The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-06

To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal:
Some one has said: "A rose by any other
name would smell as sweet but l do not
believe it: leastwise l have never known 1t
tried successfully; but L do believe that
boulevard, called a system of parks, is just
as expensive as if called by it's right name.
A few years ago a coterie of sporting men.
who own fine rigs, wanted a driveway along
which they could exploit their teams with
out being interfered with by vulgar wagons
loaded with hay and other gross farm
stuffs, and they conceived the idea of build
ing boulevard from Washington street up
the east side of White river to a point on
Fall creek, then to cross over so as to keep
out of the way of the vulgar herd, and con-
tinue on that side for quantity, buying a
few extra acres at the end SO as to provide
suitable loop for their use, with some
thing like lit about half way OUT for the
accommodation of those who did not care
to take in the whole drive al once. These
loops they called parks and the boule-
ward became the bond of unity necessary to
create a System Of parks But now it
transpires that boulevard by the name of
System of parks is just as expensive as
it would be if called by it's right name, for
it is a driveway for fine rigs, and nothing
on an average, including the bed of Fall
creek and it's artificial lakes and cataracts,
and exclusive of these, less than twice the
width of Washington street. including the
tracts to be utilized as loops. A greater
fraud was never attempted under false pre-
lenses.
1t now transpires that, in addition to the
$350000 for which the whole city is respon-
sible and already paying interest that at
least much more will be necessary TO
complete the system" not to mention the
<1l
all time to come. What this means may be
partly inferred from the army of street
scrapers and street repairers on any, OF our
this extra $3.50 900 and the future repairs and
cleaning but the commissioners seem to
have run against an unexpected snag They
find the owners of the lands to be appro-
priated unwilling to accept the mere pit
lance the commissioners are willing to give,
and they have a remedy at hand. They
don't have to take it, and this has caused
an unexpected hitch, not foreseen in time
to provide against it in the law which these
men got through the Legislature to provide
for this boulevard.
They have right to kick" and they
are kicking so vigorously that the commits
sioners have called a halt. But what about
the other fellows, those who have to pro-
vide that other $3.50 900, more or less-more
likely to be more than less? The law pro-
vdeS that the commissioners may assess
benefits against all property which. by
figure of speech, may be presumed to be en-
HANGED in value by boulevard along which
fine rigs may drive but wagons loaded with
hay may not. In the tentative assessment
already made, but subject to revision If not
high enough, many lots south of Fall creek
have been assessed at nearly if not quite
twice as much as they would sell for to-
day Possibly they may come upon the
owners for the balance, but in many cases
that is all they have, and in some cases
there are mortgages for more than the lot
is worth. These are are, they VINO have right
1t is said the commissioners propose to
begin anew. That is wise. but let us be-
gin at the beginning. Let us suspend opera
tions until the, Legislature can amend
the charter that system of parks may not
be exclusively a driveway for fine livery.
and that the whole city may bear the
pense, as ii does in Garfield. Military, Uni
versity and other parks We need parks,
large and expensive parks but let us not
confiscate adjacent property to pay for
them. L. l.. SEE.
Indianapolis, June l.