The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-15
ISSUE MORE PARK BONDS
SENTIMENT OF THOSE WHO con-
FERRED WITH THE MAYOR.
Council Will he Asked to Appropriate
cessary improvements.

Mayor Taggart and the other city officials
who attended the public park conference in
the mayors Office in the City Hall last night,
including Messrs. Downing, Montgomery
and Moores of the Board of Public Works +;
City Attorney Kern, City Controller John
son and Park Superintendent Power, were
more than gratified at expressions on the
subject from representative members of the
Board of Trade and the Commercial Club.
as well as other citizens. The mayor was
assured by those who spoke that the public
is with him and that an issue of bonds for
improving the lands that are to be bought
will not be opposed by the commercial bod
les AS a result of the conference, the
mayor and board will ask the Council to
authorize the issue of long-t time bonds for
improving the park lands, in an amount APP
proximating 100000.
Mayor Taggart explained that there is
now available about $3.50 900. OF this amount
$780, 900 may be expended for lands, leaving
$50 900 available for labor and material. The
mayor said that the park superintendent
had prepared estimates of the cost of build
ing a boulevard of an average width of
eighty feet from Washington street to the
state fair grounds with bicycle paths,
dams. bridges, lakes and excavations. Ac-
cording to this estimate about $232, 900 would
be necessary for the work of laying the
foundations for big park system. Deduct
ing the $4,000 that will be available, $lS3,O0O
more would be needed to transform the bare
ground into beautiful driveways along a
good water course, past several lakes, one
of about one hundred acres above Indiana
avenue and another of eighty acres above
old Twenty-second street. Unless this mon
ey were raised by some means the land
that can be purchased with the 100000
would have to lay idle and unimproved.
The mayor stated that to raise money by
tax levy seems undesirable, as 1t would
place an additional burden on people al
ready paying for the streets. sewers, side
walks and other improvements being mace
to beautify the city. Whether or not the
city would be justified in going ahead with
the purchase of the ground :hat can be
bought with the money now in hand, and
then issuing bonds to cover the $1S3,0OO on
improvements, was the question on when
he desired to hear discussion. Stretched on
the wall of the mayors office was a map
sixteen feet long, showing the proposed
Fall-creek system, including the boundaries
of the original plans made by the defunct
Board of Park Commissioners, and the more
recent boundaries made when it was dis
covered that the financial problem had to
be met, and that some provision must be
made for parks along Pogues run.
Going rapidly over the system, the mayor
pointed out where omissions have been made
in the latest plans. 1t was always consid-
cred desirable, he said, to begin at Wash
ington street as by this course some of the
most unsightly features of the city would
be eliminated "Above Indiana avenue,
said he 1.-The icehouseS have been omitted
and the drive will be between them and the
lake, which is to begin at a dam at Indi-
ana avenue. At some future time the prop
erty on which the icehouses are located can
be acquired if it Is found desirable"
CAN BUY WITH 100000.
The mayor spoke briefly on the matter
of assessing benefits and damages, leaving
that subject to be discussed by City Attor-
ney Kern. He explained in a general way
that the board thought it would be right
where part of a mans land is taken TO
sess damages for the land taken and bene-
fits for adjacent land, as it would undoubt-
edly be appreciated in value. The estimate
that 100000 would be sufficient money to
purchase what is now contemplated in
cludes, the mayor said, the John Hancock
and Yandes property along Pogues run and
as much more as can be bought west from
those tracts toward the city. The question
of smaller parks is to be taken up later.
While We feel that we have enough
money to buy the ground, and that the
only wise and practicable course is to issue
longtime bonds for its Improvement after
it is acquired, and while we believe the
board has the power to proceed along this
line. we wanted to avoid mistakes and
wanted to have you with us to discuss the
question. Mr.. Power, who has been famil-
lar with the park question from its begin
ming, will explain the boards plans
Referring to the map, Mr.. Power pointed
out how the original system had included
land on both sides of White river to its
confluence with Fall creek. The land on
the west side of the river has been dropped
entirely. The lower section, from Washing
ton street to Indiana avenue, has been re-
duced to sixty-five acres. Above Indiana
avenue II was the original intention to have
a lake of l20 acres, but this has been re-
duced to one hundred acres of water area
from two to twelve feet in depth. This Sec
tion extends from Indiana avenue to the
aqueduct, at both of which points bridges
are to be made. On the third section, from
the aqueduct to Capitol avenue, no material
tains, he said in answer to questions, about
eighty-one acres. The next section, extend
ing to Central avenue, contained about for
ty-eight acres. About ten acres have been
cut out. From the alley east of Illinois
street toward the east the original ground
extended as far north as old Twentieth
brought considerably south. Incidentally
Mr.. Power explained that the plans give
the board strips on both sides of Fall creek
of varying width. in order that the board
might haYe absolute control over the
stream. on the section from Central avenue
to Twenty-second street about five acres
have been cut out of the original forty
acres. From Twenty-second street to the
end of the system, at the east gate of the
state fair grounds, about seventy acres
have been left out but this does not elm
mate the second lake, extending north from
dam at Twenty-second street.
BEST PORTION INTACT.
This still leaves over two hundred acres
in this section. practically leaving the best
portion of the entire Fall creek system in
tact" said he. II have always gone on
the theory that parks without water are
not parks at ALL" said he. by making
dams at Indiana avenue and another at
Central avenue and smaller ones at other
points, a desirable waterway will be Gre
ated Originally the entire Fall creek sys-
tenn contained about $50 acres 1t is now
reduced to about go acres When actual
surveys are made, this may change lit
tie but that is about the amount In con-
sidering the boulevard, it has been contem-
plated that ii should be above high-water
mark. The driveway would be narrowest
at Capitol avenue, where il would be about
The average width would be eighty feet"
THE system you have planned would
simply be a driveway and waterway. ex-
cept from Washington street to Indiana
avenue and above pwenty-second street,
would it not?' inquired Mr. Fortune.
o no" said Mr. Power, you see there
are many places for small parks. some
three IN eix hundred feet wide - iudicatino