MILL CREEK PARK
PROCEEDINGS BEGIN.
PROPERTY OWNERS STILL PRO-
TEST AGAINST HIGH PRICES.
Park Board Blamed for Refusing to
Reopen Case So That Inside
Workings of the Deal
May Be Shown.
Condemnation proceedings were begun in Judge John G. Park's division of the circuit court yesterday by the city against property owners in the Mill creek valley, where it is proposed to lay out a park. The city council on March 30 approved plans for a park, which were presented to the park board. There are 145 title holders who are interested in the court proceedings, besides every taxpayer in the Westport park district.
Shortly after the court had convened, James E. Trogdon, an attorney representing the Westport Improvement Association, entered his appearance in the case. He made an oral argument objecting to the proceedings. Judge Park ruled that the case had started, and he believed it would be best to finish it. He said that as the objectors had not taken any steps to have the city's action in the park matter set aside before, it was too late to stop the condemnation proceedings. After the jury fixes a valuation on the property, the court said it would then listen to any objections the citizens might have.
George E. Kessler, the landscape architect, was a witness in the morning and testified that in his opinion the land was not too valuable for park purposes. A. P. Nichols, a real estate dealer, was on the witness stand all afternoon. The witness was asked the valuation of property in the park district by separate tracts. The property in the valley, which, the land owners claim would be valuable switching property, the witness testified was worth about $2,000 an acre. While the persons owning the land wanted for park use are claiming the property is of more value than the city claims, the residents in the park district who will be required to pay for the improvement say the city is paying too high a price for the land. They also object to the creek valley being used as a park, on the ground that it is a real estate scheme. The condemnation proceedings will last four or five more days.
