The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-03-19
WILLANNEX A SUBURB
NORTH INDIANAPOLIS PROBABLY
WILL BE TAKEN INTO THE CITY.
Many Important Recommendations of
h Mayor to BE Acted Upon by
the Council.

Last nights Council meeting was long
and tedious, and but little business of gem
eral interest was transacted. The most i'm
portant matter to come up was the recon-
mendation of Mayor Denny that the terri
tory known as North Indianapolis and a
tract of land in the neighborhood of the
cerealine works be annexed to the city.
This was attempted some time ago, but I'M
der the law then in force could not be done.
TIL Legislature changed the law in regard
to the annexation of property so that this
is now possible. The communication was
referred to a committee, which will report
an ordinance annexing the property.
The city owns a lot near the south cross
ing of the Belt railroad over White river.
which was bought twenty-five years ago for
the purpose of securing an entrance to the
river for the dumping of night soil. The
lot is no longer needed by the city, and an
offer of $500 has been made for it. Last
week 1T was appraised by a commission
appointed by Judge Brown at $3.50. The
Mayor recommended that it be sold for $500
and his recommendation was referred to a
committee, with Instructions to report an
ordinance providing for the sale.
h Board of Safety recommended that
the proposition of the East-end Mercan-
tile Association to establish a hay mar
ket and express wagon stand at the corner
of Pine and Washington streets be ae-
cepted. The recommendation was referred
to the committee on public safety and COM
fort. In connection with this, a petition
signed by half a hundred express wagon
owners was read, asking that they be al
lowed to stand on any street where their
occupancy would not interfere with traf-
fic and the consent of the abutting proper
ty owners could be obtained, provided that
they keep the part of the street so used
clean at all times.
The Board of Works. asked that authority
be given to appoint an assistant street fore
man, who shall be capable of running a line,
and thus relieve the engineers department
of a large amount of minor work which
that department must now do. The salary
Is to be SIS a month. The board also asked
that the Sprinkling inspectors salary be
placed at $50 a month, which would include
proper conduct of the work. AS the fund
for the building of the three new fire en-
asked that $500, which was appropriated
for a veterinary hospital, be transferred to
fund for new buildings. The communication
was referred to the finance committee.
The only argument of the evening was
precipitated by the report of the committee
appointed to investigate the natural-gas
question. The committee reported progress,
and also that the Board of Trade and the
Commercial Club had appointed committees
~ tAG O2iIlC IL DOoC. IL n
to unite with the other committees in the
work and to incur any expense necessary
for the proper investigation of the matter.
The resolution introduced did not limit the
amount of expense, and Mr.. Rauh opposed
1t on that account. He said he did not
think the Council should authorize an un-
limited expenditure. Mr.. Costello cham
pioned the committee. and said he had
enough confidence in the majority to be
willing to permit the committee to spend
whatever amount might be necessary. After
some more discussion the resolution was
adopted.
The special committee to which was re-
ferred the Mayors annual message made
mendations We're made. The committee
recommended that the following subjects
be embodied in ordinance by the proper
to keep their sidewalks free of snow; to
set aside certain streets to. be used under
proper restrictions to speed horses during
~sleighing time; prohibiting the use of GER
tain improved streets for certain heavy
traffic; to establish free bath houses; to
provide for the building of a bridge over
Fall creek at Mississippi street, and for
the appointment of a committee to confer
with the County Commissioners to see if
they will not pay a portion of the cost
of maintaining the City Dispensary. Messrs.
pointed on this committee. These matters
were all recommended by Mayor Denny in
his message. There were a number of other
important recommendations in the message,
but as they were all covered, by Work
Council committees, no recommendations
were made. The Mayor also recommended
that some action be taken looking TO the
closer collection of the city's delinquent
taxes by the county treasurer. A special
resolution was introduced on this subject,
and Messrs. Koehring, Schmidt and Golfer
were appointed to investigate the matter.
By the new law the salaries of the city
attorney, police judge and treasurer were
increased, and the office of city sanitarian
was created. Controller Trusler asked APP
preparations to pay these salaries as fol-
lows: Police judge. $416.T city attorney,
1921. n; treasurer, s., 1888 Sanitarian, $1.4l5.
Ordinances We're INTRODUCED changing the
and giving the janitor of the Council cham
Der $50 a year for his services, the latter
to date from Jan. /, 1894.
The ordinance authorizing the controller
be due July / was passed. The old bonds
bear 7.3 per cent. interest and the new
ones are to bear 4 per cent.
The ordinance changing the name of Hill
street to Arizona street was passed.
A long petition was presented asking
that certain city taxes. which it is claimed
were illegally collected, be refunded. There
is a law which provides that all land lying
within the city in tracts of not less than
five acres, unimproved and not plated,
and used wholly for farming purposes, shall
not be subject to city taxes. The petition
recites the rate of city taxes in the years
1887, 1888, 1889 and 1890 and the township
taxes for the same time, and asks that
the owners of property which it is claimed
comes within the provisions of this ex-
enption be reimbursed for the amounts
paid to the city. The claimants and the
amounts claimed are: Charles IL. and Jesse
Fletcher. trustees, Sl26.66; W. f. Piel, $6S.0o;
Travellers Insurance Company, $9.03; j. r.
si2. 40; John w. Ray, trustee, s20.33 James
A. Roosevelt, $15.75; NJ. E. Seibert, $3.50:
James Il. Hill, 1896; Joanna Bader, trus-
tee. s42.25.