The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-06-11
MAKES 4 PROTEST
AGAINST PROJECT
CONTINUED from Page Sd

ness is not for sale. though with every
Inconvenience thrown about my prop
erty the value Of it for any manufact-
uring purpose is reduced almost to
nothing. My ground with it's improve.
ments and with the cost that would be
incurred In any move l might make
will total more than $4,000. The
Hoosier plant, however, does not de-
sire nor does 1t intend to purchase my
property until the Board of Public
Works Of this city shall officially close
Fourteenth street. Then I am at that
company's mercy and whatever is Off
cred ! must take or else continue in
business there under severe handi-
caps. I have asked the Board Of
works but one thing, viz: Not to or
der Fourteenth street vacated until
some agreement Is reached between
the Hoosier Drill Company and myself
regarding the valuation of my prop
erty. I have been told that it was the
disposition Of the American Seeding
Machine Company to treat me fairly
and with some consideration in this
matter. No such disposition has been
made manifest to me. I was informed
by that company few days ago that
they had nothing to offer me; that the
Board Of Public Works had the matter
in hand and that whatever damages
resulted to me. would be decided upon
by the board. That is another propo-
sition. The damages which might be
awarded me by the Board of Public
Works will be insignificant as COM
pared with the destruction of the val
uation of my property. The Hoosier
company has made promises as to
what 1t will do in return for the val
uation concession that the city will
give. Undoubtedly the Hoosier needs
more room. The workmen are crowd
ed, elbow to elbow almost, but ad
ditional factory space can be utilized
to advantage without the employment
Of single extra man. The city is to
give the company a valuable conces-
sion without binding the company to
perform it's part of the agreement.
Every safe guard is to be thrown
aside to favor the Hoosier. but up
to the present not single consider
alton has been shown to my requests.
The Hoosier plant Is one of the city's
best and largest manufacturing estab-
lishments. 1t should be entitled to
every fair consideration but the city
should not, l believe, inadvertently
or otherwise be party to the plan of
crushing the life out of other con.
Germs smaller in size, though legally
entitled to all the rights of larger
concerns. have only asked
that the Hoosier company in running
the actual valuation Of my property
compensate me to that extent. I do
not wish to hinder nor to hold up"
the company. Understanding full
we'll that the Board OF Works will
what my rights in the premises may
be, the Hoosier company therefore
realizes that there is no need to even
make me an offer for my property.
Once the Board of Works close Four
teenth street then and there the
Hoosier has me at it's mercy and I
am left absolutely without recourse
and must remain hemmed up or sac
.rifice my property value and accept
any offer they shall make.
There is every evidence to warrant
the belief and the statement that the
city of Richmond will not lose the
Hoosier Drill plant even If Fourteen
tn street is not vacated. The COM
pany made it's purchase of property
north of the railroad tracks before
1t had even proposed to the city to
close Fourteenth street. It expected
at that time and expects now that IL
the street is not vacated to utilize
this ground. BY building new
Structure directly across the street
east from the present plant, the two
structures can be bridged and its
business conducted with little incon-
venience, and without damaging
other manufacturers in the vicinity.
In closing desire simply to say
that the stories to the effect that the
Hoosier has offered me extravagant
prices for my property or that any
sum whatever has ever been offered
me as purchase price for my prop
erty are absolutely untrue. On June
I, I made Mr.. James Carr an offer
to sell him my ground with improve
ments for less money than could
duplicate the same. Mr.. Carr abso-
lutely refused to consider my prop
osition Then l asked him to make
me an offer for the property. He
absolutely refused to do this. also.
He simply added that the matter was
in the h"nds of the Board of Public
Works. and that the Board would fix
my damage If Mr.. Carr as the rep
resentative of the American Seeding
Machine Company, refuses to treat
with me now. prior getting what he
wants from the city. what may I ex-
pect after he has secured his con-
cessions? II the American Seeding
Machine Company is going to deal
fairly with the small manufacturer,
as they promise, why won't they do
1t before they get their wants graft
fed? And If they won't do II now,
will they do IL after they have gotten
what they want and I have no re-
course? The time to make terms is
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