The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-06
THAT TRIANGLE GROUND
A PERSISTENT EFFORT TO SELL THE
PLACE TO THE CITY.
How the Price Has Been Advanced
on It-Street-Car Ordinances to
Be Reported FavOrably.

There has been very persistent effort
to sell to the city the square bounded by
Kentucky and Senate avenues and Mary
land street, on the ground that
IT is needed for market and
fire headquarters. At first it was
stated that the entire block could be bought
for about 100000, but later the price was
sprung to sl25,0OO. This is either an exorbi-
tant price the assessor has not done his
duty in the assessment of the property. The
total assessment OF the block, including i'm
provements, is $40 700.
Yesterday the Board of Works sent let
ter to the City Council asking it to grant
the board power to either buy or condemn
the ground described. so it could be bought
for market and fire purposes. 1t IS claimed
that this authority is asked merely to de-
termine what the ground can be had for,
although to a man up a tree it would seem
that this could be determined within rea-
sonably close figure without asking for au-
thorty to buy the land.
This tract of land is owned by six differ
ent people. The point at Maryland street
and Kentucky avenue is owned by John T.
Ramsey and extends 149 feet on Maryland
street and 179 on Kentucky avenue and is
assessed at $11.s5O. The 50 feet adjoining
is owned by John Il. Furnace, and is as
sessed at $500. The small lot cut off from
this is owned by Anna L. Idler and is as
sessed at 81 400. Then comes the old hay
market ground, extending from Maryland
street to Kentucky avenue. This is owned
by the heirs of Henry Bradley and has no
improvements 1t is assessed at ST., 000 The
south point, extending l16 feet on Senate
avenue and III feet on Kentucky avenue
except a small lot 25x45 feet, is owned by
John +. Mckee and is assessed at 81, COO
The small lot cut off is owned by j. l..
Bradley and is assessed at $780, The two
lots north OF this and fronting on Senate
avenue are owned by J. l.. Bradley and are
assessed at So, $50. These two lots and the
been bought from NJ. A Mcfarland since
the talk came up about the city buying
this block. The deeds show that he paid
SIS, 23I91 for the property, while its total
assessment is only 50 $50. The law of this
State provides that all property shall be as
sessed for taxation at its actual value. and
1t has been commonly supposed that the as
sessment in this city is fully so per cent.
of the value of property. 1T is known that
on residence property the assessment is
this much or more, and ii would seem that
1t is hardly possible that this property can
be actually worth twice as much as the
assessment. 1t is cited by a man who pays
taxes on q small home that when the city
undertakes TO buy property assessed at
$4,000 cash valuation of $4,000 would be
d pretty nlSn price 10 De palu. lnlS would
be averaging the assessment at 60 per cent.
of the actual value.
During the Sullivan administration the
portion of the block owned by the heirs of
Henry Bradley was rented TO the city for
a hay market at an annual rental of $500.
There seemed to be a string tied to the
land for although other places were offered
at less money. the board continued to mold
this place. Finally, after it seemed that
the city could not get along without this
place for a hay market. j. l.. Bradley. the
agent of the owners, notified the city that
he would want 800 a year in the future.
During this time the Board of Works pre-
ceding the present one had been looking
around for another site and accepted the
offer of place at the corner of Pine and
Washington streets at $500 a year. Since
that time an opposition market has been
running on the old site and has caused the
revenues Of the citys hay market to fall
off considerably.