The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1920-07-30
CITIZENS, AT
MEETING, ASK
INFORMATION
Name of Coal Dealer Who
AAiIegedly Told City He'd
Sell Coal for $3.50 Is De-
manded.
COMMITTEE REPORTS

Sharp criticism was directed against
Richmond newspaper, at a citizens
meeting Friday. called to discuss the
affairs of the city government.
The criticism centered on the recent
action of the publication in printing a
statement rejecting against the light
plant superintendent and the members
OF the board of public works, then re-
fusing to make public the source of
information on which the article was
based
Byram c. Robbins, who retires from
office of city attorney Sunday, referred
10 the action of the newspaper as
sheer cowardice."
Several citizens protested against
what they termed the unjustness of
the action of the newspaper in publish,
ing an article intimating that certain
city officials had been derelict I'm the
performance of their duties, at the
same time Withholding the name of
the newspapers informant and later
refusing to give his name to CITY Off
Gals concerned.
Article Concerns Coal Dealer.
Inc article in question, published
several days ago, stated, in effect, that
a local coal dealer, whose name was
not divulged. had stated that last
March he had offered to contract with
the municipal electric plant to furnish
1t 1000 tons of coal per month, for
the period of one year, at a rate of
$3.50 per ton. The article further
stated that this coal dealer had not re-
ceived a contract
Following a general discussion of
the affairs of the municipal plant,
oIf
| ed that the meeting be informed bv
representative of the newspaper. as
TO the name of the coal dealer who is
supposed to have made such a charge.
Says He Offered information.
The editor of the publication stated
| that he had offered to give this infor-
nation to Harry w. Gilbert, board
president. a few days ago, but that
| MT. Gilbert later resigned and then
stated he was not interested anv long
er in the matter.
| James E. Dillon, superintendent of
the light plant. then took the floor
and declared that in his opinion the
action of the newspaper in publishing
a statement which reflected against
the integrity of himself and other city
ofhcials and in refusing to diyulge TO
them the name of its informant was a
rank injustice and violation of the
spirit of fair play.
Denies He Has Offered Coal.
Dillon has several times denied that
any coal dealer offered coal to- him
last March at such a figure as quoted
! by the newspaper
John E. Peltz. a board member.
stated that T. c. Taylor, of the board.
MIR. Dillon and himself, had called
upon the publisher of the newspaper
Friday and when they had requested
him to advise them as to the identity
OF the mysterious coal dealer the in
formation was refused and they were
ordered to leave the office.
Robbins spanks EN- Verbally.
CITY Attorney Robbins administered
a verbal spanking to the newspaper
which was the subject of attack.
He declared that this publication for
some time had been printing yelled
1nsinuations" against the conduct of
municipal affairs, and that the charges
1t had preferred eventually caused
public meetings to be held by citizens.
He declared that as the result of
the investigations made by the citizens
it had been ascertained that the condi.
tion of municipal affairs was excel
lent"
Calls 1t Sheer Cowardce.
He stated that it was sheer cowar-
dice for the newspaper to refuse to
inform a meeting it had been greatly
responsible for as to the name of the
man responsible fer the charge that
the city had ignored an opportunity to
secure coal at a moderate price
Mr. Robbins stated that while reck-
less in making its charges concerning
the purchase of coal for the municipal
plant, the fact remained that when
this question was considered in a
thorough manner at the rate meeting
held there recently by the Indiana
Public Utilities commission, the news
paper was not represented at the
meeting, either by its editor or by a
reporter.
He pointed out that the hearing de-
veloped that the coal consumption at
the local plant was only four and a
fractions pounds per kilowat, which
the chairman of the commission de-
clared to be better than the average
economy.
Cant Blame City Officials.
Paul Ross in a brief statement
sharply criticised the newspaper w
j. Blackmore, manufacturer, stated
that in his opinion the city officials
could not be blamed in any way for
the methods they had pursued in Sc
curing coal for the municipal plant. He
said his factory last winter entered
into contract for coal at s2.7O ton.
|, but that the contract was not OBJ
served.
The discussion of the coal question
closed with the adoption OF resolu-
ton asking the newspaper editor to
give the name of the coal dealer to
the chairman and secretary of the
meeting. The editor agreed to this.
. The committee Of seven reported
, on its activities. The report stated
, that the financial condition of the mu-
nicipal plant appeared to be satisfac-
tory. The action of the committee In
confering with Mayor Zimmerman on
the appointments of a new board
member and a city attorney was set
forth.
, The committee was given a vote of
! thanks for its work, and discharged
| he md ta ndtno that xryo,,JI