Indiana daily times., 1922-05-27
.COLUMBIACLUB
USES BIG STICK,
SAYS DELEGATE
Action on Changes in Heights
of Buildings on Circle
Is Charge.

Political influence. Of the Columbia Club
stified opposition which the board OF
control Of the Soldiers and Sailors
Monument planned to lead in the city
council meeting May IS against the
change In the Circle building height
liimt ordinance backed by the city plan
commission, according to statements of
Z. H. Moore, delegate from the College
Avenue Civic Association in the meeting
Of the Indianapolis Federation lof Com.
munity Civic Clubs last night
Mr.. Moore's assertions about the po-
litical bludgeon reported to have been
welded by the Columbia Club on the
opposition to the increase in the Circle
building height limit were made In ex-
PLANTATION Of why there was not a word
Of opposition to passage Of the ordi
nance In the council meeting. He was
chairman OF a committee instructed by
the federation to act with the monument
board of control to prevent passage Of
the ordinance. The city plan commits
sion, on advice Of George +. kessler,
nationally known city plan expert from
st. Louis, had introduced the ordinance
which increased the limit from eighty
six feet to los feet on the property line
and $50 feet on a twelve foot set back
board OF control proposed the figures
be los feet on the property line and
40 feet on seventeen foot set back The
board feared tall buildings would dwarf
the monument.
The Columbia Club plans to build
new building on the site of its present
six story structure in Monument Place.
A number Of other tall buildings are
planned and one is being erected
Mr.. Moore said he had plans laid for
vigorous opposition to the plan commits
sion measure at the council meeting. but
at o'clock In the afternoon Of the meet
ing day Col. Oran Perry. superintendent
of the Monument. telephonel him and
asked him to stay away from the meet
ing. He said Colonel Perry told him he
had an inside tip" everything was ar
ranged for the opposition program to 20
through and there was no need OF going.
Much to hts surprtse he learned the next
morning the plan commission ordinance
was passed without a word OF objection.
When he asked Colonel Perry for an ex-
planation the superintendent told him
the board OF control realized 1t was de-
feated and thought 1t would prevent elm
harrassnent of itself ana Mr. Moore II
a letter recalling objections to the ordi
nance were sent 20 the council and all
opponents kert away from the meeting
He said he did not want to criticise
Colonel Perry because the colonel was
up against stiff proposition and L
probably would have been embarrassing
for the federation representative to at
tempt to oppose the ordinance before the
council without support from the board
of control.
colonel Perry told me the Columbia
Club, which we all know IS strong po-
litical body. fought him so very strong
ly that nothing could bear them down.
He said they simply tramped in In droves
and laid Their thumbs under their noses
and told him what they were going to
do They said they would build their
building as high as they wanted 10 and
We might as we'll go on about our bust
ness They just crushed us out" The
Woodside Loyal Civic League was adj
mitted to representation in the fedora
tion.