The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-04
BOARDS POLITICS
EVERYTHING TO HELP RE-ELECT
THOMAS TAGGART MAYOR.
Mr.. Hollis Deal with FIack will Cost
Indianapolis Taxpayers 100000
for a River Levee.

There is politics in the Board of Park
Commissioners and it is beginning to crop
out good and strong. While Sterling r.
Holt is a man of many genial personal
qualifications his brain harbors more DEM
ocratic schemes than any one would sus-
pect by looking at his rudy and cheerful
countenance. Admitting Democrats say he
can think Of more slick schemes in a minute
han others can in a year. AS announced
yesterday, Mr.. Holt induced" Joseph f.
Flack to withdraw his suit to enjoin the
annexation of H~aughvile. One of the I'm
m offered was an agreement to
take into the park system the land along
the west bank of White river extending
from Michigan to Washington street. Mr..
Holt promised that this would be done if
the suit was withdrawn and yesterday
afternoon the promise was fulfilled at u
meeting of the Park Board called for that
express purpose, Mr.. Holt making the mo-
ton. Mr.. Perry, to show there was no
feeling so far as the Republicans were con-
cerned, seconded the. motion. but voted
no with Mr.. CIaypool. Messrs. Holt,
English and Lieber' Voted to take in the
land Flack has eontended for and it is now
a part of the park system.
After the meeting adjourned Mr.. Holt
was asked whether the action of the after
moor was partFof the dismissal of the in
junction suit.
Il think not he said. we offered to
take it in before, but that had no effect on
Mr.. Flack."
WAS not this oneAof the inducements Of
fered him?'
Il think not-not by me, at any rate"
aVTybo+ Alta 80. offor 10 ma 10
him change his mind?'
'Oh, he owes me 81, and threatened to
collect it if he did not DISMISS laughed
Mr.. Holt, resorting to his usual adroit way
of evading questions.
There was more involved in this Flack
suit than appears on the surface. When
the question of annexation was first agi-
tated the administration loudly disclaimed
that there was any politics in the scheme
and referred to the fact that the suburbs
were about evenly divided on political
question:. Brightwood, it was said. always
goes Republican, West Indianapolis vacil-
lates, while Haughville generally goes
Democratic After West Indianapolis
and Brightwood were fairly in the city
the Haughville suit was sprung. 1t was
embarrassing to the administration. With
~ oAAd - 00A wv
left out there was a strong probability that
the city election would go Republican in a
close campaign. AS this is a campaign
year there was dire necessity for every
Democratic vote that could be mustered,
and the Haughville vote was a necessity,
in the minds of the administration. Mayor
Taggart tried to induce FIack to withdraw.
Every argument possible was advanced, but
he remained obdurate. He wanted parks for
the west side of the river, which would
benefit his property, and was going to have
them. Mr.. Holt decided to use his influence
at the mayors suggestion and talked the
subject over with Messrs, English and
Lieber. It was a. liked up to the entire
afternoon it went through just as had been
mapped out. While 1t was generally con-
eeded hat ct the Il city would Si1 obtain a verdict
posed to have final jurisdiction, the ques-
tions involved had never been passed on by
the Supreme Court. Ii Flack were defeated
in the trial court it was known that he
would appeal and that the case would
probably drag along until after the election
This would bar Haughvillel voters from an
opportunity to vote for Taggart next Oc-
tober.
The politics in the board will not end with
the F"lack-Haughville incident. When the
Council appropriated money for parks the
ordinance provided that $4,000 of the orig
1iHAA AtAOhAAAC oAl4 Iii RANAAiAN1AAo OObdlliCQ
from the sale of bonds should be used in
the employment of labor. For this purpose
is the sum of about $4,000 now available.
Every effort is being made to get to work
breaking ground. Taggart men will be en-
ployed to do the work of digging, hauling,
etc, and by this means it's hoped to carry
the city next October.
AS a slick political trick the scheme is
quite amusing, but there is another side to
piper. Yesterday afternoon Mr.. Perry OBJ
jected to it on the ground that a very
large sum, perhaps $100,000 or more, would
have to be used to build a levee to protect
the west bank of the river. The Democratic
members of the board intimated that after
the ground was purchased it became the
property of the city and that the city, for
sooth, would have, to- care for its property
and pay damage suits that might occur on
account of w~ashouts,p etc. The theory ad-
vanced was that the Park Board could buy
the ground and then let the city pay for
its protection and improvements. Another
plausible argument was that the citizens Of
H~aughVille were to be assessed a sufficient
amount to buy the land and pay for the
improvements The price of thes land
amounts to but $4,000. but a S100, 900 stone
levee will have to be paid for by Indianap-
oils taxpayers.
Two or three other matters of less impor-
lance were disposed of. The board first
talked about condemning a strip of land
about fifty feet wide along White river. be-
tween the fork formed by the old National
road and Washington street. 1t was said
that the old wooden bridge is to be torn
down. This would compel people from the
west ~ uIlNt Oul OF the way considerably
to reach the entrance of the park. BY maxi
ing a roadway along the river from the iron
bridge at the foot OF the parkway two en-
frances would be formed. Inis is regarded
as very desirable, but there was d feeling
that the Board OF Public Works ought to
bear the expenses of opening a street. ="
This would relieve the board of the ex-
pense and trouble beside leaving more
money for other purposes. The improve
ment is for the benefit of Flack, who lives
on West Washington street.
Mr. IleDef reported that the owners of
the Dean property had said to him they
would take the appraised price, $12, O00.
rather than defend a condemnation suit.
He was authorized 10 obtain a formal prop
osition.
Secretary Spencer was directed to ask the
city attorney to secure an order from the
Circuit Court directing the assessors to
appraise the McCarty two-acre tract on
Chadwick street. McCarty holds this at
100000, but Mr.. Lieber said hat it could
probably be purchased for $4,000. The as
sessment will be made in order to give the
board an idea of what it is really worth.
There was a plan to purchase the Ballweg
tract in mat part of town, but it is held
at too high a figure.
Daguerre.