The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-23
HOTEL LOBBY GLEANINGS
SENATOR JAMES GRAY, OF EVANS
WILLIE, AT THE COLUMBIA CLUB.
He Is Enthusiastic Over the Prospects
for Successful Horse Show
Visitors at the Hotels.

The Evansville horse show, during the
first week in June, will be just a little
ahead of anything of the kind ever at
tempted in this State. 1t will be in the
same class with the big Kansas City horse
show. although not quite so large, perhaps,
and the men who are back OF 1t say that at
this time it promises to be more successful
than they had hoped at the outset"
Senator James Gray, of Evansville, who
was at the Columbia Club last evening
made this statement concerning the COM
ing event in Evansville that is attracting
so much attention. and he grew even more
enthusiastic IS he continued-so much so,
In fact, that one of his hearers mildly in
situated that he must be representative
OF the publicity and promotion committee.
The senator laughingly denied the charge,
however, and said that he was merely a
self-constituted advance agent
We really are going 10 have a great
show" he said. The people of Evansville
have taken hold of the enterprise in the
right spirit and its success is assured now.
There is a surprisingly large number Of
entries in all the classes and some of the
finest horses in the middle West will be
there. The attendance will undoubtedly be
large and among our prominent visitors
we expect to have Governor and Mrs Dur
bin with US at least one day. Mortimer
LeEering, OF this city, by the way. will
proDabIy be one of the judges. An effort is
peing made 10 persuade him TO officiate"
senator Gray says that aside from the
dcuNity attendant upon the preparations
Ior the horse show. business Of ali kinds is
unusually active at this time New indus
tries are coming TO the city and several
local enterprises of Importance are on foot
among the latter, is the movement toward
= n liz HIM Of.
pany which will eventually be owned and
operated by the city-an experiment in
municipal ownership in a line that has
never before been attempted in Indiana.
CITY OWNS COMMON STOCK.
The company was Incorporated some
weeks ago. said the senator in explaining
the project 1.-The city owns all of the COM
mon stock, except a few shares. while the
preferred stock. amounting to 100000. is
subscribed by individuals. In the contract
the city has the right to take up the pre-
ferred stock at par after a period of five
years. The city administration names four
directors and the preferred stockholders
name five. The directors elect officers and
hlre all employees. A. p Lahr one of our
prominent merchants. is the president of
the company No contracts have been let
as yet, but we are getting things i'm shape
10 begin putting in the plant within a few
weeks IT will be about a year before the
pant is In operation.
Knoxville, Tenn, has tried project Of
this kind with very satisfactory results I
understand, and We believe that We shall
find 1t equally successful. We expect TO get
better telephone service at lower rates
1t would be difficult for the service to be
worse than we have had under the old
company. and in this respect, at least. we
feel that We are taking comparatively
small chances"
Senator Gray was one of the most prom
tnent members on the majority side of the
Senate during the recent session of the
Legislature. He was an indefatigable
worker. both in committee and on the floor
and as result of his labors he was badly
broken in health at the close of the ses-
sion. He was i'll for several DAYS at the
home he had recurrence of the attack
of bronchitis that had been troubling him.
Upon the advice of his physicians he went
down into the mountains of North Carolina
for month as soon as he was in condition
TO make the trip, and he said last night
that he is now enjoying his usual good
health.
The senator says that politically every
thing is quiet in Evansville and the First
district at present. He said that little
Representative James A. Hemenway, of
Boonville. will be a candidate for Governor
for United States senator, and that there
really has been little gossip of that kind in
ported that Mr.. Hemenway would seek
other fields of political activity Senator
Gray was mentioned as his successor in
Congress, and the senator has also been fire.
quently spoken of as candidate for Gov
ernor. but he says that he is not contem-
plating making the race.
II am not in politics., he said, aside
from being a member OF the State Legis-
lature. and / shall not be a candidate for
any other office.