Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-07-09
IMPOSING SHAFT
TO BE ERECTED
FOR MEMORIAL
Granite and Steel to Honor
Men Who Served in
Great War
MINIMUM COST is $4,000
Chamber of Commerce and
City Council Are Work
ing Together

City Council yesterday afternoon
unanimously approved a plan sug-
gested by Arnold w. Drummer. the
noted architect in charge of the
Capitol Park developments, and rec
commended by a committee of the
Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce
for a memorial to Harrisburg and
Dauphin county soldiers, sailors and
marines to be erected at the eastern
approach of the proposed memorial
bridge at State and Thirteenth
streets.
The memorial plaza and park
treatment will extend from Thir-
teenth in State, almost to Fifteenth
street, and will cost a minimum
of $4,000, which the Chamber pro-
poses to finance by means of public
subscriptions. The committee has
been at work on suggestions for
memorial for many months and at
last put the matter up to Mr.. Brun-
ner, who suggested the type which
the committee and council have ap-
proved.
OF Enduring Granite
The base of the memorial will be
of granite, as being more lasting
than marble, and will be circular in
form with a seat running around the
back to accommodate those who
may desire to rest after Il trip over
the proposed bridge or to view the
Capitol Park extension development,
which will lie in panoramic form
before the eye of the observer from
that altitude. Around the rear of
this seat will be carved the names
of famous battles in the war with
Germany in which Pennsylvania
troops participated.
In the center will be a huge
bronze base, of dignified ornamental
design. on which will be the proper
inscriptions. This base will be sur
mounted by a steel hagpole, sixty
eight feet high, from which will
constantly fly a huge American flag.
In the rear the present grassplot
will be transformed into a beauti-
full little formal park with stone
benches, attractive shrubbery ar
tistically arranged, ending in a stone
pillar in the rear This will be near
ly two blocks in length.
Designed by Brunner
The whole idea was developed by
Mr.. Drummer and is his suggestion
as the most appropriate way in
which the city can join with the
State in adding a local memorial in
conjunction with the great memorial
bridge to be erected by the State.
He pointed out that it would be par
ticularly fitting in view of the fact
that the granite shaft to the mem
ory of Civil War veterans is erected
at the western extremity of the Cap
itol development in State street, CIV
ing the Commonwealth's bridge and
pylons the center and the city and
county World War memorial the
eastern end. The proposed design,
ii is also noted by the architect,
will add a finishing touch to the
Capitol Park improvements and
give the Allison Hill district a de-
velopment in keeping with the fine
residential district developed there.
Governor Approves
Governor Sproul and the members
of the State Board of Public
Grounds and Buildings were first
shown the sketches and details of
the plan and they most heartily ap-
proved. The Governor intimated
that he felt it only proper that the
city and county memorial should be
located near the State memorial and
in conjunction with the wonderful
Civic Center which the Common
wealth is spending so much to Gre
ate for Harrisburg.
Mem bers of the City PLANNING
Commission to whom the plan was
submitted to-day heartily approved
it.
The Chambers committee in maxi
~ FNtIhl 10 hn -ly -,
ing the plan, desired to make clear
that it has been acting merely as a
clearing house for suggestions and
that the recommendation which 1t
makes to the city is not it's own
thought but the result of careful
study by Mr. Drummer, who is one
of the noted architects of the coun-
try. The committee feels that il
has been fortunate in procuring his
services in view of the importance
of making anything the city NAV do
along the line of beautificet'on to
harmonic with the States Capitol
Park plans. Paul Johnston chair
man; David E. Tracy, j. William
Bowman and Spencer c. Gilbert.
constituting the Chambers commit
tee, have held many meetings and
have considered many plans but be-
lieve by far the best is that here
with presented. The beauty of the
designed cannot be gathered from
a small picture and in order that the
people of the city may form a fair
and unbiased opinion of what is
proposed a large sketch of the de-
sign in water color and detailed
drawings of the various parts will
be placed on display In a downtown
window within the next few days.