Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-09-08
West Shore Annexation

y "e Edl" OI tHe eIcgTdPH.
The writer has read with interest
the discussion in the Harrisburg Tele-
graph of the question of the proposed
consolidation of Lemoyne, Enola and
West Fairview and other towns adj
joining the City of Harrisburg.
one of the objects of such con-
solidation is to establish a greater
Harrisburg and in this connection the
statement is frequently made that
Harrisburg will rapidly increase in
population and wealth because of it's
pleasant location and advantages as a
residential city.
We have heard so often this state
ment made in advocacy of an increa Sc
in population that it has seemed to
the writer that too much emphasis
IL being placed upon the beautiful To-
cation of the city, which is undoubt-
edly unexcelled by any other city in
the State, and that too little attention
is being paid to the possible advan-
tages of Harrisburg as a business
community. Population does not in
crease rapidly because of the ideal
scenic and hygienic location of a city
but because business is good.
Harrisburg should have had by this
time a population of 100000 people
when we consider it's exceptional ad-
vantages as a railroad junction and
also the fact that it is practically the
Df Ia, Of Al
Pennsylvania. The reasons for it's
relative slow growth and lack of
many independent industries cannot
now be discussed with profit, but its
future development may be so guided
as to make up for past deficiencies
Across the Susquehanna river there
is ample room for the location of fac
tories, warehouses and similar indus
trial plants, and IL the people living
in the towns across the river will con-
slider their natural advantages for the
development of industry in their inn
mediate vicinities, they will seize
upon the opportunity which is now
afforded them of joining the City of
Harrisburg and in cooperation with
this city, Immediately proceed to the
velopment on the west bank of the
river.
On the east bank at the present
time, the writer is reliably informed.
it is almost impossible for some exist
ing plants to obtain real estate for
their necessary development but with
proper future city planning, new
streets may be laid down on the west
bank of the Susquehanna paralIeling
nl
manner as to make ideal localities for
future factories.
When we consider that York, only
a few miles to the south of Harris
burg and not enjoying the splendid
railroad facilities of the latter place,
has become one of the largest manu-
featuring centers of the great indus
trial State of Pennsylvania, we must
realize that there has been something
lacking in the way of forward looking
men in Harrisburg.
Lancaster is another city that Is
rapidly developing as a manufactur-
ing center. These cities prove the
ease with which communities with a
spirit of business enterprise thrive in
spite of the lack of facilities which
Harrisburg has always enjoyed.
The present city of Harrisburg, un-
der a rational development of the
natural resources and splendid rail-
road facilities of the west bank of
the Susquehanna River. should be-
come the shopping and residential
section of the greater city, while the
industrial center would be located on
the west bank. BY such scheme of
future development, the residential
advantages of the present city may
be retained and the owners of pro-
perty in West Fairview. Enola, Le-
moyne and other towns in Cumber-
land county. will enjoy the rapid rise
iE the value of their lands, due sole
ly to the location of successful in
dustrial establishments in these local
tiles.
The first step towards a greater
Harrisburg is consolidation and the
second step. the location of highways
in connection with railroad sidings so
as to prepare the land for erection of
factories and warehouses.
New York. Philadelphia and other
cities have al passed through their
period of consolidation and in each
and every case 1t was necessary for
the forward looking man to over
come the opposition of the Pull Backs
who are always most vociferous in
their denunciations of all progressive