The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-29

fer or appropriation of the funds asked for,
they believe that with the money that will
be derived from DEMENT'S they Will be en-
abled TO give our city a system of parks
and driveways such as Will be regarded
with pride by her citizens.
The commissioners present these matters
to you for a fair and unprejudced con-
sideration and ask that you place your
grievances before the persons where they
properly belong and not to hold US as en-
tirely responsible, especially for matters be-
yond our control.
A LETTER FROM THE MAYOR.
Controller Johnson was an interested
spectator at the meeting yesterday. He
came by invitation of the citizens commit
tee. Mayor Taggart was not present. He
sent a letter to the board. 1t was read to
the board and citizens committee by Sec
rotary Spencer. The Mayor wrote:
Il regret that illness prevents my pres
ence at your meeting to-day | was called
upon the other day bys a committee con-
sisting of Messrs. Shaw Coyner and others
from the northeast portion of the city with
reference to the location of a park in that
section am heartily in favor of such
park and would advise that you take steps
to have such land appraised, as the resi-
dents of that portion of the city have sug-
gested to your board, in order that it may
be determined at what price the same can
be purchased"
That has already been done" exclaimed
two three members of the board dryly.
we ordered the land appraised last week.
The Journal and other papers announced
that the board would procure an order from
the Circuit Court for the appra1sement or
these lands in order to ascertain their
price when the committee first called on it.
j. B. Wells. c. Z. Thornton, NJ S. Huey,
Messrs Howe, Shaw, Ogborn, DIR. Johnson
of Brightwood, Councilman Rauh and 9th
ers We're at the head of the committee
when it gathered in the boards office. The
board suspended routine business to hear
the committee. Mr. Wells introduced G. e.
Thornton as the spokesman. He said that
the committee had come TO present the
claims of residents of the northeast section
in unkindly spirit. The committee ex-
pected to back up its claims by presenting
nifty petitions signed by the great majority
of the WOrkingmen and small property
owners who believe they have justice on
Pogue's run, beginning at Newman street
and extending east along the run to Rural,
where the land branches out into tract OF
eighty acres. The whole system would con-
tain about 100 acres and be from two TO
two and a half miles in length and proporr-
tionately broad A member of the commit
tee showed a petition to which he had Sc
cured $50 signatures in one day.
Mr.. Thornton spoke briefly, rehearsing TO
the commissioners the reasons for purcnaS-
ing the lands that have been advanced at
the park meetings, touching upon the
cheapness of the ground ltS nature u, park park
characteristics and the small expenditures
that would be necessary to transform II
into beautiful and convenient parks
Mr. Thornton, on behalf of the committee,
requested the board to go over the ground
with the committee to-day. All the COM
missioners present said they had been over
when Mr. Holt could be present. 1t was
agreed to make the trip Tuesday afternoon,
starting il carriages from the Hnonoa
was extended to Controller johnson and
Mayor Taggart to accompany the party.
Mr. Johnson said that he would be pleased
TO be of the party Besides the party in
carriages. many citizens of the northeast
section will be on the grounds to urge Ia
vorable action.
After Mr.. Claypool read his statement of
the conditions confronting the board an OPP
portunity was given others to speak. No
one had anything to say, although one man
said:
MIR. Thornton. 1 should judge from the
statements we have just heard that we had
better present our petitions to the Council
and ask the transfer
Mr.. English explained that the board had
already made the request and said that If
the committee would talk to councilmen it
might help the board very materially.
THE BOARD NONCOMMITTAL.
of we succeed in inducing the mayor, the
controller and the Council to make this
transfer asked Mr.. Thornton, will it be
applied to the purchase of the land along
Pogue's run?'
Il can say" said Mr.. Claypool, that 1
would vote the first thing for the purchase
of land in the neighborhood you Indicate,
but 1 would not want to promise to buy the
tracts you have named until l go over the
ground with you. We would want to con-
suit as to which tracts we had best buy"
IF the Council makes the transfer. said
Mr.. English, Il do not think you will have
any cause to complain. If the Council had
regarded our wishes in the first place you
would not have found 1t necessary to come
before us to-day
1T does not seem from what we have
heard this afternoon that labor can suffer
by the transfer" suggested Mr. Thornton
AS said to you when you were here be-
fore, if there was a single laboring man
who would be kept out of work would not
a Cai6 AIr
The transfer ought to be made There is
no reason why it should not be-"
The more land we have to improve"
said Mr.. Perry, who was an original
Pogue's-run-park advocate, the more la
Dor we will have to employ
Colonel Shaw said that many laboring
people had been mised by statements made
with regard to the labor fund and were
afraid if the money was transferred no
their minds disabused, he said. The coun-
Gilman from the First ward (DIr. Murphy
that he was opposed to the transfer.
William Ogborn said that he mad heard
many citizens regret and express disap-
prevail of much that was said the other
night.
Il am glad to hear that" said Mr.. Eng
lSh. "Cne of your orators at that meeting
voter here and does not pay city taxes. He
lives in Woodruff Place / own some prop
erty there myself and know how much ben
eft the parks would be to it,"
Mr. English referred to Thomas c. Trus-
Ter, who was one of the loudest in denounc-
ing the board. There were many men at
that meeting who did not realize that every
member of the Park Board favCrs the pur-
chase of the Pogue's run tracts Neither
did they realize that the board can do alb
Solutely nothing without the consent, first
OF the mayor-Who certainly has sufficient
influence with Controller johnson to in
duce him to recommend the transfer-and
then of the Council which must pass the
ordinance Many of those present that night
were also ignorant of the fact that the
councllmen and mayor want to keep that
labor fund intact for employing cOnstitI-
ents. securing their good will, thereby con-
trolling their votes this fall. Most of the
members of the minority in the Council saw
that they were bitterly opposed to the es-
adjustment of the labor fund in the first
instance, and only voted for the ordinances
with that rider after finding that no APP
preparation could be secured without it,
M. ). Huey spoke at the meeting Monday
night. lie urged coolness and temperance
Yesterday he thought that Mr.. English
remarks applied to him.
Il want to say that while in Woodruff
Place, do business in INDIANAPOLIS and nav
taxes here My mill is in the city and /
employ ntty or sixty men who want the
Pogue run parks They will be benefit
to hundreds of persons who cannot get
away to the more remote parks"
CheerfulneSs and good nature dominated
the meeting. Every one seemed to think
that the committee was getting to an un
Outstanding with the board and there We're
expressions indicating that an earnest and
determined effort will be made To induce
Mayor Taggart to set the wheels i'm mO+ion
TO secure that transfer. A long time after
the meeting adjourned animated discussions
were held in front of the building
&c, controller Johnson said that after hear
ing what was said at the meeting he IA
transfer. ''DrONidinp