The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-04-28
Secretary kendriek is Protesting
Against Proposed Action of Gov
eminent in Putting Out
Lights in Towers.
MEANS A DARK CLOCK
Citizen Returning Home at Three in
the Morning Could Not Tell
Time, and Offer that Ex
cuse to His Wife.

Secretary ". r. C. Kendrick OF the
Commercial club is launching cam
paign against the action OF Major
HaFerstick. inspector OF supplies for
the government, who wants to dis
continue Lights z lover of all zedrr
al buildings, which would have the eff
feet OF making the town clock dark
at night In the Burlington Hawkeye
appeared the following paragraph and
also a letter from Secretary Kendrick.
The cry of economy has gone forth.
Uncle Sam has ben spending too
much. and his watchful servants are
making commendable efforts TO cut
down the waste After looking over
the country with microscope they
have discovered that the government
clocks are lighted at night, and they
are going 10 save this expense. This
order gave rise 10 the following CORE
spondence. the writer being former
Burlington boy:
Keokuk, Ia, April 20, 1910
Secretary Commercial exchange.
Burlington, Iowa.
Ny Dear Sir:-There is q movement
on foot. instigaied by Major Haver-
stick inspector Of supplies for gov
eminent buildings TO discontinue the
lights in the tower of all federal build
ings throughout the country. Perhaps
you are aware Of the fact, and perhaps
not: however. the major is now on a
tour OF inspection, and such is the in
formation he brings TO every city he
visits. I might add that the elimina-
ton Of such lights is pet fad Of
the major and he is determined 10 see
it succeed.
To discontinue the lights in the
! towers where there are clocks looks
TO be too small an act on the part OF
the government under the guise OF
curtailment of expense A town clock
without the lights al night would look
Ike man with blind eye. It seems
10 me that If it is worth while 10
place clock IN q federal building It
should be made useful at time
when Il Is most needed, which is at
night. If the government is going to
adopt such course of economy re-
garding the expense Of maintaining
the clocks the place In the federal
buildings, they might IS well do q
good job Of it while they are at II and
stop the clocks after O'Clock p. m
and save the expense Of gasoline or
electricity used TO run the clocks dur
I ing the night hours.
You no doubt are interested in hay
ng the service maintained, and !
I would suggest that you take the mat
/ ter up with your United States sena-
tors and Representatives in congress
/ sending each a remonstrance from
your city. I would. also. esteem It q
favor If you would send me copy
Of your remonsrrance with the sigma
lures obtained, as desire 10 take the
/ matter up directly with the treasury
department, and would like TO make
as strong showing as possible. Their
fore. am asking all the leading cities
having federal buildings with clocks
located therein to join me in this mar
Ter, including the states OF Illinois
Missouri, Kansas, Minnesota, Wiscon
sin and Iowa.
/ Esteeming 1t courtesy to hear
from you al your earliest convenience
4 am, very respectfully,
w R. C. KENDRIcK,
Secretary.
The Burlington secretary replied