The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-21
PARK MATTERS UP AGAIN
STATEMENT SHOWING VALUE OF
LANDS ORDERED PREPARED.
Assessors Figures About One-Third
Less than What the Property
Owners Ask.

Mayor Taggart and the members of the
Board of Public Works met at the Office of
the Park Bureau. in the Indiana Trust
building yesterday to discuss the park sit
uation Park Superintendent Power and
Secretary Spencer We're instructed to pre-
pare statements showing the value of the
lands chosen by the former park board for
the Fall-creek parks and what it would
cost to improve them in the rough. After
this is done the mayor and board will go
over the proposed system to determine just
what portions of it shall be purchased.
Nothing very definite was done yesterday
This was one of the first formal confer
ences on this subject Mayor Taggart
urged that the statements be made up at
once, so that the board could determine, If
possible, what land is to be bought before
the 1st of January, in order that the work
of making the parks may be Begun early
in the spring. All legal steps that are to
be taken will be under the direct advice of
the city attorney.
One of the points brought out was that
the mayor is rather anxious to have the
Pogues run lands-consisting of forty
acres each, belonging to the John Hancock
Insurance Company and Geo. B. Yandes-
included in the system. To secure this end
and still remain within the 100000 that is
available for purchasing lands is the prob
lem. One suggestion made by the mayor
was. that the Fall creek and White river
parks shall not be extended beyond FAN
creek and Central avenue, or Fall creek and
TWenty-second street, at this time. This
would reduce the purchase price of the land
so much that the POgueS run tracts might
be bought. The two tracts. named above
have been offered to the city for $780, 900.
This was merely a suggestion, however.
The mayor expressed the desire that the
creek and river parks be pruned in some
unessential features, SO as to leave money
for the Pogue'S run parks If possible. Mr..
Power expressed the belief that sufficient
land might be left out of that originally
contemplated to allow for the purchase of
the Pogue's run parks, without marring the
most desirable features of the general sys-
tenn.
Lying before the mayor and board was
map twenty feet long, on which were
tracings of the proposed system from
Washington street to near the state fair
grounds. More discussion was had over the
old subject of building a dam in Fall creek
at the Indiana avenue crossing, than Of any
other subject This item alone, Mr.. Power
estimated, would cost $40 900. The idea of a
dam at this point is to create a beautiful
lake between the creek and canal. This
would mean the elimination of the present
unsightly ice houses and ponds. The Stumb-
ling block is the expense. There were ques-
tons to whether a Ievee with a roadway
and bicycle path--the bicycle path will be
part of the parkway in any event-could
not be built along the old creek bed much
cheaper imam Il lake WITH q driveway 10
the east of it, could be constructed. Mr..
Power was of the opinion that a good deal
of money might be saved by this means,
but with w. Scott Moore, of the board, he
was in favor of doing away with the ice
houses, If possible.
1t will be some days before the state
ments the mayor has asked for can be pre-
pared Mr.. Spencer was directed to prepare
estimates by sections, instead of alphabet
ically showing the cost of land on both
sides of White river and Fall creek. This
will take some time. Figures made by the
park assessors will. be followed. The con-
vessation brought out the fact that the as
sessments made by the old assessors are
about one-third less than the price that
the property owners would be willing to
take voluntarily.