The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-04-09
Five Ugly Little Imps Which Are Now
Busily Harassing the Association.
Something About It's Debt Of $3.50, 000-When,
How and Why the Obligation Was Made,
and How 1t Is Proposed TO Pay It.


Here they are:
Its treasury is Impoverished.
It's credit Is Imp aired
Its good name lmp-ugned.
Its work Imp eded.
Its life Imp-eriled.
By the debt of nearly $4,000 which rests
upon 1T What pity! Having made a
still hunt for nearly six months for sub
seribers to the fund for paying off this
debt. and having found and taken all the
game which seems to be In sight. perhaps
the undersigned may be pardOned for
firing off q report" with the hope that
the noise thereof will make some of the I'M
seen game in the vicinity say. with Davy
Crocket's coon: Don't shoot! I'll come
dowu"-with the cash!
First-A word about the debt-wben it
was made. The present building was
erected in 1867. at a cost. including fur
nishings, of $4,000. Subscriptions 10 the
amount of $4,000 were secured, and mort
gage of S!0. 600 was put on the building.
making tho 200 then necessary. But
there was o serious "shrinkaQe" on the sub
scription list. and only little over S!l.5 500
was realized from II In cash. This. with
the great cost of Rymnasiu and bathroom
furnishings, made 1t necessary to put on
other mortgage of 5000 on the building.
which was done. Instead of decreasing
this debt. as it was hoped could gradually
be done. tho interest account and heavy
current expenses gradually increased 1t.
and things got worse financially instead of
better.
WHY THE DEBT WAS MADE.
Second-Why was the debt made in the
first placef Answer-For this reason: The
association continued to occupy the old
building long after 1t was unft for use.
and until the city authorities came round
and condemned it, saying. get out. or it
will fall down on you. Something had to
be done. The association had owned the
site slncs 1871. The citizens had selected
and purchased that particular spot. be-
lleviDg then, as is generally believed now
everywhere, that the very center of the
business part of the city is the best place
for such building and work. The ground
alone was worth sec. coo, and it was thought
to be short-sIghted and poor economy to
erect O second or thrd-rate building such
a first-class lot. 1t was determined. there
fore, to anticipate the growth of the city,
the enlargement of the work. and the gen.
crosby of the people. by putting up \ build
ing which would cost dOu6 BILE the sum that
could be raised at one pull and which
would be q credit to the city when paid
for. You made o mistake; you made
mistake. has been sounded in our ears
thousand times since by those who were
asked to help pay the interest We Halter
ourselves that we will not hear quite so
much of it after the debt is paid Still we
are not sorry for the "croakers." 1t will be
easy enough for them to md something
else to object to. / have found during this
canvass that it is easier for the average
man to offer ten poor excuses in ten min
utes for not giving than one good reason In
ON hour.
Thrd-How the debt is to be paid. 1t
Is to be paid in good. hard cash, 1C0 cents
on the dollar. Country produce" will not
be accepted. even at half price, thank you.
We are not right ore we wonld take silver.
IL is of too doubtful value and too bulky.
We prefer gold and greenbacks, and we are
going to get them, too oil We need. OF the
S24, 500 already subscribed on the debt the
most of 1t is payable in five installments.
scriptlOn is made, or within sixty days.
and one-ffth on Oct. ]. 1892. 1898. 1894 and
1875 These easy terms ena bic ono to make q
good, liberal contribution without its being
q heavy tax at any one time: also. to make
if need be, to hedge in" little on other
things during the years covered by this
subscription. However. a few large, all
spot cash" subscriptions would come
right handy" just now TO help pay off
$1,000 note which natures in bank about
the 25th inst.
OBSTACLES IN THE WAY.
There are only two things now which We
will have to contend with in securing the
remainder OF the 10000.
First-Tbe natural and most uncom.
mendable inclination which many people
have for holding back when q canvass like
this is nearing it's end and saying. "Oh. it
will all be raised without my help" and so
tho thing drags. just because all the
other fellows" think the same way. This
debt Will never lie raised until some one is
willing TO pay the last dollar of il.
SecOnd-Another draw back will be tina
whole lot of people Will think that If
they should send subscription or check
for $50. by the time it reached the treas
urer tho whole $4,000 would have been
secured, and the association would have to
suffer the dreadful calamity of having $780,
050 when IL only needed $4,000 We rather
think we could survive such u calamity;
at least we would be willing to experiment
with it u little. in view of the fact that We
need $1,000 more for our current expenses
this year very much. and IL we had enough
money over to put in swimming pool,
such as the Evansville association and
many others have-"a swimmln hole in
the house." as DR.. Rondthaler calls tit
would be most acceptable benefit to our
members and attraction to our work. Al
ready our bathrooms are overcIowded by
our 1.075 members, and while we are get
glng why shouldn't we get enough to pro-
vide for our every need! AS NOW is the
time TO subscribe" we present you the
following blank subscription:
To the Young NJ ems Christian Association, City:
L do not think you made much of q mistake
in putting up a creditable building for the young
men or the city, and desire to help prove that
you did not by subscribing the sum OF $
towards the complete liquidation OF the debt,
and for such Improvements as you need. This
subscription Is payable as follows:
Cash, May l, 1892, &..
Cash, Oct ], 1898, S..-...
Cash, Oct. 1, 1894, $780,
Cash, Oct l, 1895, $.......
Total, $.......
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