QUESTIONS OF POLICY 87 
amicably settle the question of the purchase of the lots, if 
any one could settle it.” 
COMMISSION’S METHODS EXPLAINED. 
I explained the methods employed by the commission in 
arriving at a basis of fair valuation of the property—con- 
sidered alike fair to Mr. O’Brien and the people of the 
county who were paying for it, and how we should be glad 
to reciprocate the spirit of civic improvement that had been 
so marked a characteristic in his administration of public 
affairs. I endeavored to make it clear to him that the Park 
Commission, in its position of trustee of public funds, in 
placing the limit of the purchase price at the appraised 
price and what we believed a fair and equitable price, was 
acting as he had so many times acted in similar positions of 
trust, when duty and loyalty to the obligation as trustee had 
been the paramount consideration. 
Mr. Green then asked me when condemnation proceed- 
ings would be begun. I replied that authorization had been 
made for them to be instituted directly. He then wanted 
to know if we could not “divide the difference between Mr. 
O’Brien’s last asking price, $125,000, and the appraised 
valuation as reported of $95,700.” He declared that this 
seemed to him preferable to litigation for both sides, and 
that he had understood Mr. O’Brien had for some time con- 
sidered the property worth $150,000. 
“Were it a personal transaction or the commissioners 
were negotiating individually,” I replied, “we might very 
likely get together on the principle of dividing the differ- 
ence, as you suggest, but in this instance I think the com- 
missioners are agreed that we should stand on the agreed 
valuations of our experts, in whom we have the fullest con- 
fidence. Unless this price is acceptable to you and Mr. 
O’Brien, we should prefer to have the court proceeding for 
acquiring the property to go on, rather than increase the 
limit of price.” He said he should like to confer with 
Mr. O’Brien, and that I would hear from him soon. 
Thé following day Mr. Green called upon me, and wrote 
