The Indianapolis journal., 1904-03-19
URGES UNIFORM SYSTEM
OF BRIDGES FOR CITY
Civic Improvement Association
Starts Movement for Beauti-
full Structures.
RESOLUTIONS
PASSED

Fresh impetus to the movement for uni
formly beautiful and lasting new bridges
for the city of Indianapolis was given at
meeting at the Commercial Club last night.
attended by a majority of the directors of
the club and by invited representatives of
the County Council. the Board of County
Commissioners. the Board of Public Works,
the Board of Park Commissioners. the city
engineers office and the indianapolis
Technical Club.
The meeting was the outgrowth of pre-
vious meeting of the bridge committee Of
the Civic Improvement Association, afiil-
lated with the Commercial Club. This COM
mittee reported to the directors of the club
in favor of movement for uniformity in
the future construction of bridges in this
city, by following an artistic plan that
would relate every bridge 10 every other
one that would be constructed, as we'll as
for the beautificGt ton of the banks OF the
streams within the city.
On receipt of this report from the COM
mlttee OF the Civic Improvement Associa-
tion, the directors of the Commercial Club
called last nights meeting to consider the
question of the formulation of uniform
bridge construction plan, and invited the
representatives of official bodies interested
to meet with them.
PREPARE RESOLUTION.
Following a discussion of nearly two
hours length that gave evidence of the
earnestness of all persons present and all
interests represented on the question of
adequate bridges for the city, constructed
on plan that shall be commensurate with
the city's greatness and Importance, the
following resolutions, embodying the sense
OF the meeting, were adopted:
Whereas. The city is in immediate need
of several important bridges, and the
streams OF the city are in need of much
Improvement, and
Whereas, These improvements can be
made the most ornamental features Of the
city If they are properly designed with ref
erence TO each other, and much money can
be saved In their construction under such
general and comprehensive plan,
Resolved, That Ii Is the opinion of that
portion of the public represented at this
meeting that prompt action should be taken
to prepare suitable plan covering all
points of Importance with reference to
bridge construction and stream improve
ment in the city. That Ii is our opinion
that competent commission can be secured
which will cost the city but little beyond
the time of some of its present employees;
that this resolution be transmitted to the
directors of the Commercial Club, with the
request that they formulate these sugges-
tionS and recommend to the County Council,
the Board of County Commissioners, the
City Council, the Board of Public Works
appointment of such commission
Those who spoke at the meeting included
County Commissioners McGregor and Nc
Gaughey, County Councilmen Gardner,
lockwood Pearson, Johnson and Pfendler
Jacob Woessner OF the Board of Public
| Works, Assistant City Engineer Walter
Buehler, Park Engineer j. Clyde Power
! William Haueisen, Clarence A. Kenyon,
John j. Appel, G. G. Brown, former city
engineer, Judge Henry c. Allen and Louis
II. Gibson: Hilton U. Brown presided.
favor of good bridges, and most of them
warmly commended the movement fol
| some uniformity of plan in their construc-
tion A suggestion that met with hearty
! approval came from Judge Allen, who ex-
| pressed the opinion that not only should
/ the city see that all bridges that are con-
/ structed in the future shall be not only
/ strong and durable, but beautiful and har-
/ monious, but also that the banks of the
| streams within the citys limits should be-
/ long TO the city and be made beautiful and
! cleanly, part of the city's park system.
That the banks of streams belong to the
public, and that courts are coming to rec
| ognize that fact, was brought out in the
| discussion that greeted Judge Aliens sug.
gestion. 1t is likely that the Civic Improve
/ ment Association will investigate this ques-
| ton further, and movement of great i'm
portance for the future Identification OF
Indianapolis may result with beautiful
| parklike banks of streams a possibility
stretching between artistic bridges planned
in harmonious unity.
PLANS FOR BEAUTY
Many good things were said in the discus
sion that preceded the adoption of the reso.
| lutions, but a paper read by Louis H. Glib.
son, as a representative of the Indianapolis
! Technical Club was perhaps as strongly
commended and as representative of the
opinions of those at the meeting as was
! anything else said.
when we speak about beautiful bridges
or beautifying the streams or anything elss
that Is beautiful in the way of public i'm
provements, said Mr.. Gibson, 1.-The typica
taxpayer clutches his pocketbook and ha.
the combination on the safe changed
There Is no excuse for an ugly thing in
this world The beautiful bridge need cos
no more than the ugly one Beautiful form:
| take no more material and labor than ugly
| forms. Harmonious color is no more ex
pensive than inharmonious color. Coco
! proportion Is no more expensive than clum
| siness Beauty is the result of an operation
| of the mind and the association of the hear
and not of the drafts on the treasury.
Good bridges. strong bridges and beauti
| full bridges can be made of either stone
concrete or Steel end If only one of thes,
mediums were left to us we would have n,
great reason for mourning. 1t is merely
| question of uniting the brains of the en-
gineer, those of the artist and the man o
| affairs"
At meeting of the directors of the Com
rmercial Club. following the general meeting
! it was decided TO hold a meeting of the di
I ractOrS a l2.l5 o.. next Monday N a