The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-13
The Pretty and Prosperous Town of Painfeld
rms. saa Que - On : s

Plainheld. as one Of the leading citizens
said. is waking up, but this is hardly so in
the real sense OF the word. for it was never
what one might call asleep. The growth
and general Increase in business have been
so phenomenal in the last year. however.
that the inhabitants came to the conclu-
sion that they had been asleep during all
the preceding years. 1t looks as if Plain
field will. in the future. be a suburb OF In
dianapoIis. and. in fact, the people OF that
place consider themselves suburbanites
now. Since the interurban cars connected
it with the city quite a number OF business
men from here have built residences and
moved their families there. 1t only takes
about three-quarters Of an hour to make
the of fourteen miles by the cars, and
as they leave the city every hour ii Is
source OF great convenience for those hav-
ing business here. 1t is claimed by people
living thus that they can have few lux
uries. such as large garden spot. and
horse and buggy, which they could not af-
ford in the city. These same people also
say that while 1t may seem little incOn-
venient during the winter months. that in
the summer they are well rewarded for any
little trouble they are put to while the cold
and buggies, and on the summer evenings
put in their time driving about the country
enjoying the scenery which surrounds this
place.
In a very short time Plainfield will bear
the same relation TO indianapolis that Ev-
Gnston. Ill, does to Chicago, for the people
here will soon be enjoying all the comforts
familiar TO city folks. A company has been
organized with capital stock of $4,000 to
furnish heat light and water, and this COM
pany will build a plant which will be in
complete running order by this time next
year. The method of furnishing heat 10 the
citizens of the place will be upon very
unique plan The company means, of course,
to run electric lights all night, the exhaust
steam being utilized for heating purposes,
and during the daytime the steam from the
water works will be used in the same man.
ner, thus putting the three separate plants
under roof, one engine doing all the
work. With the convenience of heat. light
and water promised. a number of industries
have made arrangements TO move there,
and many OF those already located in the
town will enlarge their plants and gen.
orally improve.
PRETTY AND PEACEFUL.
There is no prettier town anywhere than
Plainfield. The streets are wide and in ex-
cellert condition. and long rows Of shade
trees line the sidewalks on both sides. The
town proper is high and dry, with a grad
uaI slope to the creek, which makes drain
age perfect, and consequently the general
health there is far above the average of
towns that have no sewerage. The most
singular thing about this place is that 1t
has no city government. There are no mu-
nicipal laws, and each citizen stands on
his own good behavior. The town marshal,
who In most small towns can be seen walk
ing about carrying huge hickory cane
and wearing large tin star, IS here con-
SpicuouS by his absence. The only thing
that suggests law and criminals is a small
TIN sign put on an obscure corner of
frame building, which announces that il is
the office of the justice of the peace. This
gentleman says that when ii comes TO deal
ing out criminal law there is nothing worth
doing, and that he doesn't have one case
in year. The last case of this kind that
can be recalled occurred some time ago,
when fish warden caught boy fishing
out or the creek in some manner not pre-
scribed by law and arrested him, and he
was tried by the justice OF the peace.
There are no saloons in Plainfield. and
1t Is, therefore, strictly temperance town;
the inhabitants claim that this is the rea-
son such good order prevails there. There
was never saloon permitted in the place,
and, according to all that is said now,
there will never be one. The man who has
longing for liquor had better pass Plain
field. for IL is no place for him. The way
the town improvements are kept up is that
each individual does his share. Every one
looks after his own sidewalk and street,
and, as they have all agreed upon a uni
form plan, the whole place is kept in much
better condition than IL there was a town
council. How long the place can continue
WITHOUT a local government Is a matter or
much speculation, as the inhabitants now
number about 1900 and are steadily increas-
ing In number. And how the affairs will
be managed when the number of people
run up into the thousands Is a subject that
the older citizens do not like TO talk about,
and Is one which at times causes them
much worry.
This town, which has always been so
peaceful and quiet, not disturbed by an
over amount Of business activity. is fast
changing. The old things are giving way to
the new, and in the place of country town
there Is springfng up what might be called
q neat little city with all modern i'm
provements- With this change business of
all kinds Is improving and the farmers in
the adjacent territory adding comforts
and improvements to their homes which q
few years ago were unheard Of In country
districts The chief of these is the tele
phone The exchange to which all this
part or the country are connected is the
one in Plainfield. And the majority of town