The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-06
Scheme to Abate Smoke by Estab
fishing General Service
Down Town.
VIEWS OF BUSINESS MEN
THEY AND THE CITY OFFICIALS
AGREE 1T Is A GOOD IDEA.
Franchise should Be Granted to the
Association to Benefit the
City at Large.

The Merchants Association gave smok-
er last night for the purpose of explaining
how the members propose TO do away with
smoke The smoker was in the dining hall
of the Commercial Club. and the room was
filled with fragrant fumes of Havana to-
bacco and there was no suggestion of
abating it. In fact, there constant
vigilance on the part OF the dusky walters
lest some producer should short of
fuel.
The association invited as it's guests
Mayor Bookwalter, Messrs. Megrew, Logs
don and Mcguire of the Board Of Public
Works. and all the members of the City
Council. w. c. Bobbs, who presided, stated
briefly that the object of the meeting was
to exchange views upon the proposal of
the association to erect and maintain a
central heating plant to serve large area
of the downtown business district. This
proposal had been submitted to the Board
of Public Works in an informal way, but
the associate would, after it's incorpora-
ton, proceed in the regular way to obtain
its franchise. Mr.. Bobbs asked Charles
r. Williams. editor of the News, for his
opinion of the plan proposed.
Mr.. Williams said the Merchants Asso-
citation was organized to serve its own pur-
poses and that in this case, in so doing,
ii was serving the interests of the city.
He said the purposes of the Board of
Trade. Commercial Club and the Merchants
Association were largely similar. The plan
proposed by the association, he thought,
was responsive to the most urgent needs
and would accomplish in a very large de-
gree the abatement of smoke in the bust
ness district and also perform one of the
duties of good citizenship. He thought the
plan proposed would meet general ap-
prevail.
S. E. Morss, editor Of the Sentinel, said
he believed the Merchants Association was
asking for a reasonable thing in a fair
minded way. He expressed confidence that
the city administration would meet the
association in the same spirit and together
a feat of business economy and public
service would be performed.
II. s. New, editor of the Journal, said
men who had been successful in their own
businesses had attempted TO solve the prob
lem of change from gas fuel supply to
coal. In solving this problem they had Sc
lected, after most careful inquiry, the plan
submitted to the city. He felt that this
plan was benefiting the city in a large
measure. as it would reduce the smoke
that has become serious problem since
the loss or natural gas forced back the use
OF coal He felt that the city administra-
ton should go far possible in grant
ing a franchise to make the enterprise sue
cessful and profitable.
THE MAYORS OPINION.
Mayor Bookwalter said that when the
subject was first presented TO him there
were two things that attracted him. The
first was that it seemed to offer an effective
method of abating the smoke in the dis
trict chosen for the operation of the plant:
second, it seemed practical and economical
to the merchants and others. He said he
realized that ii was not a scheme of specu-
lators of capitalists seeking investment
for their money but an enterprise of bust
ness men who were not seeking new bust
ness. but were attempting to help them
selves. In so doing they were making most
of the people who come to the downtown
district their beneficiarieS.
Hiram +. WATSON explained that MEM
bers of the Merchants Association had
been fined so frequently for being unwilling
violators of the smoke ordinance and had
suffered constantly such damage to their
merchandise from SCOT and dirt that they
had very earnestly attempted to find a
successful stoker that would minimize
smoke. They had searched and tested and
had failed. After months of effort they had
decided on the central plan as the only
feasible one TO answer the requirements OF
public comfort and their own economy.
They had no further desire than to operat lie
this plant for the benefit of their con-
sumers.
George ]. Marott said he was in full ac-
cord with the enterprise, although he has
equipped his business with it's own heat
ing and lighting plant IF this franchise
is granted and the company will furnish
service l will abandon my plant and cheer
fully become a patron of the merchants
company" he said.
G. A Efroymson said his place of bust
ness was provided with an independent
I lighting boilers
were of marine pattern and there had beer
! no stOker devised that would reduce the
smoke Consequently violations of the Law
at his place were unavoidable. He thought
| the plan of the association would answer
all practical and economical purposes anC
would be glad to substitute its service fol
| that he now has.
COUNCILMEN'S IDEAS.
Councilman Negley commended the Mer-
chants Association for working out the
| plan it has submitted to the city and be-
| heved it a good thing for the citizens a:
| well as the business district. He said the
ordinance should contain provisions t
| guard safely the interests of the citizen:
and protect those customers of the com
pany who might not be members of the
| Merchants Association.
| Councilman Holiday expressed conf
dence in the plan and said he thought step:
| should be taken to insure the service OF
| plants but who were not members of tn,
association.
| Councilman Shea said he had been
/ member of the committee that had inVesti
/ gated smoke consumers and patent stoker:
/ as a means of abating smoke I'm the smaller
/ plants. He said when the committee Wis
| tied Chicago it found that the stokers acted
best in the large plants. The COMMITTEES
| had found nothing that would answer sat
/ isfactorily in small plants He believed tn
| plan of the association would leave tn,
| har IF iDdpnpn6ppf nj M in ha
/ trict chosen so small that the smoke nui
! sance would practically end.
| After this the meeting divided into groups
! and coffee, punch and sandwiches wer,
| served other councilmen present wer,
| Messrs. Sourbier. Vail, Rhodes, Wheeler
! Expert, Grail Wysong. Warweg and Nc
! Farland, and they all expressed themselve,
| as being favorable TO the passage of an or
! dinance which would protect all interests.
| Milk Not I'D to Standard.