The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-01-02
MAYOR ZIMMERMAN
FAv0RS ELEVATION
Also Wants City to Have
More Power in Dealing
with Railways.

EuOrtS are 10 De made Oy the pre-
sent administration of this city to agi-
tate a movement to have a state law
passed vesting the power in a city to
compel railroads to elevate their
tracks, and Of paying the greater part
OF the expenses which would be in
CURED. At the meeting Of the board
of public works Tuesday morning the
city attorney was instructed TO CO.
operate with other cities of the third
and fourth classes in this matter. and
to draw up bill to be presented at
the next session of the legislature in
January, 1913.
Cities of the first and second class
es have secured this authority. and in
Indianapolis and FIT. Wayne and other
compelled to pay Is per cent of the
cost of elevating tracks, while the re-
mainder of the cost is borne by the
city, the county and by traction COM
panies, in case their tracks are run un-
der the railroad tracks.
The elimination Of grade crossings.
especially at Eighth, and Twelfth
streets. in this city. is ardently ad.
vocated by Mayor Zimmerman and
other city officials. They also believe
that the elevation of the tracks would
be far better than constructing under
grade street crossings.
The board has decided to place the
anti-smoke ordinance passed some
time ago into actual effect and has rul-
ed that arrests will be made in case
factories have not complied with IT..
within ninety days. The fire chief
was instructed to see that the smoke
ordinance was complied with by the
factories 1t is obvious from the re-
port of Nimrod Johnson. superintend-
end of the city light plant. that the
stokers recently installed at the plant
have added materially in the abate-
ment of the smoke nuisance. and the
board suggests that stokers or smoke
consumers be installed in all shops
and factories. Since the stokers were
installed at the light plant the plant
has not required as much coal, 1t is es-
timated that $4,000 has been saved
since that time. During 1911 there
were 189 cars of coal consumed at the
plant and during 1910 there were 226
cars of coal used. This saving is at
| tributed to the use of the stokers and
a greater saving is expected to be
shown this year, inasmuch as the
stokers were not used during the
whole of last year.
| Upon the suggestion of Homer Ham
mond, president o. the board. Mayo
Zimmerman made motion for the
city to purchase ground for the deten
| tion hospital, which was passed. Wes'
proved, will cut through the grount
upon which the detention hospital il
now located, and the board desires tt
secure other grounds. It has options
on several properties, but has not Al
yet, decided which to purchase.
! DR.. T. Henry Davis, head of thu
city department., reported to the board
that he had purchased a conveyance
for hauling persons to the detention
hospital for SIS.
In a letter to the board r. G.. Hub
bard submitted plan by which HI
believes the city can make a good in
vestment in purchasing sixty lots fac
ing South West E street and South
West First street. He said that thu
construction of a river boulevard wouls
do a great deal towards advancing thu
value of the lots and that the cit.
could construct park on the groun.
between the river and the lots, thu
enhancing the value of the lots TIL.
board believes the idea a good one. bu
decided that it could not take it up a
this time.