The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-26

ling and lighting of our streets should be
taAen out of politics. he says. We have
squandered tens OF thousands OF dollars
on wooden streets. when we ought TO know
from experience that they will not last
more than eight or ten years and are alto
gether too expensive an improvement where
the property IS not worth more than $50
TO $50 per foot front. The Board Of Works,
he continues, were intended TO be a body
Of experts on the Improvement OF streets
and similar matters, but instead OF thaI
they are selected to strengthen the party
in power o.+ occa-
siOnally at a smoker In order 10 discuss the
commercial side of the city's affairs.
Fl. a. w. d. believes the club should aid
the location Of factories In every way pos
sibIe. even TO the extent OF buying a tract
of land, selling the lots and giving sites
10 factories. He states that many puudlhss
are being erected and additions laid OUT
growth. Manufacturers should be induced
70 locate here and thereby increase the
population and Justify investments now be-
ing made and that Will be made III the near
future.
PURCHASE OF SUPPLIES.
&C. A. w. wants the club to purchase all
of it's supplies in Indianapolis. .giving the
preference TO articles manufacturers In
this city. A communication should be sent
TO every iobber. urging them to handle
homemade goods when possible. Each
architect should be urged to use his in
fuence in favor of home dealers and manu-
facturers. The club should institute a
series Of one-doIlar dinners with music. to
which men in the various mercantile,
manufacturing and professional interests
should be invited in rotation, the object be-
ing TO bring those men in the city engaged
in the same line of work into closer social
contact with each other. He suggests the
clergy. lawyers, physicians, builders. manu-
tacturers, Jobbers. retailers artists' musi-
oinnC npA offxr nfHnialC
..B. F. II. believes that every effort should
be made TO bring factories here. The aSl-
tation of the smoke question. ne THINKS, -
a mistake. The more factories and the more
railroads we have the better we viii be
off. He refers to Cleveland, Pittsburg and
other cities in which smoke is an evidence
OF prosperity.
j. S. believes that the club should take
some action on the failure of the various
railroad lines to supply. sufficient motive
power and cars to furnish the necessary
quantity of raw material for our factories
during the past winter. This has resulted
in severe pecuniary loss to the manufactur-
ing interests and the railroad managers
deserve severe criticism for their utter
want Of foresight in not anticipating and
providing for the increasing demand for
transportation facilities consequent upon the
growing prosperity of the State and coun-
Wv. III. A. believes the club should edu-
cate the people on the subject of the best
municipal government and the value of
sanitary measures. He thinks taxes should
be equitably levied and honestly expended
and advocates the announcement of all
new railroad lines and factories.
ID. NJ. T. believes that anything having
a bearing on the welfare of the city should
receive the attention of the club. On one
point he believes a mistake is being made.
While a city without smoke would be de-
lightful to live in, any city that makes the
suppression of smoke the prime object of
it's efforts will kill its prosperity. 1t is a
practical impossibility TO do away with
smoke, and the movement to do so Is
causing many small manufacturers now
here TO look elsewhere for quarters, and.
if the matter is urged, the larger concerns
will also have to do the same thing. The
smaller manufacturers can afford neither
the expense nor the room for stOkerS. He
believes a good committee should be ap-
pointed to sift the matter thoroughly.
H. c. S. thinks the natural gas compa-
MES charge for something that the citizens
pay for and do not get, and should receive
the clubs attention.
81. w. II. believes that the club should
have stated meetings at which some mem
Der should read a paper on a selected sub
iect, a discussion to follow. Distinguished
thinkers should be invited from abroad to
participate in our meetings. Cheaper
freight rates are highly necessary to our
prosperity. Our fathers made a mistake
by not finishing the canal. They have
they have been completed. Heavy freights
are always sent by them in preference to
rail. He had some timber shipped to him
last fall, sixteen miles by rail, and the
charge on one car was SIG. In Europe
streams much smaller than White river
are utilized for carrying freight, and White
river should be so used. The question of
cheaper freight rates is a vital one. He
also thinks that a union freight depot at
the belt at the edge of the city would keep
many engines and trains out of the city
and afford employment to many teamsters
and laborers."