The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-04
SIDEWALK IS FOR RENT
A PLACARD THAT EPITOMIZES CON-
OPTIONS ON COMMISSION ROW.
A. Jordan Company Leases It's Walk
for $40 Month-City Gives
No Permission.

Sidewalk for Rent. A. Jordan Co.." is
the legend in big black letters on placard
two feet square hanging in a window of
the building at the corner of Delaware and
Maryland streets. Until recently the side
walk referred to on the placard, that on
the Delaware-street front, was piled up with
boxes and crates of green goods, potatoes,
apples cranberries and things of that ilk
but the sidewalk has been bare for a week
and pedestrian who found this out con-
cluded that the weather had become too
cold for the firm to use the sidewalk, as
others all around them still are doing, and
that the For Rent sign was put up as
joke. But it is no joke. The sidewalk is
really for rent to any person who can trans
act business in the street and who will pay
the price asked, $40 a month. This rental
includes the right to store barrels, boxes,
etc, from Saturday night till Monday morn
ing in the Jordan Company's big store
room. The attention of the city authorities
has been called to the sign announcing that
the sidewalk is for rent. A reporter went
to see Mr.. Jordan about it yesterday. He
was out A clerk suggested that some one
else might do.
You have a card in your window show
ing your sidewalk is to rent?" Intercepted
the reporter.
"Oh, you don't need to see Mr.. Jordan
about that" said the clerk. 'Mr. Sutton is
the man." The clerk wrote the reporters
name on a card, sending it upstairs to
Charles w. Sutton, secretary and treasurer
Of the company, who came down ready for
business.
Eyes, the sidewalk is for rent" said he.
1T was rented until few days ago. Jim
Reach had it for two years, but he has all
the room he needs now
What do you get for it?" was the next
question.
1--WE have been getting $40 a month" He
pointed out that the sidewalk is Of consid-
cradle width and stretches down Delaware
street from Maryland the full front Of the
big building. There is a little room, per-
haps ten feet square, with windows looking
out on Maryland street and a door on Della
ware street, partitioned off one corner Of
the big storeroom. This, Mr.. Sutton an
swered, was included in the rental price.
us the right to store goods included?" he
was asked.
"Over Sunday he answered. "Other
nights in the week the commission men
keep their barrels and crates outside That
is really necessary in summer. You have
perhaps observed that they keep night
watchmen to guard their goods on the side
walks. We allowed the tenant to roll his
goods in this big room over Sunday"
AS to whether other Storekeepers on Com
mission row in the habit of renting the
sidewalks in front of their buildings, Mr..
Sutton could not say The Jordan Company
deals in poultry and dairy products, and
has no use for the sidewalk for it's own
BUSINESS, hence the scheme of leasing it to
a green goods man." as fruit dealers are
called.
A member of the administration said
yesterday that he knew of no city law that
gives any one the right to lease his side
walk. Indeed, there are laws against OBJ
is asserted that the case is one for the
Board Of Public Safety to investigate. 1t is
said that this is not an isolated case on
almost impossible to walk on the sidewalks
of South Delaware street, as they are al
ways blockaded with barrels and crates on
the Sidewalks or being loaded into wagons.