The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-02-09

REVIEW OF CLUBS ACTIVITIES
1T HAS BEEN CONCERNED WITH
MANY IMPORTANT AFFAIRS.
Annual Election of the Directors To-
Day and Meeting of Members
This Evening.

submitted to the members of the club to-
day. The report is for the year ending
Jan. 81, 1903, and shows that the past year
has been the best year for work the Com
mercial Club has had for many years. The
report shows more important things accom-
pIished than for long time. The report
takes up the various subjects and deals
especially with the work of the club on the
School Board finances and the police pen
sion amendments.
The report first deals with the army
post and technical institute question, re-
hearsing the recommendations the club
made year ago to secure for this city a
camp of instruction where the regulars and
National Guard might meet Early in
March the directors of the club adopted a
resolution requesting the senatorial and
congressional representatives to use their
influence to prevent the sale of the arsenal
grounds in indianapolis to private parties
and urging them to see if the grounds could
be secured for educational park pur-
poses.
In the latter part of March, the report
says, plan for securing the arsenal
grounds for educational purposes was
brought to the attention of the club by Dr.
Sol G. Dickey, representing persons inter-
ested in the Winona Assembly and Sum-
mer School. DR.. Dickey stated that those
he represented would put up buildings and
endow large technical school for BOYS If
the citizens of Indianapolis would purchase
and donate the arsenal grounds as q site
On May 6. 1902, the directors adopted reso-
buttons indorsing the movement and COM
mittees were appointed to look into the mat
ter. Negotiations were entered into with
the War Department and a promise was
received that in the event the money was
raised TO purchase the arsenal grounds
the government would buy land and estab-
lish post near the city. The canvass was
vigorously pushed by George w. Brown
newspapers of the city and the desired
amount, SlH.000. was finally subscribed.
Their report says most of the subscriptions
have been paid. The War Department. has
announced that site near Lawrence has
been selected for a post and the DEPART
ment talks of making il a brigade post
The sale of the arsenal grounds to the tech
meal institute and the purchase of the site
for the post will be consummated early i'm
March The enthusiasm of the department
over indianapolis as site for a large post
fully justified the clubs claims made
throughout the progress of this enterprise
so important to city.
FACTORY ASSOCIATION.
The report then gives history of the
Commercial Club Factory Association and
how the project of supplying sites for fac
tories and homes for employees was aban-
doned because a question arose regarding
the validity of the title to the land and
the number of lots subscribed was disap-
pointing.
The park committee was relieved from
further consideration of the Fall creek
boulevard on Nov. IL because an ordinance
had been introduced in the City Council
providing for bond issue for the purpose
of building the boulevard. The smoke
question was considered during the year
by a committee composed of II. L. Brown.
III. p. WATSON, Charles s. Badger, T. b.
Laycock and w. NJ. Taylor.
The committee visited several smoke
preventing and stocking devices i'm the CITY
and reported that several stocking and
other devices may be obtained whose use
will materially abate smoke formation
where large quantities of coal are being
used
Regarding the question of sewage dis
posal the report says:
I'm the early part of 1902 the club an
pointed a committee to act in conjunction
with a committee from the Board of
Trade to make report on the best
method of disposal of the sewage of the
city of indianapolis. The joint committee
report was very complete. The committee
believed that septic tanks where the
heavier solids may become precipitated and
the lighter solids may be skinned would
meet the requirements in a large degree
If not in full. A removal of fully 80 per
cent. of all organic matter in sewage is
made BY some of the septic tanks now in
use The committee believed that if this
percentage OF removal of organic matter
could be secured the effiuent from the tanks
would be sufficiently pure TO discharge into
the river, leaving further publication to
take place there. The organic residue i'm
the tanks could then be perfectly utilized
for fertilizing purposes. The removal of
so per cent. of organic matter from the
he of oil
floating in the sewage, the percentage re-
naming being i'm solution so that IL is in
the best form for immediate oxidation and
removal from the water by plant and ami
NAL life we'll as chemical action. with
out fermentation upon the bed of the
river. The committee believes that II
closer investigation showed that the septic
tank alone was not sufficient intermittent
filtration in artificial beds through the
valley OF the river below the city or broad
irrigation of the farms in that valley, cousd
be also used. Tx is believed that thor
oughly sanitary and up-to-date plant for
the disposal of the sewage of indianapolis
could be constructed for sl.500.o00 The
committee believes that the question Is one
or wide importance TO the city and one
that Will have to be solved in the near fu-
ture.
CONSOLIDATION SCHEME.
I'm May a communication was handed TO
the board of directors setting forth reasons
why il would be well to consolidate the
Board of Trade and Commercial Club as
preliminary to gathering all of the organi-
cations having for their purpose the aG-
vancement of one o. more branches of the
citys interests into a large commercial
body. The board of directors authorized
President Gavin to appoint a committee of
five TO meet with similar committee from
the Board of Trade and consider the suG-
gestion. The joint committee met several
times. Considerable opposition having de-
veloped in the two bodies. the committee
reported in November that. while in their
opinion such consolidation would advance
the work of the separate organizations and
be beneficial TO the city's interests, il was
impracticable. The report was approved
and the committee discharged.
Regarding the electric hight contract the
report says the matter OF a new contract
was referred 10 a committee last April and
IL was the opinion OF the committee that the
city had the right. under the charter. TO
make contract for longer than one year.
and that. even ii that right did not exist.
an immediate advertisement for bids would
bring the matter to an issue. The sub
committee further recommended an all
night schedule and the use OF the improved
closed arc light. IL also believed that a
much more favorable contract than the
existing one could be obtained by the
prompt and firm action on the part OF the
city. No bids have as yet been requested.
A bill is now pending in the Legislature.
which, IL passed. will insure the city's right
to make contracts for more than one year
for public utilities, says the report
SCHOOL BOARD FINANCES.
Regarding the School Board finances the
report says:
1.-The attention of your board of directors
having been called TO the needs of the