Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-10-17
CITY URGED TO TAKE
ENTIRE RIVER FRONT
CONTINUED from First Page.l

mirals and others occupied places
at the speakers table.
Admiral Bowman asked for a vote
of thanks for the decorations and
the appreciation of the guests was
expressed by standing vote. Mr..
Bowman spoke of the difficult work
of the Kipona executive committee
of the past year and of the wonder
full success that had attained their
efforts. He presented Mr.. Tracy,
who said that he had been respons-
ible for making MIR. Bowman Ad-
miral. He said that he had con-
ferred this title upon Mr.. Bowman
who at the time was merely presl-
dent of the Navy and the name had
stuck. The speaker outlined the
river improvements that had come
under his eye as member OF the
Board of Public Works at the time
the dam was erected and the front
steps constructed. He said that he
had been interested in the river and
its development and that he hoped
to see such improvements made as
the beauty of the Susquehanna basin
here deserves. He spoke of the
Labor Day Kipona in high terms,
but said it is merely the forerunner
of greater things to come. He
praised the Navy and its members
for the excellent work they have
performed and urged them to fur
ther efforts along this line. At this
junction Admiral Bowman read a
telegram from Mayor keister who
was unable to be present. He intro
duced Park Commissioners e. u,
Gross. who in turn presented War
rem H. Manning, the park expert,
who is in Harrisburg to go over
the bathing beach project to come
before the people in November. He
referred to Mr.. Manning as "a man
of a wizard eye who came to us
when we were lost in the woods
and showed us the way TO make a
bigger and better city.
Manning's Suggestions
Mr.. Manning said that he had
made a careful study of the whole
bathing beach proposition and that
he is convinced the best place is
the lower point of Hargest Island
and the space between the Market
and Walnut street bridges. He said
that for the $4,000 contemplated
in the loan provision can be made
to care for 5000 bathers a day. He
would erect concrete lighthouses of
ornamental design in the form of
closed arches with shower bath at
either end. the center given over to
dressing rooms with lockers for
clothing and the top arranged for
spectators. In front he would have
a runway for the bathers leading
down the steps which would extend
into the water after the manner OF
the front steps along the river. These
lighthouses would be of concrete
and so constructed that if the high
water at any time swept over them
,l, - Wit n
hose and be as good as ever. Mr.
Manning advised that the present
city nursery on Island Park be-
tween the bridges be removed as
its days of usefulness are over, the
larger and better of the trees left
standing and the whole transform ed
into a picnic grove which would
| lead down to the concrete bathing
houses. This it is understood the
Park Commissioner has practically
agreed to as being a desirable thing
to do.
River Unsurpassed
Mr.. Manning said that the river
front of Harrisburg is unsurpassed
in America, that no city has such
a set of front steps as we have here
and that no time should be lost in
acquiring outright the entire length
purposes. He said that as the city
grows north the same treatment can
be accorded to McCormick's Island
and that the donor of this land did
not fully realize what a wonderful
thing he was doing for Harrisburg
in presenting it with this island.
Mr.. Manning paid a high tribute
to the public spirit of Harrisburg.
He said the people have given their
talent, their means, their energy,
their money and their land without
grudge. No city, he said, has OBJ
tained so much in the way of re-
creation places for so little money as
! Harrisburg. OF all mem orials, Mr..
Manning added. land is the most
permanent, buildings grow old and
monuments decay, but land stands
for all time as a tribute to the man
who presented it to the municipality
for public uses.
Mr.. Manning said that Harrisburg
should own every island in the river,
even those that are now little more
than grass patches. as in the future
they would serve as swimming
places. recreation spots and camp
ing sites. He paid a high compli-
ment to the public spirit which en-
abled Harrisburg to stage such n
spectacle as the Labor Day Kipona
and he said it is possible for this city
to develop in the Kipona as famous
an event as the Mardi Gras of New
Orleans and just as beautiful.
Mr.. Manning said that he intends
to make a study of the costs of mu-
nicipally-operated lighthouses as
compared with those of George K.
Reist, whose floating lighthouses he
inspected yesterday. and those of A.
P. Dintaman, who was one of the
boat house pinoneers of Harrisburg.
Mr.. Manning paid a compliment to
the enterprise of these men and
their wives who had stood sturdily
by them in the early days of their
operation. He said he intended to
find out by the experiences which
Mr.. Reist and Mr.. Dintaman are
conducting whether or not it is more
profitable to have n municipality
owned boathouse or to have either
floating lighthouses or landhouses
privately owned and controlled by
the municipality.
Only the BEGINNING
Mr.. Manning concluded his re-
marks by predicting that we have
just touched upon the possibilities
Of the city respect to its use of the
Susquehanna basin and predicted
that the time would come when
there would be dozens upon dozens
of canoes and boats here where pow
there is one. The next speaker was
f. J. Stackpole. vice-admiral of the
Navy. who endorsed all that Mr..