Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-06-14
CAPITOL PARK PLANS


panving comment upon the harmony
and breadth of vision of those as
sociated with him in this work. Mr.
Drummer might make the most Won
derful plans in the world, but unless
they were approved by Governor
Brunbaugh, Auditor General Sny-
der and State Treasurer Kephart
they would be merely so many pretty
pictures. The members of the Board
of Public Grounds and Buildings
mean to make the capitol of Penn
sylvania commensurate with the
wealth and greatness of the Com
monwealth, and the results OF their
efforts to that end will stand
throughout the centuries as a monu-
ment to their public spirit and scope
of vision.
Nor will Mr. Brunner's confidence
in the Willingness of the city to do
its full part in the capitol develop
ment meet with disappointment. AS
the architect says, Harrisburg's civic
spirit is high and it may be depended
upon to cooperate with the State in
whatsoever steps may be necessary,
that, with the City Planning
Commission and Warren ]. Manning
looking after its interests, nothing
will be done in any way that will
conflict with the development of the
town or confuse or congest its traf-
fic arrangements. Indeed, it expects
that the new park will help to solve
some of the local traffic problems,
rather than add to them.
AS to the plan for a monumental
viaduct at State street. with entrances
from Royal Terrace, Thirteenth
street and other sections below and
above State street on the Hill. and
with driveways and walks leading
from North street and Walnut street
on the capitol side, there can be no
controversy. Such a structure would
be so infinitely superior to the pro-
posed bridge at Walnut street that
there can be no fair comparison
The State offers the city a real
bargain. Its proposal is to build al
immense, monumental viaduct from
a point near Thirteenth street, con.
Meeting with the new capitol park
extension on the west, and practically
carrying the park through by means
of an eighty-foot boulevard to the
Hill district itself All it asks is tha'
the city transfer it's Walnut stree
bridge fund to the new project, tins
Commonwealth to bear the re
mainder of the expense.
In other words, for the price of ;
| merely commercial bridge we get /;
structure the like of which the cit.
alone could not afford to build. Be
sides, the amount authorized by tn,
original bond issue would not now D,
sufficient for the purpose intended
as costs of construction have beel
doubled, or nearly so. since thos
early estimates were made.
Mr.. Drummer believes that, in viev
of the great need of bridge in thi
locality. no time should be lost ii
preparing for the improvement. n
doubt those who voted for the Wal
nut street loan. will be happy t
register their votes in favor Of di
verting the fund. especially as it nov
appears that the Walnut street pla
is dead for all time. Such a transfe
was made in steelton a few year
ago.
The State street bridge is in ba
shape. 1t is a mere make-shif
Something must be done to replac
: it, and the Drummer plan is the on
best calculated to produce results
The proposed bridge being a part c
the new park development and
necessity as we'll, might be built wit
propriety during the war perio,
whereas public sentiment would /
opposed to purely ornamental deve
? opment in the present crisis, eve
though the federal authorities woul
sanction unessential work. which
doubtful. The sooner the city an
the State authorities get together q
f this project the better. No time
to be lost If anything is to be dor
this year.
5 Mayor Keister has been criticise
: by "An Indignant Mother" in a lett,
n to the Telegraph. for mistaken len
| l..