The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-06-30
WORK
WAS DONE BY THE
COMMERCIAL CLUB

COMMERCIAL CLUB
Continued from Page One)
tax law. and for the con-
servation measures, for holding the
Panama exposition at New Orleans,
and many other minor matters.
State Legislation.
The club passed strong resolutions
indorsing the movement for a uniform
law. 1t urged the Wayne
county members Of the legislature to
aid in its passage.
It gave its influence against the bill
the pumping of natural gas
which, II passed, would have stopped
the supply of gas for the city, and
would have been a hardship on many
Of our citizens.
Through the efforts of the club, the
McGinnis bill. enacted at the last ses-
sion of the legislature, was SO modi-
fled as to give to the citizens OF Rich
mond a possible expenditure of half a
million dollars. This was the bill pre-
pared by the State Board OF Health,
and is known as the stream pollution
law. 1t provided that no city could
empty its sewage into a stream with
out filtering, and it would have been
necessary for the city to build large
trunk sewer down the bed OF the
Whitewater. intercepting all the sew
ers entering the river. and carry the
sewage down stream for several miles
where it would have been possible to
build a filtration plant.
Municipal Work.
The club has always had'a lively in.
terest In all municipal matters that
affected the welfare of the city. It has
always endeavored to cooperate with
the city authorities in this respect
never debating. but rather advising
and counseling with them, and helping
them to develop correct public senti
ment.
The subject that has engaged the
club most largely along this 1.-The has
been the matter of better fire protec
ton for the city. When the insurance
companies re-rated Richmond, and fix
ed rates at almost prohibitive point
in many instances. the club sought
the causes of these raises. A commit
tee was appointed on fire protection
which gave great deal of time to the
subject, and much has already beer
accomplished. but much remains tt
do. The work of the committee wa:
divided and put in charge of three sub
committees, and the amount and value
Of the work done by these committee:
can scarcely be fully appreciated b!
the public.
Public Service Corp.
The club has influenced municipal
action, as well as the action OF thu
companies themselves, OF PRACTICAL,
every public service corporation do
ing business in the city. In each cas-
the results accomplished have beef
of immense importance to the city.
When the proposition was submitted
by the competing company of our mu
nicipal light plant to make an investl
cation which had for its purpose thu
sale of the plant to foreign corpor
alton, 1t was the positive position tina
the club took in the matter that caus
ed the promoters of the proposition t.
abandon this plan, and leave the city
The resolution passed by the club
and signed by every member, asking
council to pass an ordinance to com
pei all wires on Main street to be pu
underground, as well as all woodel
poles to be removed, resulted in tn
passage of the ordinance, and the cit,
is rid Of the tangle of wires and ur
slightly poles on Main street.
The club asked for modification
of the proposed franchise of the MAI
ural Gas company to manufacture al
tificial gas. While the club would b
glad to have competition In the manu-
facture of artificial gas. the terms Q
the franchise seemed unfavorable t
the city, and the council refused t
ratify it.
The club has done much to extricat
the city from the embarrassing pre-
dicament 1t had gotten into with tn
AASOA Ap0A uAu SILy SlICCt C64I COup0I
les. Interurban freight cars had bee
prohibited by injunction to enter tn
city. and shippers we're compelled fo
many months to haul freight to tn
city limits to be loaded and unloat
ed. This was not only expensive, bu
tremendously inconvenient. Passel
ger cars on the DAYTON & Wester
wrora also nr0hihitod from on%orirU ~
city. adding great Inconvenience I
the traffic. The outcome Of the stree
uous efforts OF the club to relieve til
intolerable condition, resulted In til
restoration Of freight and passenge
i traffic, with added conveniences.
i The club has been agitating th
making Of q new water works fral