Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-02
WITHOUT A GOVERNMENT,
Greentown. Ind. Has No Mayor, Mar
shnl, Policeman Peace Omcer.

rum tue Nhi'asu tHFoiiltie
The city of Greentown. Ind. is perhaps
the least-governed city of its size in Amer
lea. Although it has 1000 inhabitants. the
town has no mayor marshal. policeman or
other peace officer. not even a constable.
The town is governed by board Of trus-
tees who meet once month to allow cleo
trio light bills. gas, water and other claims.
justice of the peace residing in the sub
Urbs resigned a few weeks ago. having no
official business. The city charter provides
for no mayor or policeman. and the duties
Of marshal pt rformed when required,
which is very seldom. by the street COM
missioner. A regular marshal was elected
a year ago. but resigned because there was
nothing for him to 90. The street commits
sioner was then engaged. without any adj
oitional n.pensation over his salary
street commissioner, to act as marshal
whenever occasion should require.
The jail was sold years ago for a stable
and there Is absolutely no pace in which
an arrested person could be confined pend
ing trial. There are three saloons in the
place and tIey do good business in beer
and ale bat sell very little spirituous IL
quor. The worst offense that has occurred
in the tow in years is the harity conse-
quent upon too liberal beer drinking. The
offender is never locked up nor even fined,
He is escorted home and never fails to go
in a quiet and peaceabe manner. The old
est inhabitaEt does not remember of an
arrest having occurred in the town. The
present street commissioner. however. de-
MES this soft Impeachment. He says that he
did arrest a man once. 1t was for at
tempted assault that took place in the
country. and when the man was brought 10
trial he proved his innocence. After all,
this is not blot on Greentowns fair es-
Cutcheon.
The town has five churches. and they are
full every Sunday. The principal industry
is the making of glass tableware. The
company is the Indiana Tumhler Company
mr. c hN- ha y,Nlf
agement of the affairs of the company is in
a board composed of the men who actually
work in the factory. There has never been
a strike in the factory. nor the least bit OF
trouble. 1t runs the year round. has not
stopped since 1t first started. six years ago.
1t does not lelong to any trust. nor are its
affairs dominated by any outside influence
whatever. The president of the concern Is
David jenkins. who came to Grecntown
from Findiay, Ohio. several years ago.
Greentown is in the heart of the gas belt
and the Chicago Natural Gas Company has
its great pumping station Just west of the
city limits. This pumping station is within
itself a good-sized town. The company has
built rows of BEAUTIFUL cottages for its en-
ployeS. each surrounded by its velvet lawn
and fairly EMPOWERED with flowers. n. A.
Covalt. postmaster of Greentown. gives it
as his opinion that the reason Greentown is
enabled to get along without government is
because the citizens are all quiet that
everybody has work, and. therefore. has
not time to make any trouble and the fur
ther fact that they have a good class of cit
liens.
Everybody is employed and everybody is
contented Likewise everybody is proud Of
the reputa ion the little city has of being
the largest city on earth without an actual
government being required to keep it in or
der The town is just beginning to boom,
large buildings being erected and the
general air of thrift is manifest every.
where.