The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-25
THE PARK DEAL SECRETS
A CHAMPAGNE SUPPER FOR COUNCIL.
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
Mr.. BoOLwaIter POurs Some More Hot
Shot Into TaEGart-North-s
Meetings Last Night.

big crowd that came out to hear the issues
discussed enjoyed the evening. The meeting
was held on the lawn in the rear of the
clubrooms. The grounds were bright with
gayly colored lights and for an hour be-
fore the speaking began the enthusiasm of
the people was stirred by the rattle of
drums and the booming of miniature
brass canon.
The whole disgraceful story of how the
park deal was manipulated was made
public last night in words that carried with
them the ring of truth. AS the speaker who
discussed the park scandal declared, cit was
fitting time to strip this administration
of the mask of hypocrisy it wears" George
w. Spahr presided over the meeting and
announced that w. N. Harding would be
present before the evening was over. A
number Of speakers were called to the plat
form before Mr.. Harding arrived Between
the speeches there were songs by the Ma
rion Glee Club and the Students Lincoln
League, which had come out as guests Of
the North-side Club, INDUCED in some of
their unique yells. Here is one of them:
HOTEL, gobble, razzle, dazzle,
Sig, BOOM ah,
Harding, Harding, rah, rah, rah."
The Marion Glee Club made it's usual
happy impression on the audience. The
club sang, 'Theren Be a Hot Time in the
Old Town Tonight" and gave THE 97
Prosperity Song as an encore.
MAJOR Spahr introduced Representative
Jesse OVerstreet the first speaker Mr.
OYerstreet spoke of the large audience be-
Iore MIN and of the other large meetings
the republicans have had this fall. He be-
heVed these crowds indicated earnest
ness and enthusiasm that would result in
dlsapproVal of the administration that
has sought to conduct the affairs of this
city for the last two years. The speaker
said there is a great trial in progress, and
the people of indianapolis are the judges.
Inc present city administration is being ar
raigned. Whether or not it has redeemed
It's promises to the people the people are to
say on Oct. Il. MI. OVerstIeet read from
the declaration of the last Democratic city
convention, which in its platform con-
demned the Republican party for its failure
labor ~ INNS anu e''e en- i''' i''ei'' -
THAT platform needs revision" said the
speaker 1t is in every mans mouth these
days that the mills have been opened and
labor has been remunerated
MR. OVERSTREETS REMARKS.
Mr.. Overstreet asserted that it becomes
the duty of every Republican as citizen to
see that the city is no longer controlled by
the administration that now has it in
charge. The history of the last twenty
two months, he said, will establish whether
or not the two years of Democratic rule
have been a business Administered ton" Mr.
Overstreet spoke of the heavy Indebtedness
incurred in the last two years, and referred
to the flimsy excuse of the administration
that the annexation of the suburbs has in
creased the expense, He could not under
stand how this could be, as these suburbs
were not taken in until April of the present
year. He referred to the standing of the
Republican party in this country. 1t has
made its place because it has always been
sincere in its promises whenever it was pos
sible to fulfill them.
CHI hoe -
asserted, that the magnificent vote of ap-
prevail you gave last fall has been dissi-
pated in the last year. 1t is the same party
that again asks your suffrage Vote with
us and you can go to bed with the thought
that the taxes you have paid will be hon
estly expended and not recklessly handled.
GU can also be secure in the feeling that
Mr. Taggart and his men will be set aside
and Will become history"
THE PARK SCANDAL.
1t was Mr.. Bookwalter who told the
story of the park deal and gave some of
the unwritten history connected with that
gigantic enterprise. He began by telling of
the plan to purchase Mayor Taggart's bog
land south of the Belt Railroad, for which
the city was to pay $500 an acre. Then he
referred to the claim of the Democratic
organ that Mr.. Taggart, in a letter to the
park board prior to April s. insisted that
his land must not be considered. Along this
line Mr.. BookWalter further said:
Il will give you the unwritten record and
L defy Mr.. Taggart, Mr.. Holt, Mr.. I.ieber
Ir. English or the majority of the Council
nnance committee to deny the truth of
what follows On about the 18th OF
February last a meeting of the majority of
the finance committee was called. Where
did they meet? In a city office? In the
courthouse? No. They met in the little
room east of the barroom in the basement
of the Grand Hotel Remember this was
seven days after the Sentinel declares thar
Mr.. Taggart had written a letter to the
Park Board ordering that his land south
of the Belt Railroad cease to be considered
There were present at this meeting besides
the members of the finance committee
Messrs. Holt and Iieber, of the Park
Board. and Mayor Taggart, 1 ask these
gentlemen to deny that Mr.. Taggart stated
that he was present as a representative Of
Mr.. English, who was sick, and that, with
Mr.. Leber and Mr.. Holt they constituted
a majority of the Park Board. l am in
formed that at this meeting it was stated
that Mr.. Taggart had full authority to
make any compromise, compact or agree
ment the same as If he was member Of
the Park Board, and that his acts would be
ratified by such board. AT this meeting the
subject of a park appropriation was dis
cussed and a list of the properties to be
purchased was agreed upon | defy any of
the gentlemen present to deny that the bog
land south of the Belt was discussed. L
ask them was there not objection to this
swamp land and after considerable dis
cussion half of the one hundred acres which
had been originally urged upon this meet
acres to come in lying north of Raymond
street and south of the Belt. This is the
land | have always charged was to nave
been purchased as a prOpagatng ground
and il belonged to a close friend OF this
administration. / ask any of these gentle
men to deny that it was stated at tnls
meeting that in order to purchase this
propagating ground it was necessary to
drop the White river section or the fau
creek system. extending from Indiana ave-
nue. to Washington street.
Il defy them to deny that all these mat
ters were discussed at this meeting, ana
that the list of lands, as afterwards pub
lished in the Sentinel on March 2, was
agreed to- and that the members of the
Park Board present, together with the
representative of the third member, agreed
on behalf of such board, that these lands
as published in the Sentinel, should, II the
appropriation was passed, be purchased by
the Park Board. From this meeting Mr.
Walcott, chairman of the finance commit
tee. was omitted. Why was an important
matter of this kind. involving the eXpendl-
ture of nearly half a million dollars, con-
sidered with the chairman of the fnance
committee absent? Is this the usual pro-
as the manager of the city finances in its
legislative department generally ignored
such important propositions was II
not stated at this meeting that Mr. Wal
colt had not been invited because he could
not be controlled on the proposition to
leave out White river from Indiana avenue
TO Washington street?
AFRAID OF WALCOTT
Several nights later a second meeting
was held in the basement of the courthouse,
with all members Of the finance committee
present including Messrs. Allen and Cooper,
tho Republican members ask these gem