The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-15
AUDUBON SOCIETY PLANS
AN ATTEMPT To HAVE SIDEWALKS
NEXT TO PROPERTY LINE.
w. w. wooIIen Says Thousands of
Dollars worth of City Property
Has Been COnfscated.

The Audubon Society last night passed
resolution that if made effective will cause
a big stir among property owners. The
resolution was presented by ". w. Wool
len. 1t provides that the park board as
sert it's rights in vacating sidewalk prop
erty taken up by property owners with the
ultimate intention of removing sidewalks
from the curbing and placing them back
TO the property line. leaving a lawn be-
tween the sidewalk and street The resolu-
ton follows:
s'Wnereas The citizens of the city OF In
dianapolis have an easement in its streets
including the sidewalks, for the use Of the
general public means Of travel and that
which is incident thereto; and
Whereas, The control of the trees now
growing and hereafter 10 be planted IN the
sidewalk lawns OF the city By law has been
placed under the control Of the Park Board
whereas, The placing Of cement walks
next TO the curb interferes with such con-
troll and with the full enjoyment by the
public Of such sidewalks; and
Whereas, By placing such cement walks
next TO the curb public property is appro-
priated TO private use without consldera-
ZION and without being made to bear its
share Of the public burdens of said city
by taxation; therefore. be il
Resolved a.. That IL is the sense of the
INDIANAPOLIS Audubon Society that tine
Board OF Works of said city should cease
granting permission 10 lay such outside
cement walks; CD that il is the duty of the
Park Board of said city TO insist that the
sidewalks OF said city shall not be apprO-
priated to private use and 81 that IL is
the further duty OF such Park Board 70
see that all distractions of the sidewalks
by ratings or otherwise are Immediately
removed"
Speaking on the resolution Mr.. lwoolen
said the society had secured the passage
OF a law by the last General Assembly
placing the control of sidewalks in the
hands OF the Park Board, for the express
purpose of bringing about this change.
He said the original plat of the city left
twenty-fOur feet on either side of the street
for sidewalk purposes and that property
owners, by placing a sidewalk six feet wide
next TO the curbing. have appropriated to
their own use eighteen feet of the property
which belongs 10 the city. As twenty years
of adverse possession gives a clear title
TO property MIR. WoOlien said il was neces-
sary that steps be taken al once TO redeem
IL before property owners can take adj
vantage of the law. He said he finds that
some property owners have even fenced in
the eighteen-fOOt strip and planted trees
and flower beds on 1t. Most of these ap-
prOpriations OF public property, he said
has been made within the last six or seven
years. The society will call the attention
OF the Park Board to the law at once and
take steps. as far as possible, toward re-
establishing the lawns. The North Side
will particularly be affected. Nearly all
OF the streets running east and west have
sidewalks built out TO the curb. and many
OF the north-and-south streets are SINH
larry affected Thousands OF dollars worth
OF property that has been appropriated for
private use will he involved.
AT the opening OF the meeting. which has
held in the assembly room OF the High
School. President Thomas j. McAvoy read
short paper on the voices of birds. Amos
W. Butler delivered the address of the
evening. His subject was Birds of Blue
Color" lie confined himself as nearly as
possible To Indiana, telling of the habits
and characteristics of the birds OF blue
color in this State. The Rev. IA. w. KEEL
logg. who recently came from the West
and Is interested in the study OF birds told
= OF the habits of birds in Oregon.