Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-07-17
WORKERS FORCED TO
LIVE In MERE SHACKS

81 have noted conditions surround
ing the homes of workers who do not
control where they live but must go
where economic conditions put them,
in hundreds of American communi-
ties. l know of none in which the
conditions are worse than in Har-
risburg. and few nearly so bad. Our
inheritance of the building
idea and our thoughtless permission
TO grasping real estate owners to
build on back lots, have put us far
down the line under present broad
minded economic considerations.
In suggesting attention, some
thing like ten years ago, to certain
eminent and public-spirited Harris
burg citizens on this important sub
Ject, 1 was met with tile rather bru-
tai comment that the question OF
housing was wholly question of
supply and demand, and that If
houses were wanted they would
promptly be built.
we know now that is both true
and untrue. So far as the building
OF houses is concerned, it is true
that they will be built on just as
little land rs will serve as stables for
human beings, with just as little at
tention to sanitation and efficiency
and general decency as can be put
across an uniformed and lax ad-
ministration of public affairs.
But now the demand is for labor
everywhere. 1t is a loud demand.
Labor is no longer compelled to re-
main near any particular item of
work. 1t is well paid and fluid; it
will flow not only to the best wages
but to the better living conditions.
Other Cities Ahead
Harrisburg now has established
against her progress and population
the handicap of ill-considered and
utterly uncontrolled industrial hous-
ing relations. Meanwhile, Williams
port has gone ahead and built most
creditable district which is success
fully competing for people who
ought to be living in Harrisburg
The great ship building corporation
which is located in Bristol, Pennsyl-
Nania, is responsible for a model
town residence in which is so much
better than residence in any part
of Harrisburg available to the aver
age workman, that there will be no
doubt about the ability of this town
to take away those who ought to
live and work in Harrisburg. Sible-
town is a mighty poor competitor
against the fine industrial commun-
ity which has been created Just out
side of Camden. only little more than
a hundred miles away from us"
When asked concerning what ac-
lion ought to be taken to put Har-
risburg property on the map in the
competition for working industrial
population, Mr.. Mcfarland replied:
We need first of all a broad and
comprehensive city plan, which there
is abundant and favorable oppor-
tunity for our own City Planning
Commission to create if it is so mind
ed. 1t can reach out from the city's
borders in such fashion as to practi-
cally enforce modern ideals instead
of the ancient methods yet preva-
lent among us.
Zoning System Necessary
I'VE need also to enter and act
scheme, not at all understood in Har-
risburg, only by which values can
be assured.
'Zoning implies the establishment
of particular zones in which there
will be residences only; of zones in
which business only will be admit
ted; of still other zones in which in
dustrial establishments may be To-
Gated. The place in which it was
hardest in all the word to undertake
such work has already bound itself
to definite coming and> districting
plan. New York city is completely
named and distrtcted, but it took real
estate losses,k due to the shifting of
business and residence zones, of
many hundreds of millions of dollars
to wake up the metropolis to this ne
Cessity.
"A picturesque incident showing
how necessary public and definite
zoning and districting is appears
right now in Harrisburg. Bellevue
Park is a restricted district for resi-
dence purposes only. 1t begins ut Il
point one hundred feet west of the
western line of Twenty-first street,
south of Market. A builder of the
old-fashioned dog kennel type of
houses has purchased land directly
abutting upon Bellevue Park, with
the restrictions and purposes of
which he is wholly out of sympathv.
To show his attitude he has recently
erected large, ugly, and dangerous
frame garage at the extreme eastern
edge of his property. thus sticking
into the Bellevue Park horizon ex-
actly the sort of structure to prevent
the building of which a good many
thousand of dollars have been spent
by the projectors of and owners in
Bellevue Park. There is no reason
why, though this is wholly a resi-
dence district, this property owner
cannot erect a stable, or a foundry
or soap factory, or any other such
structure, on his property. even
though such erection would very ma
terially diminish all the values in
the property upon which taxation is
now based
Strong Housing Committee
Il venture to hope that the Cham
Der of Commerce may appoint a
strong housing committee. which can
obtain not only the interest of the
governmental authorities in Wash
ington now back of industrial hous-
ing. but can also obtain independent
and acquainted expert advice as to
how the future of Harrisburg's de-
velopment may be so controlled as
to increase population, prom ote
prosperity, maintain sane real es-
tate values, and put our housing re-
lationship as carried on by private
initiative in a favorable relation to
our recreational provisions as car
ried on through the park department
by the people at large.
There never was a better time
for Harrisburg to get busy in hous-
ing. There will be short-sighted peo-
pie who cannot see the necessity.
There will be self-interested persons
who will oppose any restriction
whatever upon what they choose to
do. 1t is not so many years since
one of the most productive huiIdars