The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-15
NO MORE PARK ENGINEER
BOARD OF WORKS GETTING A CLOSE
CLUTCH ON THE SYSTEM.
Mr.. Power Did Not Know He Was to
BE Deposed-NOrth-Side
Paving.

The Office of park engineer is to be abol-
ished. Mayor Taggart says, however, that
does not mean the services of j. c. Power,
who has been park engineer since the incep-
tion of the cid Board of Park Commission
ers, will be dispensed with. On the con-
trary, he says, Mr.. Power will continue to
carry out the park plans. The mayor says
there will be a consolidation in name only
OF the park engineers Office with that Of
City Engineer Jeup. The point has been
raised that under the provisions of the city
charter the Board of Works cannot have
two official engineers, inasmuch as no such
department as that of parks is provided for.
In many Of the steps that have to be taken
for the condemnation of lands for park pur-
poses, 1t is said certain duties are laid out
for the city engineer to perform. Inasmuch
as no park engineer is recognized, Mr.. Pow
er could not perform the formal work as
signed by the charter to the city engineer.
Mayor Taggart said last night that Mr..
Power would continue to attend to all the
details of the park work as heretofore. and
when 1t comes to a matter of legal tech
nique Mr.. Jeup will simply approve what
mas been done by Mr.. Power, as If the latter
We're one of his assistants. By the consoli-
tbere ii the he two 9ces tne mayor says
one set or draughtsmen and clerks will be
required Now Mr. Power has his own
draughtsmen and clerical force When the
engineers employees are not working en-
street Improvements their time will be given
to park work and vice versa. Mayor Tag
CART expressed high opinion of Mr.. Pow
ers ability, saying that he was regarded Ivy
al as competent man in the right place.
Mr; Power seemed surprised at the proposed
cnange. He refused to discuss it.
FRIENDS of Mr.. Power are saying that
there is no attempt to dump him. They
say that he is persona non grata Doth to
"A. president of n
works, who does not approve of the may
OTIS IDEAS Of spending vast sums for parks.
reached, and that Mr.. Jeup would also like
to see him sidetracked. There is IN init
nation that there is a. spice of jealousy in
the latters dislike for Mr.. Power. Doubt is
expressed as to whether Mr.. Power VIII
continue if he is to become a mere subordi-
nate 10 the city engineer, who knows prac-
tlcally nothing about parks. Those who
know Mr.. Powers ability say that it would
be most disastrous to place the vast work
Jeup's hands, There is a most ar1is BILE
feeling between President Downing and City
engineer Jeup, and their views on the park
question are pretty apt to coincide. Alto
gether persons who have watched the park
matter say that it is most unfortunate that
the board has no power to employ park
engineer and to keep that department en-
!irely distinct and separate from other city
improvements, If the assertion that such is
the case under the provisions of the city
AS soon as the work of renovating the
rooms formely occupied by the Police Court
and police bailiff is completed the park
offices will be moved into City Hall from
the Indiana Trust building. They will be
combined with the city engineers Office in
the five rooms on the south side of the
court basement at the east end. The assess
ment bureau will be removed to the old
Council chamber. while the Board of
Health will move into the room form
eriy occupied by Police Judge Cox. This
Will place it next to the laboratory. Mayor
Taggart will move into the rooms recently
vacated by City Clerk Stuckmeyer, and the
Board of Safety will return to its old quar-
tiers, now occupied by the mayor. 1t is UNI
derstood that the county auditor will take
the room now used by the city assessment
bureau. 1t is possible that few other mi
nor changes will be made.