Harrisburg telegraph. (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, February 28, 1914, Image 19

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    ZIMMERMAN
MOTOR CAR CO.
Walnut and Lin
)
\
Automobile Repairing in all its
branches.
/
' . f i '
Portable and Stationary Gas and
Gasoline Engine Repairing.
Light Machine Work Done.
Ignition, Carburation, Lubrication,
Lighting and Starting System
Maintenance and Repairing.
We maintain a service sta'ion for Eisemann Mag
netos; and have a thoroughly equipped de
partment for testing, overhauling and
remagnetizing all makes and models of
magnetos. When in need of advice or
service consult us.
All work guaranteed.
PARK DEVELOPMENT W
THE IMPORTANT FEATURES OF YEAR 1914
TUB year 1914 will witness an
other great step in the work of
park development in Harrisburg.
The city now has SIOO,OOO at its com
mand for the extension of its park
system and the purchase of additional
ground for playground purposes.
A part of this money will be used,
no doubt, to advance the playground
work and to complete certain incom
plete stretches of the parkway des
tined eventually to encircle the entire
city. But the playground work is
considered most important.
This SIOO,OOO will probably be the
last to be borrowed for park purposes
in Harrisburg for some time, as it
will go a long way toward the com
pletion of the park system so far as
the purchase of land is concerned.
One of the movements affoat is to
clear that portion of Front street
known as "Hardscrabble" of its
houses and turn it into a public play
ground. Then, too, the park com
missioner will have to think of the
parking of the river banks after the
completion of the river wall.
The story of park development in
Harrisburg is one of much Interest.
When the commission was organ
ized in 1902 it found Itself without
funds and with no land in its custody
save the three acres of grass park
and An unnamed plot of three-quar
ters of an acre also along the river
front. Reservoir park was then in
charge of the water board. To-day
the commission ministers over 900
acres of parks, parkways, playgrounds
and athletic fields, is sponsor for num
berless baseball, football and other
athletic teams, conducts school and
I\TOT how many pat
rons we can get, but
how well we can serve
the interests of the clients
we have, is the policy that
has been responsible for
the gratifying growth of
our business.
Brinton-Packer Co.,
Real Estate—lnsurance—Surety Bonds
SECOND AND WALNUT STS.
HARRISBURG, PA.
\ v..
college field and track meets, con
ducts public bathing beaches and
operates an extensive nursery where
all of the trees and other plants used
for park ornamentation are raised.
As late as 1902 municipal park ap
propriations were unknown. Now
$30,000 yearly is scarcely enough to
provide for the needs of the people—
demands would be a better word for
the public of Harrisburg has been
educated up to expect much from the
park management.
The real activities of the park com
mission began with its election on
January 20, 1903, of Warren H. Man
ning as its landscape adviser. This
election was not only for the best in
the judgment of the commission, but
in compliance with the earnest rep
resentatives made to it by the several
civic bodies which had to do with the
improvement campaign. Tt has been
contended and is still in full force.
Under the advice of Mr. Manning
a playground at Herr and Twelfth
streets, was purchased April 22, 1903.
being the first land acquired. This
playground, including eight acres, was
the only ground acquired during 1903
outside of the existing river parks.
For the purposes of comparison it
should be noted that the acreage of
the park territory which came under
the control of the commission at its
formation was as previously stated
three and three-quarters acres, and
that when it had secured jurisdiction
over the river front parks and Reser
voir park the amount thus placed in
its hands included a total of 42 acres.
Following somewhat the lines of
park development upon which the
HARiIISBUR6 TELEGRAPH
public had passed In the improve
ment campaign of 1902, but paying
more heed to the careful study of
conditions prevailing about Harris
| burg made by Mr. Manning as the
adviser of the commission, it was
early realized that the development of
a park system in HarritJburg presented
j peculiar and special conditions. The
j city is relativelj narrow, and its chief
! distinction is in the magnificent river
j front it possesses, practically un
j touched by commerce or buildings. It
| was seen therefore that the river
! front must be a matter of primary
! and careful attention. To provide
j suitable recreation facilites was the
| motive underlying the selection of the
! Twelfth street playground. The im
! provement of Reservoir Park and its
I condition as the great scenic park,
, including within its eventual limits
! the highest natural elevation close to
j Harrisburg, was obviously required.
; The consideration of the great wood
j land opportunity lying north of the
; city included in the territory generally
j known as Wetzel's Swamp early en-
I gaged the attention of the cormnis-
I siorf. The possibilities of usefulness
I in connection with the islands in the
; Susquehanna river focused upon Har
gest's Island, being considered in 1904
as a possible place for the city's fil
tration plant. As connecting in a
sense all of these various park de
velopments including the river front,
; the eastern border of the Wetzel
i Swamp district, a connection from
j there by way of the State Insane Hos
-1 pital and the State Arsenal with Res
ervoir Park, and thence by way of
i Paxtang and South Hairlsburg with
j the river front.
The parkway scheme was of an
exceptional character though directly
in line with the modern ideals in the
best park practice and tending to
ward the continual purpose of the
commission of bringing the parks
close to the people rather than forc
ing the people to seek the parks.
Several inner parkways and a pos
sible recreation park to meet the
needs of South Harrisburg in the
neighborhood of Cameron and £>ock
streets were carefully considered in the
general plan, as well as the develop
ment of a playground in the Tenth
ward.
After much Inquiry as to the land
values, and taking into account the
relatively scanty resources at the
command of the commission for the
requirement of such great areas as
would be Included in the above plans;
realizing also the necessity of a de
velopment which would as nearly as
possible approximate the park ideal
of an acre of land for each 100 of in
habitants. a general plan was decided
upon, Including practically all the
items above mentioned.
There was a demand that in har
mony with the proceeding develop
ment and the building of a new State
Capitol, State street should be im
proved, under which, and by plans,
obtained from Mr. Manning the whole
length of that wide st/reet, save be
tween Filbert and Thirteenth streets,
was distinguished by the creation of
central and stone-curbed grass plots,
in the early part of 1904.
In the same year the Twelfth street
playground was opened to the public.
The wading pool, a novelty in Penn
sylvania, was built and tennis courts
provided. In 1906 a complete out
door gymnasium of the best charac
ter was added to this playground
which has been of great and continual
usefulness.
It was in 1904 also that ground was
purchased for the extension of the
Reservoir Park to the extent of 45
acres. Negotiations for the purchase
of a portion of the Doehne tract
joining Renervoir Park having failed,
the authority of the city solicitor was
invoked and thirteen acres of that
tract condemned for park purposes.
In 1905 51 icres of land lying along
Spring creek and extending eastward
from Cameron street, was donated by
ex-Senator J. Donald Cameron. The
commission also received by gift
slightly less than 13 acres of land in
the Wetzel Swamp district from W. R.
Fleming, and by purchase acquired a
total of 252 acres at a cost of $21,-
970.78.
During 1905 much work was done
along the river front the path along
the edge of the bank being completed
and lighted, benches being provided
and the park regularly policed.
The commission acquired by gift
from Rachel Cameron Hale and from
John Hoffer a total of nine acres along
the parkway east of Reservoir Park,
and occupied by consent, pending
completion of the necessary transfers,
two and one-half acres as the prop
erty of T. G. and W. J. Calder.
Hargest's Island, from the Walnut
street bridge to its southern point, a
total of 23 acres, the Harrisburg
Bridge Company leased to the com
mission for twenty years, at a rental
of one dollar per year. It was at once
made useful in two important ways;
first, In the establishment of a park
nursery, in which trees and plants
purchased elsewhere might be grown
to proper planting condition, and in
which also plants and trees might be
propagated for the uses of
the city. It may be remarked at this
time that the operation of this nursery
has been extremely satisfactory and
notably profitable. At current prices
'which the commission had previously
paid and would now have to pay for
the necessary nursery stock, the island
nursery has saved the city consider
ably over fifty thousand dollars.
That part of the island south of
the Market street bridge was con
verted into a recreation field, includ
ing fpur baseball diamonds, two of
which are diverted to football uses
each autumn. A well arranged cinder
running course, a basketball field and
five tennis courts are also provided,
as well as floating public baths.
Island Park has afforded opportun
ity for fostering various forms of
sports. To be in line with modern
progress the commission Installed
early in 1907 floating baths at the
southeast corner of Island Park, with
the result that over fifteen thousand
baths were there taken and the the
facilities taxed to the utmost. An at
tendant was provided and also such
facilities as the meager means of the
commission permitted. This bath
house has been followed by two oth
ers, one exclusively for mothers and
girls.
Having possession of the Island
Park, opportunity was taken to fos
ter water sports, with the result or
holding a water carnival on Labor
Day, September 2, 1907. On this oc
casion there were swimming races,
rowing races, canoe races and motor
boat races, and fully fifteen thousand
people enjoyed sports not before avail
able in Harrisburg.
The tennis courts in the various
parks and playgrounds have been con
stantly in use. There are twenty-one
in all and on many occasions all were
completely occupied, with many wait
ing to be served. Many tournaments
have been played on the courts in the
parks.
Harrisburg enjoys unique dis
tinction of having the only public golf
course In Pennsylvania, and one of
the few in the United States. It was
prepared in Reservoir Park during
1906 and was improved in 1907, with
the result of enlisting the interest of,
and providing recreation for, a large
number of people, to whom such fa
HARRISBURG IS BIG
AUTOMOBILE CENTER
Hundreds of Cars Have Been Sold Here
and the Business Is Only
in Its Infancy
Harrlsburg's automobile business has
grown In the past ten years from
almost nothing to one of the most im
portant branches of trade in the city.
There Is no town in the land where
more people of moderate means own
and operate cars than In Harrisburg,
and many enthusiasts own several.
The automobile delivery trucks and
cars are as numerous in the streets
almost as horses and in time will ex
ceed the number of horse-drawn
vehicles, while the motorcycle is al
most as numerous as the bicycle used
to be. The number of cars'sold in this
locality would total an Immense for
tune. Differing from the bicycle, the
auto has come to stay and is fast
developing into one of the city's best
lines of industry.
In this vicinity the automobile has
passed the luxury stage. Where it has
not become a necessity it has at least
taken on the air of a very desirable
convenience. This is amply indicated
by the ever-increasing sale of cars. A
years ago dealers began to fear that
the market would be 100 small to ac
commodate the large number of firms
and agencies that went into business,
but the opposite has been the case.
Not only have all of the old firms that
have enjoyed good management pros
pered, but new ones are appearing
every year, and there seems to be no
end to the business which their shrewd
salesmen are capable of developing.
Many Garages
The large number of garages spring
ing up on the side streets are ample
proof that there Is an ever-increasing
demand for housing room and repair
shop facilities.
Harrisburg is popular with touring
parties and during the Spring, summer
and Fall the local garages are con
stantly tilled with cars stored for the
night. As the road system of the State
is developed these touring parties will
increase in number. In time, it is pre
dicted, Harrisburg will become as im
portant an automobile stop-off as are
many of the cities scattered through
out New England which derive thou
sands of dollars annually from the
automobilists who spend their vaca
tion in that picturesque region of
splendid highways. Just now poor
roads and inadequate hotel facilities
are a bar to the rapid growth of this
business.
Scores of business trucks are also
stored In these garages at reasonable
rentals per month, the public garage
having the advantage over the private
storage place of possessing equipment
for washing and repairing cars during
the night when they are not in active
use. The business when conducted
along progressive lines is proving
profitable and there is room for more
of them as the number of cars in use
in the city Increases.
It is estimated that there are more
than two score public garages in Har
risburg and the small towns immedi
ately surrounding.
Business Is Good
During the past two years the num
ber of automobiles sold by Harrisburg
and Dauphin county dealers has nearly
doubled. The demand at present is
good, but the selling season will not
open properly until after the automo
bile show, which will be held in
March. All manner of cars will be
shown and It Is expected that the
sales will show a sharp increase as
soon as the weather opens up and the
buyers have had an op; ortunity to
study fully the new styles in ma
chines and equipment.
The physician, minister or profes
sional man of Harrisburg that does
not own a car for use in connection
with his business Is the exception
rather than the rule and the Dauphin
county farmer who is not up on the
new wrinkles in 1914 models is looked
upon by his neighbor with scorn. Thb
horse is fast giving way to the auto
in the rural regions surrounding Har
risburg in favor of the roadster or the
flve-oassenger car.
The motorcycle is even more popu
lar than the auto in the farming dis
tricts as well as the city. The young
man who cannot afford a car or fast
horse now invests in a motorcvcle
built for two and he and his "girl"
can cover more ground on it in one
evening than his lather used to do
cilities would not otherwise have been
accessible.
For the maintenance of these sports
the money has been provided for the
most part by the people interested,
and they have been maintained at a
very trifling expense to the commis
sion, aside from the interest and su
pervision of the commission's super
intendent and secretary.
The development of amateur sports
and the growth of playground work
have been extensive and have come
to be such important features of life
in Harrisburg as to deserve separate
treatment. They are too expensive to
be passed with a paragraph or two.
Including the reimbursement of fif
teen thousand dollars by the board of
public works, expended for lands ac
quired to aid in its flood prevention
scheme, and various other items, the
total receipts of this commission have
been $265,247.30 from loans, not in
cluding the SIOO,OOO now at hand.
This year also witnessed the pass
ing of the old park commission and
the substitution of a city councilman
in control of the system, according to
the provisions of the Clark small
council act.
The work of extending Capitol Park
to take In all that section of land ly
ing between North and Walnut streets
and Fourth street and the railroad
right of way will be pushed rapidly
in 1914 by the commission having the
task In charge.
By the time the next Legislature
convenes much bf the property ac
quired will have been razed and the
cellars leveled to street grade. Hun
dreds of houses have been,already re
moved and the work is moving along
at a rapid rate. A large majority of
the most important structures have
been taken over by the State and a
few of the most commodious are be
ing used to house State departments.
The old Keeley Cure building is hous
ing one lot of clerks while a road ex
periment station will be maintained
in the Fourth street electric light
plant until such time as the State
needs the land for extension pur
poses.
The commission will In all likeli
hood shortly suggest that some pre
liminary plan be worked out for the
beautiflcation of the land acquired.
The appropriation made some years
since was simply for the purchase of
the property and was so understood.
It will now become necessary to de
vise a way to treat the new park in
order to give the Capitol a proper
setting and this will be taken up by
the next Legislature, In all likelihood.
There is some hint of an enlargement
of the Capitol, also, due to the fact
that It is already overcrowded and
some of the departments have to be
housed elsewhere than on the Hill,
something that would have been be
lieved to be entirely unnecessary when
the new building was erected.
behind his "fast stepper" in a whole
season.
An Evening In Reading
As an example, a young man and
woman aboard one of these machines
paused at the Market street toll gate
on their way from Mechanicsburg.
"Hello, George," called a friend,
"where are you bound?"
"Oh," replied George in a matter
of fact way, "Mary and I are just
running over to Reading to spend the
evening." Which was indeed the re
markable little journev they had In
mind.
Several thousand of these machines
are owned in this immediate vicinity
and many suourbanites use them in
going to and from their work.
Dealers in used cars have always
found an open market in the country
districts for the sale of used auto
dlstrlcts for the sale of used automo
biles. Many Dauphin county farmers,
especially truck growers, find the com
bination delivery and pleasure car an
aceptable and reliable conveyance be
cause of the ease with which the bodies
may be converted to suit their diversi
fied uses. The farmer-purchaser, by an
ingenious system in which he has the
body supports arranged on the chassis,
with but little time and assistance,
changes this combination car into any
style he may desire. On market days
quite a number of cars of this type
may be observed in this city. Local
dealers predict that it will be only a
question of a few years when farmers
living in this and adjoining counties
will rely almost entirely on the auto
mobile lor the transport of thuir prod
ucts to their various destinations. The
increase in sales throughout the rural
districts resulted in the erection of
many garages in many boroughs and
villages. The styles of architecture
and the modern equipment of some
of these structures have often been
the subject of favorable comment
among enthusiasts.
Harrisburg truck dealers say the
past year was an exceptionally brisk
one. Business in general was far in
advance of the year preceding. Deal
ers have already mapped out their
selling plans in anticipation of a busy
season this year. The outlook from
all appearances is exceptionaly bright.
Many dealers who handled nothing
but pleasure ears for a number of
years, observing that there was an
open market in Harrisburg for some
time with signs of a continuance for
an indefinite period, recently launched
into the motor truck business, which
is easily handled without interference
with the pleasure car trade.
Harrisburg merchants use trucks
extensively for delivery purposes.
Hardly a week passes that a new
motor truck, belonging to some enter
prising merchant, does not make its
appearance in the steeets. Depart
ment stores, wholesale and retail gro
cers, Ice cream manufacturers, cater
ers, furniture dealers, transfer agents,
butchers, confectioners, milliners, shoe
dealers, and even undertaking
establishments, as well as the mer
chant of limited means, are gradually
replacing their horses with the more
up-to-date and convenient motor
truck. There is not a department
firm in this city that does not at pres
ent have a well-regulated auto deliv
ery service. The system of the horse
and van delivery service is fast be
coming inadequate to meet the needs
of the many merchants In Harrisburg.
Besides makin- better progress, motor
service to some extent has been found
to be of great advertising value among
merchants. Competition in some lines
almost demands the innovation, the
time saved and great carrying capacity
of these machines overshadowing all
methods of delivery. For suburban
deliveries, where the matter of dis
tance once denied the merchant trado
because of use of horse deliveries, he
is now able to reach many outlying
districts of the city and county in an
incredibly short space of time. The
small merchant is greatly benefited in
tills respect and can afford to be in
dependent In regard to uncertain
freight deliveries placed in the hands
of others, the question of mileage not
handicapping him.
Altogether Harrlsburg's auto busi
ness is excellent, with bright prospects
! for 1914,
MADE IN HARRISBURG
Few people know that all of the
turbine wheels used in the operation
of the Panama canal were made in
Harrisburg. The order was the larg
est of its kind ever turned out in the
United States and was obtained by the
local works only after sharp competi
tion.
PLANS FOR SUMMER
The newly organized Clover Motor
cycle Club, of Chicago, is making prepa
rations for great times this summer.
Funds are now being raised for the
purchase of a half acre of ground on
Cedar Lake. A number of tents and
other camping equipment will also be
purchased, and the club members ex
pect to spend their week-ends this sum
mer on the lake, fishing, swimming,
and boating. They also expect to stnge
a number of endurance runs during the
summer, the destination of each to be
at the camp.
WINTER HUNTING TRIP
A motorcycle hunting trip, which
they all declare the most enjoyable
ever, has just been completed by four
enthusiasts of Toledo, Ohio, including
State Commissioner Jess Campbell One
member of the party owned a cabin
some miles from Toledo. With this as
headquarters they spent the week
scouting about the countrv on the two
wheelers In search of game. Kach
evening, efter a supper made of their
day's catch, the quartet smoked their
pipes before an open fireplace, and
made plans for the coming season's
tours.
MOTORCYCLE NOTES
The members of the Rockford (111.)
Motorcycle Club is now more than 150.
OeKalb, 111., is to have a motorcycle
club.
It is said that more than fifty add!
t'onal members w,n J° ln the Peoria
(111.) Motorcycle Club as a result of the
recent membership campaign. Peoria
is trying to secure the State F. A. M
convention this year.
A membership campaign which Is ex
pected to bring every motorcycle rider
in the city Into the local club, has been
started In Ft. "Wayne, Ind.
The Chesapeake Motorcycle Club, of
Baltimore, Md., has decided to purchase
a nine-room club house.
In Switzerland there are said to be
I more motorcycles than automobiles
there being 4,964 two-wheelers In that
country.
The Rev. Victor H. Wachs, missionary
of Korea, uses a motorcycle in covering
his field, out of Yeng Ryen.
Motorcycles in France must be regis
tered with the War Department, so that
they mav be requisitioned for army
service if necessary.
Marshal Vernon Blssell, Af Kenmore,
Ohio, has decided to purchase a side
car for his motorcycle, in which he ex
pects to carry lawbreakers to Jail.
The 1914 Helping Hand Book of the
Federation of American Motorcyclists,
Is now ready for distribution. Any F.
A. M. member who desires a copy of
tary G. B. Oibson, Wostboro, Mass.
The
Harrisburg
Manufacturing
and Boiler
Company
One of Harrisburg**
Chief Manufacturing
Industries
*][ The Harrisburg Manufactur-
Til lng and Boiler Company, al
though not so well-known as
some other industries of the
Capital City, is by far, not the
least in Importance. They have
been successful in every point
of the business In which they
are engaged, and the past year
has been one that has marked
the beginning of another epoch
in their history. The nature and
quality of their products has
alone been the secret of their
success, in that not only the
highest grade material is used. \
and the best skilled workman- \
ship used in executing orders,
but that they stand head and
shoulders above their contem
poraries In the prompt filling of
orders.
#IJ The plant of the company is
Til located at Nineteenth and
Xaudain streets, and on account
of ever-growing trade,a machine
shop has been erected which
from the very first has been
crowded to its full capacity. For
this reason, the Morton Truck
and Tractor Company, which
had been operating under the
same roof was compelled to take
up now quarters, in order to re
lieve the congested conditions of
the boiler business. Besides
the Boilers, which are of the
sectional water tube and star
safety water tube types, the
company manufactures the Pel
ton-Francis turbines and Pelton
water wheels. The Star safety
water tube boiler is one which
has forced its way to the front
in the industrial world. This
model, under the patent name of
the "Harrisburg Star Safety
Water Tube Boiler" is finished in
the shop, and is not taken from
the buildings until It Is assem
bled ready for firing as soon as
installed. In this condition, they
are shipped to all parts of the
world, and reports from pur
chasers as to the satisfactory
workings of these boilers, they
have by far exceeded the ex
pectations of the company
wtiich has been instrumental in
placing this product on the
market. The thing that makes
this particular type of boiler in
dividual is the fact that they
have the shaking grates, and
are internally fired. These fea
tures alone go a great way in
the cutting down of the running
expenses of the consumer. An
other advantage is that they are
only about one-half the size, but
at the same time are capable of
producing the same, and in some
cases a greater horse-power
than the so-called standard type
of boiler manufactured by other
lirms.
f]T These facts alone show that
Til it is real economy to use this
model of boiler, from the stand
point of fuel and labor, as well
as the saving of room.
HI These "Little Big" boilers, as
TU they are termed are ever
increasing in their popularity.
The shop Is at this time being
run to Its full capacity, and nt
times is being worked at niglit
so that tiie orders can be filled
promptly.
JTT Another of the products o!
Til this company is tho stee
plate pipe. The pipe is manu
factured in all gauges fron
six inches to ten feet In diame
ter, and the workmen in this de
partment have developed sucl
skill in the art of pipe making,
that an enormous quantity car
be rushed through on short no
tice. These pipes are now being
shipped to all parts of th«
United States as well as to manj
points in Europe, and as far ai
India and Africa. Great quan
tities have been used in Panama
during the building of the canal,
and they have proven satisfac
tory in every respect.
tf]T The foundry department is
TD about the best known end of
this industry. Its fame for high
grade iron castings has reached
almost every port In this and
other countries, and the pur
chasers are satisfied in every
particular.
*ll The pattern shop also de-
Til serves mention. On account
of the peculiar nature of th<
castings, this department cat
not get along with the mere pat
ternmaker, but demands th«
highest point of efficiency from
skilled mechanics.
f]T The Company has also
TU adopted the acet.yline weld
ing process, which is the most
modern. Not only have they in
stalled a large stationary outfit,
but also a portable one which
can be used to advantage on
large work that cannot be taken
to the welding department. On
account of the neatness and sta
bility of the material produced
by this welding process, this
particular work has an ever-in
creasing demand.
*T[ The officers of the company
Til also deserve much praise for
the manner in which they con
duct the business of the estab
lishment. They use fairness as
their policy, and this alone goes
a long way toward promoting
unity and harmony in the entire
plant. The officers of the com
pany are: S. F. Dunkle, presi
dent and manager; E. L. Bray
ton, vice-president; John Camp
bell, second vice-president, and
J. V. Kunze, treasurer.
(II One the whole, the outlook Is
TU very bright, and the peopls
of Harrisburg may well be
proud of this growing industry,
which Is doing so much toward
the industrial and manufacturing
as well as commercial progress
of the city.