The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-09-13
GARFIELD PARK FUND
COUNCIL FINANCE COMMITTEE DE-
CIDEs TO FIX 1T AT $4,000.
Estimates for Repairs to Buildings
and for of Hose Cut
-Other Municipal Matter.

The finance committee Of the Council
had the estimates for the appropriations
for 1895 before ii last night. The Board OF
Public Works, Board of Public Safety,
Mayor, controller and city attorney were
also present. There was considerable argu-
ment upon the Garfield Park estimate,
which the South-side councilmen wanted
increased to $4,000. The general park
question came in for a considerable dis
cussion and the poverty Of the city in this
respect was expatiated upon. 1t was
agreed that all of the parks under the con-
troll Of the city needed much more atten-
tion than they received. The aHpropria-
ton for general park purposes was but
5000 after the estimates came from the
hands Of the controller. Mr.. Merritt want
ed this increased to 5000. President Wild
man, of the Board of Works, said that S,-
900 was barely enough to pay for the
maintenance of the parks without provid-
ing for any improvements In them. He
suggested that it would probably be neces-
sary to lay pipes in University Park next
spring to provide for watering the grass
during the summer season.
The stimates of the Board of Works of
the amount of money to be expended in
bridges was 5000. This amount the con-
YIN q C4d(C " Tc'Nf
said such a reduction simply meant that
the board could build no bridges. but the
figures were left at that amount. The es-
timated cost Of electric lights was re-
duced from $4,000 to $4,000 by the con-
troller and left by the committee. The
estimate for vapor lamps caused some dis
cussion. Chairman Rauh, of the commit
tee, was opposed TO any estimate for vapor
lights until the city attorney had given an
opinion as to the validity of the contract
with the vapor Light Company. The con-
tract had never beer ratified by the Coun-
Gil. and Mr.. Rauh was O. the opinion that
this fact invalidated ii. The board said 1t
had reduced the number of lights to the
minimum allowed by ...e contract. Chair
man Rauh thought the estimate of 5000
He said he thought IL more care was taken
and the work was checked over as ~
would be In a private business there would
for so much money for this fund Mr..
Wildman said that the mistakes in most
Instances were due to mistakes in the
sessment roll clerks. He also said that IL
1t was undertaken to check the back work,
which ought to be done, the force of
clerks would have to be largely Increased.
A thing which interfered with the work
of the assessment bureau, Mr.. Wildman
said, was the fact that the clerks had to
y kAS
assessments from the county Offices and
had to get them when .ney We're not In
use. They could not get the books to ex-
anime them at any time they wished. Mr..
Wildman suggested that the city was
much in need Of its own plat books for
Superintendent Powell explained why
the eight additional patrolmen asked for
by the Board of Public Safety were need
ed. He said he had asked for twenty,
which he thought was, in fact, the num-
Der needed. He said it was time the de-
partment began keeping two officers at the
police station to send to any part of the
city in case of a call for an officer. At
the present time the police station Is in
TELEPHONE communication with each officer
on his district only about every hour and
a half.
After hearing from the heads of the diff
ferent departments the committee went
into executive session for a few minutes.
1t was finally decided to cut the estimates
for repairs to buildings 5000, 4or the pur-
chase of hose 200. East market salaries
$500 and to raise the estimate for Garfield
Park 5000, in accordance with the recon-
mendation of the Mayor, making the total
estimate for that park SO WO instead of
$1,000. These were the only points settled
at last nights meeting.