends
of DIR. William H. Jones.
Reservoir Park has been further de-
veloped and beautitied by Park Com
missioner Taylor. The greatest i'm
provement there perhaps was the con-
struction of the new formal entrance
and roadway that winds into the park
from Market and Twenty-first streets.
The construction of modern golf and
clubhouses and a pavilion at Cherry
Hill-all from savings from mainten-
ance appropriations-the installation
of concrete "bubbler" fountains. the
remolding of the tennis courts by the
placing of permanent iron standards
and screens.
In Wildwood
Wildwood Park has shared, too, in
the improvements accomplished by
Commissioner Taylor. The park su-
perintendent has just finished the Gin
der path leading from the newly COM
plated Division street bridge into the
park. The path affords ample and
convenient means of egress and in
gress for West End folks who want to
get into Wildwood without making the
long detour via Maclay street or Otis
lane. More than $50 tons of cinder
have been used on the walk
Other improvements in the great
park stretch included the construction
of a commodious pavilion from the
ruins of an old barn; construction of
one concrete and four timber bridges;
the opening up of picnic areas and the
clearing of the too heavy growths of
underbrush; establishing of self-sus-
tanning boating system and means to
insure proper skating facilities on
Wildwood Lake.
Taylor's Work For Wildwood
Some other mighty important acts
that have served to make better
Harrisburg must be credited to Com
missioner Taylor, too. For instance
he acquired twenty-five acres of land
.or parkway purposes by gift alone to
say nothing of the 1888 acres he OBJ
tanned by purchase at a cost of
s2S5 an acre. The appointment of the
city forester which insures the proper
care and maintenance of Harrisburg
trees the appointment of City Plan
ming commission-these are only a
few of the big pieces of progressive
legislation which Mr.. Taylor is respon-
sible for.
Among the more difficult obstacles
he overcame in constructive work was
one Improvement by the way which
constructors and engineers alike de-
clared just couldn't be done" the
of the handsome new concrete |
and rtIhhle bridge aCroaS Gnripp craal- I