The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-04
THAT $4,000 TRANSFER
PRECEDENT FOR SWITCHING PAPk
eUNDs ALREADY ESTABLISHED.
Weak Excuse of Appraisers for Nor
Including Sterling n. Hollis Prop
crty i'm Territory Assessed.

When Controller Johnson attended the
meeting of the Board of Park Commission
ers last Friday he became convinced after
hearing the subject of transferring $4,000
from the labor fund to a fund for purchas.
ing parks on Pogue's run discussed, that
the transfer would work no hardship to
any laborer. and said that he would be
in favor of it if there were no legal OBJ
stacles." The question was raised as to
whether the money could be legally di-
verted to any purpose other than the en-
ployment of labor. Since that meeting the
citizens committee from the northeast part
of the city has been investigating the sub
ject somewhat. A member of the commit
tee said yesterday that he had asccrtained
if there was anything in this question the
ordinance had already been violated on the
controllers recommendation April IS Mr..
Johnson sent a communication to the Coun-
ciI recommending the transfer of "a, 963 from
the labor fund of the park department for
the purpose of making repairs to the dam
and new work made necessary by the floods
al Garfield Park. The printed proceedings
of the Council show this tc be true, and
that at the same meeting an ordinance au-
thorizing the transfer of $4963 "of the
moneys heretofore appropriated for the use
for labor" etc, was introduced by Mr..
Wolcott, chairman of the finance commit
tee AT the next meeting the finance COM
mttee made a favorable report, and the
ordinance was passed unanimously, every
member of the Council voting for it eX-
ceptng Mr.. Golfer, who was recorded alb
sent.
In the light of these facts the citizens
committee says that there is no reason why
the controller should refuse to recommend
nor why the Council should refuse To make
it. There are no indications that Controller
johnson will ask the Council TO transfer
$4,000 for the purchase or the Pogue run
lands at the meeting of the Council Mon
day night. Mr. Johnson says thdt ne InlnkS
it would be a good idea for the citizens
committee to take the Council over the
grounds viewed by the park commissioners
and himself last Tuesday The controller
says that he. was surprised himself and
never knew that such land could De Ioun1
comparatively close to the city, as he had
never been over it before.
The article in the Journal yesterday con-
corning the fact that the park law may be
unconstitutional because the Legislature
fixed the tenure of office of the PARK board
at i've years in violation of the Consutu-
ton, which says all otnces must be UNITED
to four years, occasioned co4sldefaDie
talk Deputy City Attorney Bell was
inclined to think there was not much weight
in the suggestion although he had not m
vestigated the subject very closely lie pc
lieves that the courts would not hold that
this defect vitiates the law nor inValldales
the acts of the commissioners.
HOLT AND THE APPRAISERS.
The park commissioners claim that it was
not their intention to exclude property
owned by Sterling r. Holt when they fixed
the boundaries of benefited territories in
such roundabout way. They say that 1t
was the intention to run the line in the
center of Pearl street, east from New Jer-
sey Pearl street does not cross virginia
nor Kentucky avenues, and there is no alley
corresponding to it. Despite this claim in
other instances, however, where there were
no streets nor alleys to follow, the commas
sioners cast the boundary on the line be-
tween lots. This might have been done IN
the center of the city. AT the park poaru
it was said that an injustice mad been done
Mr. Holt as four-fifths of his property Is
assessed 1t is claimed that the assessment
on the Quarter block opposite the Grand
Hotel would not have amounted TO more
than $50 or $50; Property owners VINO 9o-
iected to the discrimination say that II IS
not the amount involved, but the prlhclple
involved which they consider. Mayor rag
CART could see objection to making the
line follow Maryland street, but said there
had been no intention TO omit Mr.. HoltS
property so far as he knew. b,,
Some inquiry has been made as TO why
property that will be benefited by the small
parks the Dean, Miller and Kirkland sites,
has not been included in the assessors ad-
vertisement Secretary Spencer says that
this will be done after the squares nave
been acquired. ,,.s -
1n6Te IS " bS IL - t1ONNN
Park Commissioners this afternoon.
Treasurer Schmidt Goes East.
County Treasurer Schmidt who is ex
officio city treasurer. has gone to New
York to deliver the station house bonds
which were sold few days ago. Several
weeks ago Mr.. Schmidt delivered the $35QQO
issue of park bonds After starting Mr..
Schmidt realized that there was some dam
ger of theft, and decided never to make
another trip alone. A friend accompanied
him Yesterday The issue of the station
house bonds amounts to s15O,OO0., Mr.:
Schmidt will collect the money and deposit
il at New York