The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-30
ACTION OF PARK BOARD
MAYOR TAGGART's BOG LAND TAKEN
FROM THE RECORDS.
Talk of Needed Reforms for City Hall
Chief Bnrrett's Plan for SUBJ
urban Fire Protection.

Steps were taken by the Board of Park
Commissioners yesterday to expunge from
the records the mayors bog lands. Before
the election the Journal showed conclusive
~ that on the face of the records, both in
the boards office and in the Circuit Court,
the proceedings are in such condition that
the board might, If it so desired, take the
mayors land. At the meeting of the board
when charges of classifying the records were
Investigated Deputy City Attorney Bell told
the board that the proceedings in court were
for the purpose of beginning over again just
as If nothing had ever been done. City At
torney Curtis then said in an interview that
the court proceedings were de novo The
matter is still in this shape. The board met
yesterday noon and at the mayors request
took preliminary steps toward expunging
this land from that which is to be included
in the park system. The mayor sent the fol-
lowing letter TO President Claypool:
when your board was considering
various lands for park purposes land be-
longing to me had been mentioned. At that
time notified you president CIaypooD per-
sonally and the board also that no land be-
longing to me should be included, and L
thought / made myself clear that no land
belonging to me should be included. During
the recent campaign persons and newspa-
perS stated that the records showed that my
land still appeared for consideration If
this be true l desire that your board pass
such an order as will absolutely and entirely
remove any consideration now or at any
future time any land belonging to me-
After the letter was read the following
entry was made in the boards minutes:
"On motion of Mr.. English the secretary
and city attorney are authorized and en-
powered to take such action will make
the records of the board show that the
take the land above referred to-" President
Claypool and Commissioners Perry and En-
gIish voted in favor of the above motion.
City Attorney Kern was at the meeting.
It is understood that he will attend meet
ings of the board in future in order to adj
wise them as to the proper steps to take
on all important subjects. The commission
ers have complained that they have been
hampered ana delayed by not having an
attorney at their meetings to advise with
them. The resolution passed yesterday con-
ters authority on the city attorney to ask
leave of the circuit judge to amend the pro-
ceedlngs in court SO as to strike out all
that portion of the petition of April 20 ask
ing for assessors to assess the Taggart land.
On the request of the attorney Secretary
Spencer prepared a transcript of what the
mooted bog. To q Journal reporter Mr..
Kern said last evening that he had not yet
familiarized himself with the papers and
could not say what steps he will advise.
w. A. Ketcham, attorney for Brewer e.
Love- owners of the cotton mills near the
river. appeared before the board to ask if
proposed entrance to the river bottom
parks. He said that If the present park
plans are carried out it will be necessary
buildings that will work a great hardship.
They own a strip of land extending back
from their present plant to the river. A
permit has been issued by the city granting
them the right to build an addition which
will occupy most OF this ground. Mr..
Ketcham said, however, that after the adj
dition is built there will still be about TWEEN
ty-ffve feet between the buildings and the
river He seemed to think this would make
to the parks from Washington street.
President Claypool doubted whether this
would be sufficient. He said this entrance
was first proposed for the benefit of people
west of the river, who would find it very
inconvenient II they could not get to the
parks directly from Washington street, as
they would have to drive out of their way
to reach other entrances
Park Engineer Power was instructed to
investigate as to whether 1T is possible to
Ketcham. Another meeting is to be held
next Monday, when this subject will come
up again.
thing of a controversy with the cotton mill
owners the plan of building a dyke out into
the river, on which it was proposed to build
a roadway, was discussed, but the board de-
cided that this would cost entirely too much
money and decided to take their land in
stead of encroaching on the river bed. The
action of city officials in issuing building
permit to the firm may possibly complicate
the situation a good DEAL One of the
strongest arguments advanced when 1t was
proposed to convert the river bottoms into
parks was that the system ought to begin
at Washington street. If no entrance can
be had from that thoroughfare it is said
that it is a question whether the system
ought not to begin at Michigan street If
this were done much waste ground would be
cut out OF the park system and an enormous
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