Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-07-12
EXPECTED
TO ACCEPT FREE
TENDER OF PARK
Council Learns That Public
Opinion Endorses Project
to Develop Upper End

1t is generally expected that the
City Council will accept the free
tender of the Mckee Graham estate
of fifteen or twenty acres of land
included in the Italian Park area.
Under the plan proposed at the
recent exchange of views between
the City Council and the Planning
Commission the present swampy dis
trict known as Italian Park would
be dredged and converted into an
attractive lake making it the chief
feature of a fine landscape treat
ment at the present terminus of
Third street at Division.
To extend Third street through the
swampy stretch would involve
enormous cost for filling and grading
and the members of Council believe
that it would be much more econo-
mical to continue Third street along
the bluff to a point in Riverside
, where the street would be continued
northward.
With the conversion of the
swampy section into park and
lake it is figured that encourage
ment would be given for immediate
real estate and building develop
ment. Harrisburg is on the edge of
great building boom and those who
are familiar with the plan proposed
| believe that the increase of this
residential district would soon re-
turn to the city in taxes more than
| the comparatively small cost of the
park treatment outlined. Also the
changing of the swamp into a lake
with attractive landscape surround
ings would eliminate one of the
worst mosquito breeding spots in
the whole city and relieve the whole
M ~ Il on nf Ia aNsYsig ~
an uncomfortable and persistent
summer menace.
\ Long Step Forward
Harrisburg is believed by all for
ward-looking persons to be on the
threshold OF another long step in
its progress. 1t is necessary to pro-
vide in advance for fresh-air resorts
for the people and especially in those
districts where the population is
likely to be largely increased. Many
cities are purchasing tracts of land
for parks far ahead of their develop
ment and this opportunity which is
now presented to Harrisburg of Sc
curing free a considerable piece of
land available for park purposes can
hardly be turned down, il is urged,
without doing injustice to the on
coming generation.
City Council has been commend
ed for proceeding with discretion and
judgment in this matter, but pub
! lie sentiment is strongly in favor
of accepting the offer of the Mckee
Graham estate and the hope is ex-
pressed that nothing will occur to
cause a change of front on the part
of the representatives of the estate
before the city shall have taken ac-
ton on the City Planning Commits
sion's proposition.
Meet Monday
The City Planning Commission.
City Engineer NJ. b. Cowden, Com
missioner Il. u. Gross and Mayor
ID. l.. Keister will meet on Monday
morning at 10.30t o'clock in the
City Council chamber to discuss the
proposed Italian Park development.
The members of Council who will
confer with the Planning Commis-
sion were appointed to determine
the definite plans for improvements
which arc proposed. the probable
cost of the work, and the time which
will be allowed for the city to COM
plete 1t.
The italian park property, which
is just west of the site purchased by
the School Board for school district
use, is to be given to the city with
out cost. provided 1t is developed.