Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-11-20
COUNCIL PLANS
INSPECTION TRIP
Commissioners Will Look Over
Section of Real Estate
Next Week
PUSHING NEW BUILDINGS
Approach of Cold Weather
Makes Contractors Hustle;
Spring Prospects
PUSHING NEW BUILDINGS

City Council early next week will
visit various sections of Harrisburg to
inspect real estate over which there
is a decided difference of opinion be-
tween the owners and the assessors
who have levied the values for the
1916 triennia1 assessment, and the pro-
posed inspection tour is the big event
of the week in realty and building
circles.
The appeals from all the wards were
filed and heard during the last ten
days. After the trip over town next
week the councilmen will sit as a.
board of tax revision 20 make such
changes as they deem necessary.
That the valuation of $51,842,599
as fixed by the assessors is entirely too
low. if the tax rate for the ensuing
year is to be kept within 8 mills, is
generally conceded. as the increase
would only total s1.6O6,5SS. The as
sessment during the previous year was
$50, 0,336.754. Another million or two
will have to be added, it is figured.
Different Assessment Scheme
Council generally wants to keep
down the mill rate. although it is prob
ment may be a matter for early dis
cussion among the new commissioners
Most of them prefer a way whereby Il
higher percentage of actual value shall
be used as a basis for assessment.
Mayor-elect Ezra S. Meals. for in
stance, thinks 80 instead of 60 per
cent. would be the better basis upon
which to levy the assessments.
The approach of cold weather has
given zest to the building operations
for 1855 schedule in that the con-
tractors are hurrying to finish what
structures they have under way before
snow flies or Jack Frost tightens his
grip on Mother Earth. Not that the
chilly. y.snow-suggesting winds from the
North exactly frightened prospective
builders; some unusually big permits
were Issued during the week.
Big Factory Addition
One of the biggest permits, per-
maps, was granted to the Blough
Manufacturing Company. 1t will build
four-story brick addition to its plant
on Fulton street near Reilly at a cost
of $4,000. Other important operations
of the week included six three-story
brick and mansard roof dwellings, ON
Sixth street 100 feet west of Reels
lane. Permission for the erection of
the row was given to Hantzman &
Morrett. These contractors, by the
way, have planned q new feature in
city building schemes by including u
single-story brick garage in the rear
of and as part of each dwelling, The
cost will be S13,S00.
Work is being pushed as rapidly as
possible on the operations that were
begun late this Fall This includes the
residences ]. f. Gipple had started and
those with which the MacWilliams
Construction Company and the w. H.
Shue Company are busy. Among the
big single residence jobs that are keep
ing carpenters and contractors on the
jump are the new j. Allen Donaldson
house at Front and PETER streets,
which will be one of the finest homes
along that broad drive, and the home
of p. G.. Farquharson.
Spring Prospects
That the opening of the Spring of
1916 will be marked by a big boost in
realty circles is already indicated by
the contemplated operations of many
builders. For instance, William Nell
benny, who has erected any numbef
of cosy little homes on Allison HILL is
plannig to put up a half-dozen three
story dwellings on the north side OF
Regina street just west of Seventeenth.
Clinton M. Hershey, county engineer.
expects to add another dozen nice
homes in the Bellevue section. His
plans include the erection of twelve
houses on Bellevue road between Nine
teenth and Twentieth streets.
The paving operations in Bellevue
Park have already given a big boost
to the building operations and it Is ex-
pected that the Spring program for
1916 will include some extensive struc-
lures there.
New Apartment House
In city building circles the more
important apartment house jobs in
cluded the remodeling by William
Hammaker of 927-929 North Third
Street into three apartments. This will
cost $500.
Realty transfers were not remark
able during the past week and the
transactions recorded were largely in
the county. Among the more impor-
tant sales were: F. c. Campbell to
Frank Huff. Millersburg, S3,500, and
the following i'll Hummelstown: r. II.
/ Thomas ct al. to d. Stout, John Shep-
pier, II. j. Wetner, A. G. Shope and
a. Eshman.