The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-04-13
PARK BOARDS NEWITACK
FINDS 1T WILL HAVE TO DEPEND On
COUNCIL FOR MONEY.
Dismisses the Attorneys 1t Employed
without Acknowledgement Com
mittee Listens to Property Owners.

This administration Is becoming noted
for it's star charmber sessions, secret
caucuses and meetings behind closed doors
at WHICH important subjects in which tax
payers are vitality interested are discussed
and disposed of. When it is considered
''expedient' the public is informed of what
has transpired. When it is considered i'm
polite TO tell just what has taken place
mum is the word" The Board of Park
Commissioners has adopted the plan of
holding executive sessions. At meeting
held yesterday afternoon when some very
important subjects were discussed. repre-
sentatives of three papers were excluded.
When Journal reporter asked permission
to enter he was met with a good natured
but none the less imperative refusal.
You can't come in here any more" said
one of the members of the board laugh
ingly. This was acquiesced in by the mayor,
who was in the meeting. This action was
taken all because reporters reported last
Saturday what had taken place in meet
ing of the board on Friday. The Journal
reported that the feeling between the COM
mission on account Of the attitude of the
Council with regard to appropriations had
reached crisis, and that in view of the
fact that the attorneys which the board
had taken itself to employ disagreed
with City Attorney Curtis as TO how APP
preparations should be made. a determina-
ton had been reached to have a friendly
suit brought to decide which was right.
The Journal further called attention to the
fact that Notwithstanding the city attorney
was supposed to look after all legal bust
ness Of the city officers AIonzo Green Smith
and his partner, Charles A. korbly, had
been employed to conduct the boards legal
business. When some of the members OF
the Council read the Journal they began
asking one another by what right the
board had employed attorneys and how 1t
expected to pay their fees without an APP
preparation. 1t was pretty strongly inti-
mated that the Council would never APP
propriate money for such a purpose even
If IL were recommended by Controller john
son, which was regarded as doubtful con-
sidering that he Is stickler FOR regularity
in all expenditures. 1t has been the GUS
tom for the city attorney to ask an APP
preparation to. employ additional legal coun-
sci when he had too much to do himself,
as in the street-car case when j. M. Butler
and later j. w. Kern were employed. 1t
was said that this was the first time in
the history of the city when one depart
ment presumed to secure independent legal
advice without first consulting the city at
torney Even when extra attorneys are
employed they are presumed to consult
with the city attorney, so that the depart
! ments may work tremendously
Some of these suggestions reached the
mayor and he decided that quick action
was necessary. After noon yesterday
Messrs- English, Holt, Perry and Lieber re-
sponded TO the call. At o'clock Mayor
Taggart, Controller johnson and City At
| the conference lasted for some time the
! city attorney and mayor left, the controller
having preceded them. Then Clerk Spencer
went to the Office of Smith & Korbly, which
is on the same floor with the park boards
office. Mr.. Korbly came in and held a
Il ri.f for Ace. xrifh he 40
was told that the board had decided TO dis
pense with the further services of his firm.
Mr.. Korbly left the board looking consider
ably annoyed although he appeared as
| cheerful as if nothing had occurred to
knock his firm out of some good, fat fees,
the doorway. .'call on us just the same as
before" The door was closed behind him
and what was said in response was not
| heard. - 9ne ~
PROCEEDINGS KEPT QUIET.
After the meeting adjourned two or three
members hurried away, avoiding efforts TO
interview them as to what had taken place.
ASK the engineer. Ask the clerk. They
were both there" was the reply made. 1t
| was perfectly well known that neither Mr..
Power nor Mr.. Spencer would be willing to
relate everything to reporters who had
been excluded from the meeting. One of
the members consented to say that the
board had found after consulting with the
mayor and city attorney, that it had made
a mistake in employing it's own counsel.
The inference was that hereafter the board
would consult with Mr. Curtis when it has
| any doubt as TO Its powers and duties. In
| reply to u direct question 1T was admitted
! that the services of Smith * korbly had
| been dispensed with and that the written
opinion they were asked to submit to-mor-
| row as to the course to take with refer
| ence to the appraisement of the park lands
| would be submitted by Mr.. Curtis. 1t was
| hoard
| ask the consent of the Council when 1T
wants to spend money for specific pur-
| poses. A communication was prepared and
sent to the Council last night asking that
| 5000 be transferred from the labor fund
to new fund to be known as the emer-
rs that a simple solution of the trouble
| with reference to money the board will
need from time to time for unexpected ex-
1T is considered fair solution of the
difficulty, member of the board replied.
reporters il was said that reporters some
| times make mistakes and get wreng inn
pressions" 1t was admitted. however. that
the Journal had told what actually hap
| pened at the meeting last Friday. 1t was
stated that he board thought it better TO
| consider questions that came before ii and
then give out what was considered proper.
Sometimes things occurred that it was un-
necessary to say anything about in the
You come around next Wednesday
afternoon a. 1870. We're going to have a
| meeting tnen. and Wen let you in.
AT the time indicated the board hopes to
receive the report of the appraisers.
Before the meeting of the Council last
night several members discussed the atti-
tude of the Park Commissioners and AT
least one councilman said that if The board
was intending to maintain such belliger-
ent position he was sorry he had ever
J voted any money for them TO expend. He
! declared that the board would find itself
mistaken i'm supposing that il was a Law
unto itself" The fact that the board was
i ignorant of the charter excuse 1t
| should read the charter well the law
under Which 1t operates. as that, in fact
is but part of the charter, he declared.
PROTESTS AGAINST IMPROVEMENTS
Committee Hears Ohio and Mar ct
Street Property Owners.
After the adjournment of the Council last
night Messrs. Montgomery Woody and De-
war. who compose the committee on sew
ers, streets and alleys, which has under
consideration the ordinances sent to the
Council by the Board of Works for the
improvement of Ohio, Market and Walnut
streets. the remonstrances of prop
erty owners. heard number of taxpayers
who are resisting the proposed improve
ments