The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-10-26
THE PARKS PROJECT
SPECIAL COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS
A LEGISLATIVE BILL.
Landscape Engineers VIII he Invited
to Come to This City Soon and
Prepare Plans.

E. F. Claypool. Ferd. L. Mayer. III. c.
Allen, Frank A. Maus and ID. p. Erwin.
members of the recently appointed special
committee On parks. submitted the fol-
lowing report at a meeting OF the board
Of directors Of the Commercial Club yes
terday afternoon:
Your special committee on parks for pre-
Eminary work, in gathering Information
as to additional legislation needed, etc.,
to enable the city OF Indianapolis to secure
a better park system, desire TO say that
since our appointment as such m
favorable notices in the public press OF this
city and by many prominent citizens. to
go forward with the work assigned US:
The committee has had two meetings and
has spent considerable time In investigating
the questions before it. Feeling the import
ance of prompt action We have concluded
to offer at this time the following for your
consideration:
'First-We recommend that some COM
petent person be appointed by you to in
vestigate the law relative to public parks
in other cities and to prepare a bill on that
subject, such as may be deemed proper
to serve the best interests of this city;
to your board and the proper city author
tiles |. should be presented for enactment
believing that the present law on that sub
ject is not sufficient TO meet the necessary
requirements.
scape engineer be employed TO make a care
full examination of the several tracts of I'M
improved land. lying within and adjoin-
ing selections therefrom such as may be
best suited for use, ornamentation and
convenience for a public park, and to make
surveys thereof with maps OF the same;
Also suggestions as to the proper plan of
Improvement with an estimate OF cost Of
such work.
'sThird-That you request the Mayor of
the city of Indianapolis to appoint a special
committee on the question of public parks
and that such committee be invited TO
meet your committee TO consider and devise
ways and means TO enable the city of In
dianapolis to secure a better and more ex-
tended system of PUBLIC parks: 49,.
when a proper selection for such improve
ment has been made and you are enabled
to lay before the people OF indianapolis
templated work with approximate esti-
mates as to its cost, so that they can be
and sief Importance lp6ptanea a of 20 su tae p an pundertakins.
you will then find a proper appreciation and
Willingness on their part to contribute lib
orally in behalf of the enterprise.
"And should you deem it advisable to
carry out the recommendations of your
committee we have much confidence that
with suggestions that will aid you in bring
ing about a favorable termination Of the
object proposed"
In the discussion of the report Mr.. Clay
pool said the work of the engineer would
DE merely ADVISORY n not 10 make the
final selections of ground. Mr.. Claypool
said, in talking with people concerning the
movement, he was always asked what he
wished to do himself. He said he wished
it understood that he was willing to sup
port any plan that met general favor and
which would give the most satisfaction to
those most actively engaged in the work
However, he thought that nothing less
than one thousand acres should be secured.
He had thought of no special location.
H. Clay Allen, a member of the commit
tee, in speaking of what would be required
in the way of legislation, said he thought
in the preparation of the city charter less
attention had been paid to the park ques-
ton than of the other branches of munich
pal affairs. He was in favor of having a
park commissioner appointed with powers
similar TO those conferred upon park COM
missions of other cities. The directors
adopted a motion concurring In the report
and to continue the m The COM
mittee was given power TO prepare a bill
and TO secure the services of landscape
engineers as recommended in the report.
The president of the club was authorized
to invite Mayor Denny TO appoint a COM
mittee of five TO represent the city with
the request that the Mayor and city en-
gineer be members of the committee. The
committee will extend invitations TO land
scape engineers to come 10 this city to
draw up plans. Probably the first work
in this line will be made next Tuesday.