The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-09-23
"ABOLISH BOARD
OF WORKS. IS
DEMAND OF MEET
Impeachment of Mayor Also
Asked at Mass Meeting
Called by Labor.

Abolition Of the board of public
works, owing to a great deal OF dis
satisfaction with it's dilatory tactics"
and impeachment proceedings against
Mayor Zimmerman, are asked in a
resolution passed at mass meeting
in the high school auditorium Monday
night. The meeting was called by
Central Labor Council to give Jack
Coyle, discharged fireman, a free and
impartial hearing.
The resolution demands, that we as
working men and taxpaying citizens
of the city Of Richmond, do and here
by demand. that the said board Of
works be abolished at the next meet
ing Of council"
The charge was made and incorpor
ated in the resolution, that action on
abolition Of the board Of works was
already before the city council in the
form Of an ordinance on third reading,
but which had never been called
viii Attend Council.
Besides passing the resolution call
ing for the abolition of the board and
the Impeachment of the mayor it was
moved that all persons in the audi
sence attend the next council meeting
in a body and demand the re-instate-
ment of Coyle, and committee will
DE appointed to designate the place Of
injecting.
Iucius Harrison said that while the
mayor pointed out the giving Of the
city an adequate light plant, as "the
bright and shining Light Of the present
administration" it was not thinner
man who gave the city the light
plant, but Jackson and Starr, attor-
heys.
In order to get even" with cor
poration. Jackson and Starr formu-
lated plans to start a rival electric
light plant to show that the firm was
more powerful than a corporation.
LAS 1T happened the municipal light
plant was a good thing. but DR.. Zim-
norman had nothing to do with its
origin" said Harrison.
John Putterbaugh, chairman, said:
1--WE are here to protest against
the autocratic action of the city gov
eminent in the Coyle case and we
are asking you to join us in our re-
quest"
Lucius Harrison, who was introduce
ed by the chairman, gave detailed
account of the reasons why Coyle was
discharged. Harrison said that he
had heard both sides Of the case, the
bUdIu tuu ltOh NhpClS ohN
the other from Coyle.
FIremen Can't Strike.
He also said that organized labor in
the city of Richmond would not let
the city firemen strike" This was
corroborated by Robert Graham. ut
Is against the constitution Of the fire
fighters association to strike. The
American Federation of Labor, with
which the firemen's union is affiliated,
said to the firemen when Inducing
them into the organization, 1T is your
duty to stay on your Job but it Is our
duty to protect YOU 1t developed
upon me as chairman Of the grievance
committee of the Central Labor Coun-
Gil to Investigate this case" said
Harrison. IT did SO, and I heard both
sides Of the case.
1.-The case, as l heard it from both
factions, does not materially differ, for
If the evidence was taken down by a
etenographer there would not be an
dota of difference between the two.
The stories are identically the same.
1.-The meeting tonight is the result
OF the refusal to give Coyle a public
hearing, to which the statutes of
Indiana give him the right"
The increase demanded by the fire
men he said was $40 month, every
fifth day off, instead Of every eighth
rs they now have, and IA days vaca
ton every year. They gave them S.
q month and the IA days. he said.
~ want to say that as far as I am
concerned and l hope that every
other voter in Richmond Is the same
way, I am done with kaiserism in the
city building.
IT am willing to go down to the
city hall with any bunch of men, nc
matter who they are. and do every
thing within the law to throw him out
And II we cannot impeach him we can
throw him out by the ballot box. We
can down anybody that way" con
cluded Harrison.
Robert Graham read the firemen's
constitution showing that they are
prohibited to strike.
at is good for the firemen to be
organized" said Graham. "in fact, II
is a detriment for them not to be or
ganized."
Several other short speeches were
made. After the question Of wha,
was to be done was completed. the
chairman tried to get an expression OF
sentiment on the gas rate increase
but as the audience started to de
mart he adjourned the meeting