Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-06-27
CAPITOL PARK
EXTENSION WORK
STARTS SEPT. |
Board of Grounds Aims at
Beginning Bridge Construc-
ton by That Time
OFFICE BUILDING, TOO
Plans and Specifications For
Great Development Are
Well Under Way

Work on the State street memorial
bridge the office building to be erected
in the Capitol Park extension and the
Identification of the extension zone by
September /, is the aim of the Board !
of Public Grounds and Buildings, Su-
perintendent Shreiner said to-day. The
Legislature has appropriated s75O,OOO
for the bridge, the city will contribute
100000 and the railroad a considerable
sum, running the total well over the mil |
on-dollar mark. An appropriation of
s1,25O,00o for the improvements of the
park zone, the construction of terraces
and for an office building also has been
made and will be signed by Governor
Sproul as part of his legislative pro-
gram within the next few days.
The Board of Public Grounds and
Buildings is completing rapidly as
possible details and specifications for the
bridge and as soon as these are com
pleted bids will be advertised four
weeks, according to law, and the con-
tract let. The architects believe that
L
will be able to put spade to ground
The work will start at Thirteenth street
in order not to interfere with State
street traffic more than is absolutely
necessary. and plans have been made
for the running of a temporary street
car line up along the side during the
operations. Next the abutments will be
undertaken and finally the construction
over the railroad tracks. The Board
has been asked by the Pennsylvania
Railroad to sell to it 26 feet of ground
along the Seventh street side of the
railroad right-of-way, in order that it
may straighten its tracks there and
lay three more. This the Board APP
pears to be disposed to do and the mat
ter will be taken up very soon. The
plans of the bridge call for an additional
arch to the east, so that the Pennsyl-l
vania Railroad may have a total Of
20 tracks instead of the 12 now in useI
; there. This is to protect its future
growth.
Park Extensions
With regard to the Park Extension
developments. the terraces and the pub
lie building will be started about the
same time, late this summer. Every
effort is being made to rush the building,
which will be of granite to CORES
spond with the Capitol, of handsome
design on the exterior and of a plain.
! business character on the interior with
out any of the ornate furnishings which
characterize the Capitol itself. Prob
lens of heating the building, the present
steam plant being now operated to ca
pacity, re-laying of water mains in
State street and the sewage system OF
the park zone are all matters to which
the architects and engineers are now
giving their attention and will report
to the Board shortly.
The Bridge
The bridge is to be made the Penn
sylvania memorial to the "Citizens of
this Commonwealth who served in the
military and naval forces of the United
States in the late World War" Mem
orial pylons will be erected at the west
ern end of the bridge in which will be
placed tablets containing the names of
all Pennsylvanians who participated in
the war.
The bridge, approaches and pylons
are to be built in accordance with plans
and specifications prepared by Arnold
w. Brunner and J. E. Griener, which
have been approved by the Board of
Public Grounds and Buildings. All con-
tracts are to be let by the Board to the
lowest and best bidders. superin-
tendent of construction may be en-
ployed.
Harrisburg will be charged with thel
roadway and sidewalks, the protection
of all water mains or conduits under
the present line of State street and the
preserving, protecting and policing of
the bridge. Harrisburg must provide
by ordinance that the property paral-
leling the bridge from the line of the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company east
wardly for one block north and one
loci of he hrf6
hereafter put to any use which in the
judgment of the State Art Commission
shall damage or detract from the struc-
ture. The present use of the property
shall notsbe affected by this provision
Under the terms of the other bill the
Commissioners of Public Grounds and
Buildings are authorized to erect, con-
struct and complete ready for furnish
ing an Office building in Capitol Park
and to provide for the necessary filling
grading and terracing in connection with
the building. This building is to be
constructed in accordance with plans
of Mr.. Brunner, which have been an
proved by the commissioners. A super
intendent of construction may be en-
ployed.
This building is to be erected in the
Capitol Park extension, the 20 acres
which have been acquired by the State
on lne east SIDE OF the capitol build
ing. With the Memorial bridge. the
new office building and the landscape
work which is to be done, the settings
for the Pennsylvania Capitol will be
among the most beautiful in the coun-
try
Harrisburg is cooperating with the
State in the Identification of the cap
ital city. The city will see that all
buildings abutting on Capitol Park will
be erected in harmony with the States
plans new city-county building for
Harrisburg is to be erected. 1t is prob
able the Pennsylvania Railroad Com
pany will put an ornamental passenger
station somewhere near the park, If not
facing on it. All North street prop
critics are to be set back 20 feet as a
part of the Identification scheme the
city is helping to work out.