The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-12-22
COMMERCIAL CLUB
SECRETARY REVIEWS
1878 ACHIEVEMENTS
New Factories, Increased
Rail Facilities, Cheap
Natural Gas.
MUNICIPAL BUREAU
PLANNED NEXT YEAR
Standardization of State Tax
49,. ing System on 1914
Program.

The year 1918 has been an event
full one for Richmond, was the state
ment made by Secretary Charles W.
Jordan of the Commercial Club, to-
day, in reviewing the work under
taken and accomplished by that or
ganization. Next years program for
the betterment of the community will
be as comprehensive. if not more so
than the program of 1913.
-Four new factories. which prom
ise to become among the leading in
duStries of this section of the state
We're established this year." said Mr.
Jordan. They are the Richmond
Porcn Shade company, which Will en-
ploy about one hundred men. when
completed the w. II. Johnson Pressed
Steel company, which will give en-
ployment to about twenty or twenty
Eve; the X. & X. Furniture company,
which will employ about seventy-five e
men. Another new industry is the
Isaac Smith Warehouse company,
which Mr.. Smith operates in connec-
tion with his bridge construction
work"
Increase Rail Service.
Better railroad freight and passen-
ger service was obtained for Rich
mond this year, but this important
work is not concluded by any means,
Mr.. Jordan said. Freight rates for
Richmond business interests now COM
pare favorably with those enjoyed by
other Indiana cities, and an effort will
be made next year to have the Penn
sylvania and the c. & o. companies
increase the capacities of their freight
stations, which were in a state of
congestion most of the time this year.
Improved passenger service into
and out of Richmond on the c. & o.
has been obtained. Persons living in
towns along this line south of Rich
mond may now come here in the
morning and return home the same
afternoon.
A little progress has been made in
the improvement of street car serv.
ice. Mr.. Jordan said. but next year it
is expected the Street Car company
will extend line to Morton park and
also enxtend it South Eighth street
line into Beallview.
Hope For New Line.
Plans for the construction of a
north and south traction line, promot-
ed by Richmond business interests,
formulated two or three years ago,
will be taken up again next year, Mr..
Jordan says, if business conditions
improve. Financial interests are
| ready to promote this project just as
soon as conditions show an improve
ment."
Mr.. Jordan also said that much had
been done this year in the promotion
of features which would attract peo-
pie to Richmond, notably the securing
of cheap natural gas, the movement
| to improve sanitation, placing the city
in the forefront in educational work
in public schools, improving railroad
service and the extension of the park
system.
"The Commercial club" said Mr.
Jordan, has also given great en-
couragement to the agricultural in,
terests of the county this year, and
has energetically supported the work
of County Agricultural Agent Cobb.
One of the most notable accomplish.
ments recorded this year was the es.
| tablishing of municipal recreation
place, Morton park, with its mile-long
| lake.
Next year one of the principal fea.
| lures of the Commercial clubs work
ing schedule will be a plan for the
/ establishing of a municipal research
| bureau, in charge of an expert in mu
nicipal work and modelled closely after
! the Dayton bureau. which has obtained
many beneficial reforms in the gov
! ernment of that city. Other features
Of this program include cooperation
| in the promotion of the good roads
movement, agitation of a statewide
| movement for standardization of the
state taxing system, and the improve
ment of municipal sanitation.