Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-12-30
BOROUGHS MUST
TAKE FIRST STEP
FOR ANNEXATION
Plan Is to Bring Harrisburg's
Population Up TO
125,0O0
THE CITY INVITES ACTION
Final Decision Is Said to Rest
With Taxpayers of Each
Community
THE CITY INVITES ACTION

The campaign for a Greater Ifar-
risburg was given impetus to-day
with the statement issued from the
offices of the Harrisburg Chamber
of Commerce as u reminder to resi-
dents of contiguous boroughs and
territories that any action toward
incorporating such boroushs and ter
ritories into the limits of the city
must be initiated by their residents
themselves. The Chamber of Com
merce is fostering q campaign TO
increase the population of Harris
burg to 125, 900 through the annexa-
ton of surrounding communities.
THE. city of Harrisburg can only
extend the invitation, and receive
those boroughs which accept. 1t can
not go out and bring them in, but
has opened wide the door for their
acceptance" said Il. ]. Stackpole'
president of the Chamber in answer
to queries as to what progress is be-
ling made on the Greater HARRISBURG
project.
A number of inquiries have been
received at the Chamber offices as
to what the city has done 10 increase
it's boundaries and population. Inc
Greater Harrisburg project has as
its goal the annexation of such popu-
lous and prosperous adjacent COM
munities as Steelton, Paxtang, Pen
brook, Pleasant View and contiguous
township areas.
Steelton and Paxtang. are pnme-
diate by adjacent while Penbrook,
Rockville and other nearby towns
may be annexed when the interven-
ing territories also have been
brought into the city limits, as in the
case of Riverside.
Review by Courts
Boroughs, such as Penbrook and
Steelton. may. be annexed TO the CITY
when three-fifths of the taxable citi-
Zens of the borough have petitioned
| their council that they desire an
! nexation to Harrisburg, upon receipt
of which petition the town council
may pass an ordnance requesting the
| Harrisburg council to annex the bor-
ough. The Harrisburg council may
| then annex the borough by ordi-
4 nance, which ordinance becomes ef-
! fective ten days after enactment un-
less an appeal is taken. In case oi
such an appeal, the court investi'
! gates to determine if all the steps
! have been taken in conformity witt
the law. When this is determined
annexation is accomplished.
Routine For Townships
In the case of township, the peti
ton of three-fifths of the taxable
citizens is presented directly to th'
Harrisburg council. In the case o
a part of township annexation, th'
petition is presented directly to thu
| Harrisburg council, along with {
plot of the part of the township de
string annexation.
Where a contiguous territory no
exceeding one hundred acres desires
annexation the majority of taxable
citizens may present q signed peti
ton accompanied by resolution o.
city council endorsing the petition
to the quarter sessions court request
ing annexation to the city, and the
| court appoints three viewers to in
vestigate the facts set forth in the
| petition, after which investigation
! the court grants the petition.
In the agitation for n Greater Har,
| risburg it has been pointed out thai
/ both the city and the annexed terri.
| tories will be greatly benefited
! through provements accruing tc
| the territories thus joining the city
and the increased standing of the
oity through its ranking with cities
! of larger size. But it must be borne
in mind that the initiative rests with
the territory to be annexed and not
with the city.