The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-04-08
At Council Meeting He Sug-
gested That City Force the
Residents To Move on
Ground Provided BY City.
COUNCIL AGAINST
18th STREET DAM
Councilmanic G o m m t t G e
Will Take Matter Up With
Park and Lake Officials
This Evening.

The city council last night devoted
its time to discussing the advisability
of condemning the dam to be built in
the Whitewater river and traGing the
ground in that section of the city,
known as Happy Hollow" for city
building lots, using that land for park
ing purposes. The sum of $3.50 for
the flood sufferers and $500 for re-
building the bridges and roads in Glen
Miller park We're appropriated.
In communication from Mayor
Zimmerman to the council last night,
the citys executive stated that he be-
lieves it advisable to take some action
towards protecting the factories and
residents who live in the river bottom,
saying that the dam which is being
built at Seventeenth street may prove
a menace to the people and recon-
mending immediate action on the mat
ter
.If that dam should break during
high water" stated the mayor" what
would become of our light plant, the
Starr Piano company, the traction
power house and the plant of the
Light, Heat and Power company, to
say nothing of the persons who live in
the path which the river takes during
high water? While / am not opposing
the building of the dam, believe that
some precautions should be taken for
the protection of these factories, even
though we must condemn the dam be-
fore any further steps are taken to
build it.
Mayors Opinion. d,
"I believe that a committee should
be appointed at once to discuss the
dam proposition and to lay before the
promoters of the plan, the danger to
which the factories and residents of
the river bottom will be subjected. A
body of water which will back up to
New Paris, according to information
received, If released, would wash every
thing in front of it as it swept through
the river bottom below"
City Engineer Fred Charles and City
Attorney Bond defended the dam say
ing that it would act as check for the
high water instead of being menace
to the people as the mayor represent
ed THE lake formed by the dam, y
said City Engineer Charles, will be
three-fourths of mile long and nine
teen feet deep in the deepest part
The dam itself will be 400 feet in width
and at the widest part, the lake will
be only 1000 feet wide. This is a
comparatively small lake and dam
The government is building retaining
dams to lessen the flood pressure OF
the water all over the country"
Councilmen did not agree with En-
gineer Charles but endorsed the stand
of Mayor Zimmerman. whats the
use of having that dam anyway" ask
ed one. "It don't do the city any good
Its only for little pleasure and we
don't need it, l believe that we might
as we'll condemn it." Other council
men expressed the same opinion.
Discuss Matter Tonight.
The committee composed of Coun
cilmen Bartel. King and Vessel with
City Attorney Bond and Mr.. Charles
VIII LlSthS oil lIIllutuldtS
of the dam and the plans, employing
an expert on the matter if necessary
to examine the plans and specifica
tions and determine the strength Of
the proposed dam. The committee
will meet tonight at the Commercial
club rooms with Ray Robinson, presi
dent of the Hawkins Lake and Parl
project.
Plans for the condemnation ot
Happy Hollow were discussed but nc
action was taken in the matter. The
councilmen did not seem enthusiastic
over the proposition presentedby the
mayor who believes that the city
should condemn the property. ordel
every resident off of it and give the
property owners, good city lots in ex
change for the property in Happy Hol
low
Flood in "HoIiow"
in order to save loss of life which
is sure to occur some time" said the
mayor. I'VE should condemn the build
ings in Happy Hollow. We know tha
the floods are bigger every year anC
there will be time when the wateI
sweeps Happy Hollow every spring a;
1t has done this year. We own tn.
top of the hill. which We purchased fo
the purpose of erecting a pest house.
he stated. @and we could pass an ordi
nance requiring the residents o
Happy Hollow to move TO the cit,
property above"
what if we would make park o
it, said one councilman. Every yea
all our swings would be washed ava.
by the floods"
Appropriation Made.
In accordance with councils agree
ment with the Commercial club. s25
was appropriated to go into the fun,
which will be contributed to the cite
fCputintfed On Para Enrirsi