Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-05-29
COUNTY JOINS IN
FIGHT TO KEEP
HIGHWAY OPEN
Commissioners Tell Viewers
Clark Valley Road Is Most
Important
THE RAILROAD is BLAMED
Upper End Men Say Scheme
Is to Enclose Vast Game
Preserve
THE RAILROAD is BLAMED

Declaring that by closing the road
through Clark's Valley in Rush
township the only highway from that
district leading to the county seat
will not be available to residents,
that such action would tend to de-
crease property values from 20 to
so per cent, and would also close
large fishing and hunting grounds,
were statements made by the coun-
ty commissioners to-day in objecting
to the move to shut off about liz
miles of the road.
The board of viewers held a spe-
cial meeting this morning in the
city couEcil chamber at which the
county officials voiced their protects.
c. c. Cumbler, president of the board
of commissioners, said it had taken
action opposing the move to close
the road for these reasons: I'VE
feel that as it is the only road in
that valley it should remain open.
1t is the only means of access to
the county seat unless the people go
into another county, and If they do
that they must travel a much great
er distance. Not only that, but thou
sands of acres of territory will be
cut off from the county seat, and will
have no public road running through
it, We believe it is our duty to
protect our interests and to look to
the future"
Means Property Loss
When County Solicitor Philip S.
Meyer asked him about the effect on
property values should the road be
closed Mr.. Cumbler said: 1T may
possibly decrease them so per cert.
1t will certainly cause some de-
crease"
Commissioner H. NJ. stine asked
the purpose of seeking to close the
highway. Paul G. Smith, chairman
of the board of viewers, explained
that the reasons given by the petit
TONERS was that the road was not in
good condition and seldom used.
Corporation Interested
It is known by persons fighting
the move to close the road that the
Dauphin Consolidated Water Com
pany, subsidiary of the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad Company, is back of
the project. In fact an attorney for
the water company and a realty
agent for the same corporation, were
the only two persons at the hear
iLg again to-day to appear for the
petitioners seeking to have the road
closed. The water company controls
or owns the bulk of the land abut-
ting on the road, and the sportsmen
clare it is a move on the part of the
corporation to close off a big tract
known, to be one of the finest hunt
ing and fishing places in the State
and make it a private preserve.
Commissioner Stine made these re-
marks to the viewers: There is a
harger question here than the mere
saving of a few dollars to the town
ship for road repair and school
;rfo aIn
will shut off a large fishing and
hunting district. The county COM
missioners are not irs sympathy with
the establishment of large private es-
tates shutting off the public. We
want to enlarge the opportunities for
enjoyment for the general public
who can't afford to buy large pre-
serves. This road closing does not
apply and will not affect Rush town
ship Only. The remaining districts
of the county must be considered,
too"
Road i'm Good Shape
Nathan Hummel assessor in Rush
township. when called to the witness
stand. estimated that properties in the
township affected by the road closing
would decrease at least 20 to 25 per
cent. in value IL the highway is not
kept open.
travelled over the entire upper end of
the county since boyhood, was called
to tell about the condition of the
stretch of roadway in question. He
told the viewers that it was in better
condition than some highways in Ly-
kens and Washington townships and
was always passabe except during a
severe snowstorm such as will close
any road in the valley because of
drifts. He also said the main road
from Millersburg TO Elizabethville is
in no better condition. and sometimes
even worse than the one in Clarks
Valley after a rainstorm.
J. William Bowman, this city, and
Gus M. Steinmetz. both of whom had
travelled over a large part of the high
way less than three weeks ago by au-
tomobile, testified that it was in good
condition. Mr. Steinmetz predicted
that 1t would be a bad move to close
the road now. as eventually it may
become one of the main highways be-
tween this city and pottsville.
Cuts on Cemetery
County Solicitor Meyer, II. B. Sauss-
aman, representing sportsmen in the
upper end of the county and II. E.
Burlington. Lykens, of the Auditor
Generals Department, were present at
the hearing to-day. Argument of the
testimony presented will be heard by
the viewers next Tuesday and they
will present their final report to the
court on Monday, June 9.
During the hearing this morning the
attorney for the water company in
discussing the question raised by the
viewers about permission to relatives
to visit the graves in a cemetery in the
valley within the district which would
be closed by vacating the road, made
this remark: II am authorized to
say that the railroad-I mean the water
company will give permits at any time
to relatives to go to the cemetery
should the viewers decide to vacate
the public road"
SALVATION ARMY WINS GOAL
New York, May 29.-The Salvation
Army's campaign for 3,00O,0 10000
ha