The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-31
LET US HAVE PEACE.
A Plea i'm Behalf of Immediate Con-
structiOn of Parks.
DOiia Journals.

To the Editor IF the Indianapolis Journal:
1t seems to me that the clamor of the
northeast people for part of that $3.50, 600
park money is not just the right thing at
this time; and, by so much as the Journal
upholds them, it is wrong. 1t is too late.
The properly constituted authorities have
decided to have q park six miles long aver
aging about one thousand feet, including
Fall creek and its southern riparian be-
longings, in width, leaving for park pur-
poses proper a strip averaging probably
four hundred feet, unless we count the
tificial lakes and the picturesque south
bank Of the creek park proper. Now hav-
ing undertaken this, city pride should
prompt everybody to carry it out at any
personal sacrifice If we do this we have
rot cent to spare for the proposed north
east park after buying the other plants
talked Of. Only think of the Improvements
necessary to develop this park In addi-
ton to the dams necessary to make the
beautiful lakes there must be a drive not
less than d hundred feet in width. 1t will
take every cent of the $500 600 to be raised
by the assessment of benefits to grade and
bridge and asphalt that drive. How much
Ii will take to keep the drive in good re-
pair and rebuild the dams every year or
two nobody can estimate, for both dams
and asphalt pavement are uncertain af-
fairs as our experience in Garfield Park as
TO dams and our streets clearly shows. 1t
would be bad economy to divert a single
dollar of that $3.50 900 to any new enterprise.
not even the $4,000 set apart for beginning
work on this park. We are in immediate
need of this park. Some of us keep spank
ing. fine rigs, or can afford to go to the
stable and hire one when our friends call
On us and we wish to drive them around.
Now we have nothing to show them ex-
cept Crown Hill. We. should have this
we must borrow an equal amount as it
must be year at least before we can real
ize on the fund to be derived from ben
Gifts" Besides, the poor people who are
to be benefited justly impatient to be
benefited. From a hasty and partial in
spection of the park | estimate that there
are more than a hundred trees along the
drive that can be utilized as shade, be-
sides those that will have to come down in
grading the track, and those at the upper
end, where the park includes woods enough
to furnish a loop for US to run around and
turn In to come home. AS those who are
to pe assessed for benefits can be benefited
in no other way than to take to these shade
trees to watch the beautiful teams passing.
every consideration requires an early COM
pleticn of the park, with its lakes and
drives.
But what of the northeast park? Must
it be abandoned? BY no means. AS parks
usually are constructed they offer one of
the most desirable pieces of ground yet
proposed, but they are too late TO share In
the $35o.O00 now on hand, and too early
for the next half million. But some plead
that we are at our constitutional limit,
Not So by great odds. All we have to do
is to reassess our property. We can very
easily double the valuation, and thus bor-
row twice as much. And this would be
more honorable and more equitable than to
raise funds by assessing "benehts' on those
who happen to be near such a park as
our Fall-creek park. But, whatever
we do, let us quit kicking and go to pay
ing; and. as we have started parkWard
let us push things. 1t will be hard on
the laboring men who have small houses
not paid for but it will be the making of
parks. L. l.. SEE.
Indianapolis. May 90