Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-05
THE VETO WRITTEN.
Mayor Gourley Has One Ready on
the Highland Park Addition.
MORE LAND Is NOT NEEDED THERE.
He Would Rather Buy Small Parks in Other
Parts of the City.
COUNcILMEN MAY SUSTAIN THE ACTION

Mayor Gourley yesterday publicly an
nounced for the first time that he had de-
cided to veto the resolutions providing for
the purchase of the Fite, Finn and Lock
hart properties as an addition to Highland
Park. The veto messages were written
nearly month ago when it was expected
there would be a special meeting of Coun-
ellis The Mayor declined to say at that
time what he proposed to do about the
resolutions, though it was generally sup
posed that as he had not signed them he in
tended TO turn them down.
Now that his action in the premises is
definitely known, there is much speculation
as to what Councils will do A considera-
BILE effort was required to persuade major
ity of the Councilmen to vote for the pass
age of the bills, and, as some members have
since stated, those who favored the purchase
used the argument with Councilmen, in or
der to secure their votes, that the Mayor
was in favor of adding this property to
Highland Park and would surely sign the
resolutions.
Much Opposition to the Measure.
Several members who are usually passive
in matters of this kind opposed the resolu-
tions vigorously, though it was represented
to them that the measures did not provide
for an actual purchase, but were merely
necessary to keep alive options on the land,
so that next February, if Councils choose,
an appropriation of $3.50. 900 can be pro-
vided and the property purchased.
John Lambie, DR.. Evans and others op-
posed this argument, stating that by the
terms of the bills the city would be bound,
if they became Law. to buy and pay for the
property, no matter what statements might
be made to the contrary. 1t required adroit
maneuvering on the part of the other side
to counteract the effect of Mr.. Lambie's
argument, and several members in voting
explained their position by saying they
voted for the resolutions with the under
standing that only the holding of options
on the property was contemplated, and that
they would not vote to buy outright.
Serious Charges by the Mayor.
1t is now believed that not enough men,
bers of Councils can be secured to override
the Mayors veto. He will not make pub
lie the nature of the arguments he uses in
his disapproval message, but it is under
stood that he will charge misrepresentation
on the part of certain Conncilmen and 9TH
ers, both as regards his position on the reso-
lutlons and the ultimate effect of their pass
age 1t is known that the Mayor is op-
posed to increasing the size of either of the
present parks. He did, at first, favor the
purchase of the Fite property because he
believes that the present entrance to High
land Park is too small and insignif-
cant for the beautiful stretch of
land bevond, and that with the addition of
the Fite strip on the east side Of Highland
avenue there would be room enough to ar
range an entrance commensurate with the
size and Importance OF the park. But he is
opposed to buying the Lockhart and Finn
properties and, while he would have been
willing to buy the Fite tract, he feels that
he cannot consistently favor the purchase
of one and not all
The Mayor has given much study to the
park question within the past six months,
and has arrived at the conclusion that
Highland and Schenley Parks are already
large enough. He thinks that Highland
Park is too far out to become as popular
with the mass of the people as it should be,
that its location is such that it will always
remain so, and that, barring comparative
few who can remain close to it, the people
must always pay car fare to get to it. As to
Scheuley Park, he believes it will soon be
the center OF the city's population, and will
always be the most convenient and the most
popular with the common people.
Favors a Southside Park.
He also thinks that unless one owns a
horse and carriage even Schenley Park is
too large. No one, he thinks, cares to walk
over tract of more than 100 acres, and it
would be far more beneficial to the people
to have several parks of that size than two
large ones in one end of the city. He
thinks the next money spent for parks
should go to the Southside. Twenty, SO or
100 acres could be bought on the Southside
hills, and with little improvement
would be a vast comfort and benefit to
the large population of that section.
The people of the Lawrenceville and
Bloomfield districts should have a park
also, he thinks, and then those of the West
End. He uses the same argument for i'm
mediate purchases in these various sections
that Chief Bigelow does for extending the
territory of Highland Park, that is, that
now is the time to buy, because in a few
years property will have SO increased in
value that the expense will be more than
double as great as at present.
Another point the Mayor will probably
touch upon in his veto message is that while
the figures on the various tracts in question
are probably lower than market values he
is opposed to buying unnecessary land,
when for lack of money the city is leasing
and paying exorbtant rents for property
ior the public works and safety depart
ments in various parts of the city which
public economy would indicate should be
auned nv tho oitv