The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-30
MAYOR SWINGS AROUND
WILLING THAT THE $4,000 PARK
FUND TRANSFER BE MADE.
Doubts whether the Commission Has
Enough Money Even to Pay for
Fall Creek System.

Mayor Taggart was able to be at his office
yesterday for the first time in three days
In the afternoon while in Controller john
sons office, he expressed himself with ref
erence to the claims of citizens Of the
northeast part of the city who want the
Pogue's run tracts purchased for parks
The mayor asserted that he was not re-
sponsible for the creation of the labor fund
Would you favor the transfer the board
asks?' he was asked.
For what purpose?" queried the mayor.
ITO buy the Pogues run land the citizens
of the northeast are asking"
Eyes, either a transfer or a new appro-
priation. How do you know the Park
Board has enough money to pay for the
Fall creek land?" asked the mayor.
"Only by the figures they gave out as to
the estimated price of lands that are being
condemned"
The mayors question would seem to indi-
cate another appropriation will be neces-
sary to pay for the Fall-creek system
When Mr.. English gave the citizens COM
mittee figures showing that over $299,0OO
would be expended for lands the board had
already purchased, or was taking by con-
demnation proceedings, he said that the
figures were based on the work of the as
SCISSORS, and added that they might be In
creased in some cases and diminished in
others when it got into the hands or the
Circuit Court. Of course part of the money
coming from benefits assessed on property
adjacent to the Fal-creek system can be
applied to paying any deficit in the pur-
chase price over and above the $3O0,000 real
ICED from the bond sale, but, On the theory
City Attorney Curtis has followed, it would
first have to be appropriated by the Coun-
Gil. Whether the possibility that the $780,
600 available may not prove sufficient for
already selected board
have something to do with the boards re-
luctance to promise the citizens committee
definitely to buy the Pogue'S run land II
the transfer Of $4,000 is made from the ad-
ministration's campaign labor fund, is a
question.
Mayor Taggart read with interest yester-
day the Journals account of the meeting
Friday afternoon at which the citizens
committee was present. He was disposed
to take issue with the statement that Mr..
Claypool showed that all responsibility for
the board not purchasing the land at the
The controller and Council" Mayor Tag.
CART asked where Mr.. Claypool was when
the ordinance setting apart the labor fund
He was in California" suggested Con-
troller Johnson.
Mr. Claypool did not intimate in his talk
to the citizens committee that Mayor Tag
CART was responsible for that ordinance.
He gave the Council credit for it. His re-
marks did show, however, that the three
authorities named must now act together
to secure the transfer, and that 1t cannot
be secured unless all are willing. Mr.. Clay
pool at no time criticised the mayor nor
controller.
Concerning the ordinance creating the
labor fund, the mayor disclaimed any re-
sponsbility for it. He said that when it
was passed the Council did not know how
soon any money would be available from
the benefit fund to pay for the work OF
Improvement and appropriated $4,000 for
that purpose on that account. He denied
that the Republicans opposed it at that
time saying that they voted for the ordi
nance unanimously. He also declared that
the records do not show that they opposed
it in speeches No speeches are ever re-
ported in the Council proceedings and many
times councimen vote for ordinances con-
tanning features to which they object,
rather than to go on record as opposing
the vital features of a measure. At a meet
ing last Tuesday night Councilman Allen
said that he was always opposed to passing
the park appropriation ordinance with a
string to it," and that he and others who
agreed with him voted for the ordinance
under protest. Otherwise he sad that the
appropriation could not have been occurred
at all.