The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-07-30
THE BELT ROAD EXTENSION.
A Howl. from Indignant Property Owners
What the Railroad and City
Officials Say.

When it was discovered, last Sasurday morn
Ing, that an extension of the Belt road was being
built from Brightwood to the Wabash tracks,
running through the northeastern limits of the
Guy, a small Indignation meeting of real estate
owners was held at the office of Mayor Grubbs.
such excited remarks as ''It's a high-handed out.
rage" "Its infamous" etc., might have been
heard, and the city officers to whom these re-
marks were addressed seemed paralyzed with
astonishlnent. 1t seems that work on the ex-
tension began ten days or more ago,
but was conducted very quietly, and some
now failed to come to the notice OF the
public. The city officers, therefore. were en-
tlrely Ignorant Of the matter, aud were very
much surprised when their attention was called
to the fact that the route extended through the
city limits and across several small streets,
where the company had failed to obtain right of
way. The grievance of the delegation of real
estate owners, consisting of j.. H. Baldwin,, j..
H.. Vaien, M. j. OsgoOd, and others, was that
the company had trespassed upon their prop
erty, and they demanded that the city officers
should give them some protection. Instead of
running around the city, the company made a
direct line through from Brightwood to the
WABASH tracks, passing through the Oak Hill
addition at a high grade. The line within
the city limits, crosses several small streets, over
none OF which, however, is there much travel
with the exception of Hill avenue. In crossing
Nreenpllar street a grade eight feet high was
thrown up, and Bloyd street was also obstructed
5y a very high embankinent
upon the strength of the complaint made by
tine real estate owners the superintendent of po-
lice and one of the captains went out to where
the men were at work. The names of the work
men We're taken, and they were Informed that
tney would be held liable to prosecution for the
distractions which had been placed across the
street and would be arrested if the work was con-
tinued. The men thereupon ceased work. The
Il AraulQP nDOn DrOnartV fhrn1Uh pbiah tbR nm
pany has obtained right of way, will, however, be
resumed to-day, but no further work on street
crossings Will be done until the REQUISITE per-
mission has been obtained from the city govern
ment. A special meeting of the Council will be
heid Tonight, and 1t is expected that the matter
Will be acted upon.
City Attorney Denny was interviewed yester-
day afternoon, and he spoke of the action of the
company IN running inside the city limits and
crossing streets without permission of the Coun-
Gil as "a most outlandish and lawless proceed
ing" He VIII, however,, take no action in regard
TO the matter until he has been instructed by
Council, as he thinks he would be unwarranted
IN proceeding in any way without such author
ity;
company, stated to a Journal reporter last night
that there was no intention to disregard the
rights Of any one, but that the company also had
some rights which were to be considered. He
said that the civil engineer and the officers of
the company were not aware that the extension
was running inside of the city limits, as it was
supposed That the proposed change of the
boundaries, excluding Oak Hill addition, by the
ordinance introduced in Council some time ago,
had been passed. As to the matter of trespass-
ing upon private property, he said that the COM
pany had offered to do the fair thing, but a few
of The real estate owners had demanded very
exorbitant prices, and no terms could be agreed
upon. The company then offered 10 refer the
wnole matter TO an arbitration committee of
three disinterested persons. agreeing to pay the
amount of the appraisement of the property, but
this had been refused, aud they could do nothing
more than go on building the road, leaving the
real estate owners the recourse of having the
differences settled by the courts in an assess
ment of damages. Mr.. Malott said that other
real estate owners had donated the company
the right of way, and were glad to give
the cOmptny "all the announcement they could
to bring tine extension as near the city as pos
sible, on account of the advantages that would
be afforded for the location of manufactures
The Messrs. Fletcher donated the right OF way
for more than a mile, while Joseph A. Moore and
Others were equally as liberal. The land through
which the line passes is nearly all uuOccupied,
and the company has no desire
to Obstruct any public streets. The crossing at
Hill avenue will be twelve feet above the level
of the road, and the span will be built on stone
~abutments. 1t is claimed that there are not a
dozen teams which pass over Greenbriar street
in a year, and that Its obstruction by an eight
foot embankment will cause no Inconvenience to
the public. Mr.. Malott says that he was not
aware that the line extended within the city
limits until only a few moments before he was
notified by the superintendent of police.