QUESTIOXS OF POLICY 



87 



amicably settle the question of the purchase of the lots, if 

 any one could settle it." 



C0:^IMISSI0X'S METHODS EXPLAIXED. 



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 

 count}" 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. 



Z\Ir. 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 3^ou 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. 



The following day Mr. Green called upon me, and wrote 



