The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-05
TALKS ON LIVE TOPICS
PRESENT WHEREABOUTS OF THE
FOxTAIL SQUIRRELS.
The Use of the Private Telephone Ex-
change-UsuaI Outbreak of Crime
-Other Stories.

OOtSn L SeeIn 10 DC BeieTdlly hHoWA ehoS
the squirrels have not disappeared at all.
but have merely taken up their quarters
In more desirable localities than the public
parks. where they were worried nearly to
death by the small boys. The little ami
mails that were once placed in st. Clair
Park by the park commissioners are now
to be seen In nearby private yards Of that
and one of the bright little chaps
has taken up his permanent abode In big
tree in front of my house. Quite number
OF the squirrels moved themselves bag and
baggage, as IL by some mutual understand
ing, to the spacious front yard Of Frank
Smiths residence, on the northwest corner
of Twelfth street and Capitol avenue,
where they are to be seen any sunny after
noon hustling busily about among the
trees and bushes.
THE squirrels were very tame when
turned loose in the parks, and they still re-
tain their fearlessness of human beings
but just try to become too familiar with
any one of them and you will get the worst
Of 1t every time. They seem to be vicious
little fellows. and they don't hesitate to
use their sharp claws and teeth II they
think they are being abused in any way.
My wife attempted to make friends with
our little visitor the other day, but he
would have none of her. She was return
ing home from down town. and as she en-
tered the front yard she was attracted by
the pretty animal, which sat upright under
his tree gazing up at her as If to invite her
to become better acquainted with him. She
leaned down with outstretched hand, in
tending TO stroke him gently on the head.
In the flash CT a second his little claws
had ripped her glove open across the back
and with curious shrek the mean little
thing as my wife now calls him, scam
pered UP the tree and out of sight. Just
take a stroll up North Meridian street any
afternoon and you'll see many. of these
little squirrels. And 1 understand the park
commissioners have been wondering what's
become Of them.
THE use OF the private telephone ex-
change is extending rapidly here in In
dianapolis," said Walter L. Hill, the dis
trict manager Of the Central Union Tele-
phone Company. 1.-The conveniences and
economies of private exchanges are such
that large concerns cannot afford to be
without them. They save time and money
business man with a telephone at his
desk may, without leaving his seat, be
placed in instant communication not only
with the various branches OF his own busi-
ness, but with persons with whom he has
business dealings in the towns with which
toll lines connect and with the long-dis-
lance service Messenger service is done
away with, and mail and telegraph. with
their delays, are antedated. But the best
feature or the private telephone exchange
is the intercommunication it affords be-
tween the heads of the concern In which
the branch Is located. Even this work,
as well as the work of connection with the
outside subscribers OF the public exchanges,
could be done through the public exchange.
But without the private branch exchange
the house service, not presided over by an
operator giving her full time to IL, would
be necessarily slower and the cost Of in
stallation. which IL really an interest charge
against operation, would be much greater.
xxx
Ibid you ever notice that we have what
the newspapers call an outbreak Of crime
every fall?" asked a member of the local
detective force the other day. THE city
has had a number of small burglaries and
holdups lately. but no more than we had
this time last year. In fact there is always
an outbreak of crime in the fall During
the warm weather the crook has been at
the country fairs and street carnivals In
the smaller towns plying his business on
the unwary. With the approach of winter
he returns to the city, often penniless and
time the dark nights are coming on the
streets are less thickly populated after {
| o'clock in the evening and the opportunity
| for committing holdups and burglaries is
| increased ten-fold. With the exceedingly
small size OF the indianapolis police force
/ 1t Is really a great wonder that we don't
have more crimes than We do.
If we could educate the citizen to be
more careful about himself when out al
night many Of these holdup jobs would
never take place. For instance
Side man nf was tawn held two up s on the Nortt
his money and a gold watch taker
| from him. On investigation It appears tha
when he came near to his home he me-
| two men. They separated to let him pas.
between them. He fell promptly into tn,
trap and when abreast of them found
| gun staring him in the face. Now. any
man who lives in a big city ought to know
that he has no business stepping between
| two strangers in a lonely locality on
dark night. If the citizens will be NOR.
this year. for the police are more vigilan
and active in this city nowadays thar
| ever before"
Charles ]. Brooks, the travelling repre-
sentative of a New York leather company
and an enthusiastic chauffeur. was in In
dianapolis for few hours yesterday an,
expressed himself as delighted with tn
city as an ideal place for horseless car
riages. with its wide streets so ex
cellently paved Indianapolis is bound I
he among the foremost automobile towns Il
the country he said. up to this time tn
growth of the automobile has been gradual
but i believe that its DEVELOPMENT Wi
progress with startling strides in the mex
| five years. Even the most enthusiast
chauffeur is afraid TO venture a predictio
OF what will be accomplished in the wa
OF speed, endurance, economy of operatio
and general results at the end OF five years
time. In my judgment the machine of tn
future will be propelled by explosive en-
gines, for the users of the electric an
steam types sooner or later will gradual
from the use Of those short distance ma
chimes. nonsmelling explosive oil is sur
to be invented and a better tire will
found-that Is, one made OF a material niue
cheaper than rubber and which will stan
more strain and work The tire factor is tn
most serious drawback now The engin
OF the future automobile will have three @
four cylinders so perfectly made that a
explosive mixture can be held for sewers
days, and this will save the 'cranking' whic
is tiresome and annoying. Everything abou
the auto OF the future will be simplihed an
IL will cost much less than the machines {
to-day. With the constant improvement tn
consumption OF the explosive oil shoul
be less. at least enough TO counterbalanC
the advance in the price Of the fluid whic
is bound to come. The Improvement
this direction has been marked in the las
| year. A high-class machine can now max
a run OF 100 miles with three gallons an
| one quart OF gasoline, while two or thre
years ago the best machines would hay
used twice that amount.
Those fortunate people that have fe
hens in their back yards should do ever,
thing TO start them laying at this time
the year" said Calvin Fletcher, who d,