The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-02
BEAUTIFUL PARK LANDS
A TRIP OVER THE POGUE'S RUN
STRIP TO THE NORTHEAST.
Entire Eighty Acres Can Be bought
for $25,OOO-Biuffs and Flowing
Wells Among the Sights.

Idnds lying along POSue run LOT
parks for the northeastern section
of the city took members of
the park board in carriages to look over
the different tracts yesterday afternoon.
President Claypool and Commissioner
Perry of the park board, Controller John
son, Park Engineer Power and others joined
the citizens committee at the Indiana
Trust building, where carriages were in
waiting. The trip extended up Brooksde
avenue to the Belt Railroad, the eastern
corporation line. From there the party
drove through Brightwood across to the
Fall creek park lands, the committee show
ing that il would be practicable to have a
fine driveway connecting the Pogue's run
and Fall creek parks
The party passed the small triangle that
the city already owns on Brookside avenue
little way beyond the observation-disclosures
nue. depot. This ground has been laid out
with walks and is provided with pretty
fountain. Seats are scattered over the
sodded lawn ara it makes delightful rest
ing place. About the triangle oriental plane
trees have been planted. They look some
what like naples, but are much harder,
bud earlier in the spring and the leaves
hang until after frost. Commissioner Perry
says that this variety of tree is planted
along the Thames embankment in England.
Those in Brookside are growing finely. 1t
is proposed that this little triangle shall be
the beginning of the Pogues run chain. A
block beyond lies the Spades tract. 1t con-
tains some seventeen acres and would be a
good continuation, the committee says of
the triangle. This tract is about two blocks
long. Both sides of the run are covered
mill L
taken by itself it would not give much
benefit, as there is not enough land. After
passing the Spades tract the drive continued
four or five blocks past land that is i'm
proved and built up. Pogues run crosses
the driveway several times and the road
winds among pretty bits of scenery before
the beginning of the real parks are reached.
Just beyond Rural street the pasture lands
on both sides of the run widen out. There
is sort of triangle beginning at the Rural
street bridge and widening as it lays back
three or four squares until the east line is
d quarter OF a mile long, joining George
Yandes's lands. At Rural street the party
left the carriages and walked to the bluffs
beyond where the Yandes tract lies. The
approach gives a fine view. At the eastern
line of the Yandes tract a large bluff over
and toward the north. For a half mile
further east Pogue's run meanders through
the land owned by Mr.. Yandes and the
John Hancock Insurance Company. J. M.
Todd, who offered the eighty acres to the
beard as the agent for Mr.. Yandes and the
insurance company, was along with the
party. Z. f. Thornton, M S. Huey,
Philip Kiley, j. B. Wells, Messrs. Marshall,
Taylor and other citizens strung along, en-
Enthusiastically pointing out the natural
beauties of the landscape.
The great bulk of the land is high and
level between Brookside avenue and the
run At the run there is bluff from thirty
to fifty feet above the water. North of
Pogue's run the land is lower. Most of it
on that side is cleared of trees, but there
must be thirty of forty acres of fine woods,
with abundance of beech, oak, sugar trees
and walnutS. There is about the same
amount of land here as in Garfield Park.
but the land here is much more rugged and
picturesque. Great surprise was expressed
by people who had never seen the grounds
before at the pleasing effects of prospective
that spread out on every hand.
MR.. YANDESS HIGH PRICE.
A personal inspection satisfied everybody
that the claims which have been made are
true and that but little money will have to
be spent to make of these lands the finest
parks anywhere. Controller Johnson ad-
mitted to an enthusiastic member of the
committee that the land was much more
beautiful for parks than any thing in the
Fall creek tracts. Mr.. Johnson was of the
opinion that the land was worthless for
Yandes talked about getting $500 an acre
for his fOrty-acre tract This the controller
thinks is too high. Appraisers are now at
work fixing the value of the ground. The
board says that the entire eighty acres can
be bought for $4,000. 1t is believed that
$4,000 more ought to buy the VaJen
and Spades tracts, with something to spare
Councilman Murphy, in whose ward the
land lies, was of the party. He still held to
his opinion that the fund of $4,000 should
not be transferred from the labor fund but
a. cd will N ia 70 u
more for Pogues run parks. This would
be entirely satisfactory to the board. While
the board believes that there is no neces-
sity for a labor fund another appropriation
would be entirely satisfactory Mayor Tag
CART said last Saturday that he was either
in favor of a transfer or a new appropria-
ton. There seemed to be a general feeling
among the citizens committee yesterday
that new appropriation could be secured
from the Council
The party was stopped at the home of
Thomas d. Campbell just before the
Vajen tract was reached to look at a
flowing well Mr.. Campbell and his neigh
Dor. Alexander Taylor, both have driven
wells from which the water flows constant
ly The former is fifty-eight and the lat
ter fifty-three feet deep. In the drainage
trough there was a rusty coloring indicating
sulphur and iron. Several persons said that
this was the first they knew running wells
were to be found so near to the city.
Brghtwood lies less than half a mile
north of the Hancock tract of land and is
easy of access from the proposed parks 1t
water works, owned by the city since an
nexation, would be available for fountains
in the park and that mains could be laid
at no great cost. There is an abundance of
pure spring water for drinking purposes
and the party stopped at several of the
springs yesterday. 1t is owing to nearness
to Brightwood that citizens of the suburb
are so anxious for the parks to be bought.
DIR. Johnson ana others from the suburb
We're in the party. On the way to the Fail
creek system a stop was made in Morris
square in Brightwood, a four-acre park
donated to the town years ago 1t is stocked
with heavy timber and the commissioners
said that they could make II very pretty
when they got to work on it. 1t is probable
that ii will be improved this summer.
Some regret was expressed that MesSrs
English. Iieber and Holt, of the board. and
Mayor Taggart could not accompany the
party but they have been over the land and
have all expressed themselves as favoring
it's purchase.
There is to be a meeting of the citizens
committee tomorrow evening at Thayer 5
coal yard opposite Bellefontaine Hall on
Massachusetts, avenue. Reports will be
made by the fifty citizens who have been
circulating petitions asking .the park board
and the Council to take steps to purchase
the Pogue's run tracts. j. b. Wells, chair
man of the committee, says the meeting
is to be open TO the public and that every
body will be welcome whether they have
been circulating petitions or not. Arrange
ments will be made to call on Mayor Tag
CART and Controller Johnson to urge that
the latter recommend transfer from the
labor fund or a new appropriation. The
committee hopes to get the subject before
the Council at the next meeting.
No Price Named ON Condemned.
The first publication of the lots taken by
the Board of Park Commissioners for
parks has been made by the assessors. Con-