Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-05-29
PARK EXTENSION
PURCHASES MADE
AT SMALL COST
Commission Meets Thursday
10 Lay Out Streets; Will
Be Its Final Act
TERM ENDS ON JUNE 1
Business Conducted at Less
Than Three Per Cent. of
Money Expended

The Capitol Park Extension Com
mission will meet Thursday with Ar
mold w. Drummer and Warren ii.
Manning, landscape architects and
engineers, to lay out two streets north
and south and one street east ana
west through the Capitol Park zone
| This Will be the last official act of
the commission, the term of which
expires June l, 1917, all its work be-
ing completed. Mr.. Manning was in
the city yesterday going over details
as to the city's part in the proposed
extension of streets through the eX-
| tension zone. The city and the state
will have no differences on this
score.
The Capitol Park Commission has
done u remarkable piece of work at
Il very small cost to the state. The
entire expense to the commonwealth.
including all overhead charges, alb
stracts of titles. salaries, etc, cover
ing period of five years and nine
months. was about $67, 900. or less
than three per cent. of the total ap-
preparation handled. When it is con-
sidered that the average private bus
iness is judged well managed on a
ten per cent. basis and that real es-
tate transactions on a five per cent.
commission are regarded as not too
high, the very efficient manner in
which the Capitol commissions busi-
ness has been conducted may be ap-
preciated.
Commission Named i'm 1911
The Capitol Park extension act was
signed June 16, 1911, and the COM
mission appointed by Governor John
X. Tener consisted of Arch G.
| Il N 30 -
@. Todd. Mr.. Knisely died January
%, 1913, and his place was filled bv
the appointment of Spencer C. Gill
! bert. Mr.. Kunkel died January 81
of this year.
The money appropriated for the
! purchase of real estate in the zone
amounted to $2,300,00, and the num-
ber of properties in the zone num-
bered SAL, all of which were ac-
nineteen, controlled by nine owners,
| Which were taken by condemnation
proceedings. This is considered a
very remarkable record by real estate
experts acquainted with the facts
The commonwealth is now using
eight of the properties in the park
for departmental purposes.
Among the larger properties taker
over, most of which have been de,
iiiOliSiAChs N6tG lIl6 MdlluIaC
turing Company's plant. the Harris
burg Steam Heat Company's plant
the Harrisburg Electric Light Com
pany's plant the National Hotel. st
Lawrence Roman Catholic Churcl
and school, four churches of othe
denominations, seven hotels, TIVE
wholesale liquor stores, several man
ufacturing plants and the old Stat,
street markethouse.
To Eliminate Sidewalks
, With the passage of the bills nov
under consideration by the Legisla
, ture, and of which there is no doubt
the Board of Public Grounds ant
Buildings. or whatever authority ma,
be created for the purpose, will star
this year the grading and planting
of the whole district covered by tn,
old Capitol Park zone. Also, tn,
sidewalks along Third and Walnu
streets will be eliminated so as t
: increase the width of these street,
and the state will then dedicate 70
sidewalk purposes a strip along tn,
. top of the terrace in both Walnu
land Third streets. The general ap
preparation agreed upon for the mex
two years is S850,000.