The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-14

- NoNNA mp
landscaping its large tract of
- ground which adjoins Riverside
II9EM Park, according 10 the statement
- of President Davis of the COM
pany, and this will give Indianapolis an
other beautiful park to add to it's system.
The land that the water company owns
comprises $50 acres. and is very susceptl-
BILE of having a beautiful place made of 1t,
for the natural scenery which surrounds
the tract is decidedly rustic. The western
boundary of this land is White river, which
is at this point picturesque on account OF
the large bend that the river makes. The
land that the company is going to use for
park purposes extends from Indiana av-
enue, west of Fall creek, to Tenth street.
The west boundary, of course, is the river;
it is bounded on the northwest by Indiana
avenue to Post avenue, then to Eighteenth
street, and west on Eighteenth street to
Riverside Park.
What will add to the beauty of this
place is the fact that it will have a one
mile frontage on the river, and over 400
feet along Fall creek, which is the south
boundary, both of which waterways will
help make the company's ground as pretty
as any around the city. In the center of
this tract of land are two very handsome
and imposing buildings, which contain the
large pumps of the company. These build
ings when constructed presented an at
t~ractive appearance. One of them is built
wholly of stone, while the other is of a
light-colored brick with stone trimmings.
The architecture of both is handsome, and
the buildings are so arranged that visitors
can at all times be admitted to them.
The water company a few years ago had
a plan by which it meant to extend Its land
holdings, and in this way make its tract
a part of Riverside Park; in fact, it would
have had quite a neat little park system of
its own had this been done. The company
owned all of the land, with the exception
Of fourteen acres, and this the directors
proposed to buy. but when the time came
to make the purchase the man who owned
the land thought it was a case of neces-
sity for the company to buy it, and, there
fore, asked an exhorbitant price. The fact
was however, the company only desired the
land for the purpose of extending its park.
and would not pay any fancy prices for 1t.
If it could have obtained the tract it pro-
posed to extend Fourteenth street through
to the Riverside boulevard, and to make
a subway under the Belt Railroad. This
would have been a great advantage to those
driving 10 the park III cartridges, DIS II NOulu
have done away with crossing the rail-
road. The proposed street would have had
a width of sixty feet. 1t would have been
graded, would have had all improvements
on it, and in all would have been much
more convenient to those driving to the
park. After the failure to secure the land,
however, the company abandoned the idea
of the subway and street.
A PROJECT DEFEATED.
1t is said that if the plan of the water
company had been carried out in the first
place, its park would have been equivalent
to an extension of Riverside Park to Indi-
ana avenue. IT would have thrown these
two tracts of land together, and with the
picturesque buildings of the water COM
pany, would have added greatly to the
beauty of the park. In such case the Craw-
: louisville road would have been abandoned,
and all travel would have come across
Tenth street, which, it is commended, is a
little longer route, but a much better road.
Those who are in a position TO know, how
ever, say that this was the argument used
by those who were opposed to the new ar
rangement of things, and that the new
: route was not longer than the one now
+ used.
t To have arranged this park would have
l put the water company to great expense,
and it was doing this with the one idea of
helping beautify the city. 1t saw that it
had this opportunity, and was simply en-
deavoring to take advantage of it. There
were some people, it is said, who thought
' that it was trying to monopolize affairs in
the neighborhood and opposed it.
Since there has been such a vigorous
movement on the part of predetermined cit
liens to beautify the city the water COM
. pany has determined TO go ahead and make
a beautiful spot out of what it has. 1t
proposes to put n small lake in the place,
and locate it somewhere near the pumping
station There is also a greenhouse and
Farmhouse, in which are some very rare
Z. and odd plants. In the summer these are
| set out in beds. which are scattered all
! over the place. and make it very attractive
l to those visiting the grounds. In the palm
house are a number Of very large and beau
tiful orchids which are now in bloom.
! This is not the best season, of course, in
J which TO visit the pumping station, because
I it is located about six squares from the
J is along a path which lies along the bank
E of Fall creek. However, when a gravel
4 the street cars, il will be q very delightful
l walk. and in good weather to walk over the
soft grass is not bad even as things are
D now.
Now, everything is desolate and all nature
! is barren. but TO those who admire beauty
! the attractiveness of the grounds of the
F., NaNNA NtAhBoAs - hVI obCOiuAfl1 lpEl III
q though it is winter. One can command a
V view of the whole place by standing at the
. portion which is bounded by Indiana
| avenue. Along the bank of Fall river is
s a high ridge. in which is buried the com
pany's mains. On one side of this embank-
ment is the smooth level ground which
L will be used by the company for park pur-
: poses; on the other is the creek. At this
time of the year this stream is high. and
2 with the immense piles of ice lying about
s is rather an impressive sight Fall creek
at this point is broad, because here 1t makes
[ a bend. and is calm and pretty: this is es-
pecialiy true above the railroad, where the
scenery is OF a rougher nature.
E AESTHETIC POSSIBILITIES.
: Just now the grounds are somewhat tori
e up on account of putting in a new engine
y but il can easily be seen that during the
e summer months, when the flowers are al
r in bloom and the grass. which is cut regu.
: larly, is up, this must be a very attractive
y spot, and ii is said that a large number
Of people visit the place every day and