Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-12-27
BERRIER AGAINST
CITY BATHHOUSE
Hardscrabble Boat Liveryman
Sole Objector to Spending
$4,000 For Purpose

Only one objection was filed with
the city commissioners to the proposed
expenditure of $4,000 for a municipal
bathhouse and bathing beach accord
ing to councilmanic records.
This was advanced by Harry j. Ber-
rier, a "Hardscrabble'' boat livery
man who houses a big proportion of
the canoes and otker water craft own
! ed by youths of the city who are daily
frequenters of. the Susquehanna.
For months thousands of Harris
burg folks have been looking for
ward to receiving proper recognition
of council in the way of bathhouse
and bathing beach facilities and in
response to a general demand City
Commissioner E. u. Gross, superin-
tendent of parks, Incorporated an
item of $4,000 in the park estimates
to provide a bathhouse.
Opposes Island
While no site was officially consid-
cred, it was generally believed that
the Eastern shore of Hargest's Is
land preferably between the Walnut
and Market street bridges, would be
dentally Mr.. Gross idea was to spend
the $1,000 on bathhouse to be
built on the unit plan and that each
year herafter additional sums could
be obtained whereby extensions, etc,
could be built.
| SouiCll hOWeNeE lOppeu lHe lteIl
from the budget. The appropriation
ordinance-sans all provisions for a
bathhouse or a bathing beach-will
be passed finally Saturday morning
by council in a special session.
AT one of the star chamber ses-
sions of council, it is understood Ber-
rier's letter was read.
Some Other Suggestions
Among other things the boat paw
ilion proprietor advises council ito
look into the question little before
settling the matter finally" that there
is mo really good safe place on the
island" and that mot five per cent. of
the bathing people favor it,
Tie "Hardscrabble" boat livery
man suggests as an alternative that
the expenditure of funds should be
used to clean the river bottom from
Maclay to Market streets, so that the
prospective bathers could put on their
bathing suits at home and walk out
to the river front and take their
plunge from the city's front steps"
And the Hill Folks
Just how hundreds of Hill folks who
use the river as a bathing place will
consider this suggestion isn't discussed
by Mr.. Berrier.
The writer's objection is the cost
of bridge toll, although he doesn't go
into detail as to present cost of boat
hire fee to lighthouses on other is
lands now in service. In conclusion
the boat liveryman, who hires boats
by the way suggests the possibility
of a restriction against bathing any
where but at the municipal bath
houses on the island. But here's the
letter:
The Letter
Gentlemen:
Would it not be better to look into
this bathkouse and bathing beach a
little before you settle it finally ?
There is really no good safe place on
the bridge island for such a purpose
which can be easily proven and there
is not five per cent. of the bathing
people in favor of it. Would it not
be a better plan to spend the money
to clean the river bottom of all stones
rubbish and other foreign matter
from Maclay street to Market street
starting at the wall, and go out into
the river 200 feet, then people could
put their bathing suits on at home
walk down to the steps plunge into
the river and take their swim. The
most of the people who use the river
live above State street, anyhow and
many a mother could then take hei
children down the first street to the
steps and be with her children while
they are swimming. 1t would be q
shame to make everybody go away
around the bridge to the island and
pay toll and if you once make the
island the place, the next thing they
will ask you to do will be to prohibit
bathing any other place but the is
land, then look where the poor little
codger will be who can't get bridge
toll everyday. Please go slow and
see who are the people who want the
island and what it is to them.
Yours Truly
ID TlI n