Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-07-18
WEST SIDERS
FILE PETITION
OF SECESSION
West Indianapolis Asks Board
of Works to Set Date
for Hearing.
MILLER TO FIGHT MOVE
In Statement, President of
Board Says West Siders
Have No Just Kick.

The petition Of West Indianapolis
for Instrumentation, including a re-
monstrance against the establish
ment of the proposed municipal
yards at Kentucky avenue and
White River, was filed with the
board OF public works today by a
delegation of citizens accompanied
by Emsley W. Johnson, their at
torney. The document bore more
than 5000 signatures.
Mr.. johnson requested the board to fix
a date Of hearing on the petition, but
the board refused. announcing that it
desires to confer with the city legal de-
partment before taking any action and
wiz announce its decision Wednesday
The delegation was asked to return at
that time.
Fixing OF a date OF hearing was de-
sired by the petitioners, Mr.. johnson
said. in order that legal advertising nee
esSary in the procedure might be made.
The law under which the Enterprise
Civic League. which j. back Of the seces-
sion movement, elected to procede, ac-
cordinz to the attorney. permits the I'll
council or the board or public works
such a petition. the attorney said the
law urovIdes. must bear the signatures
Of a majority Of the owners Of land con
tained in one block or more OF plated
land and one acre or more Of unplatted
land. The document fled qualities in this
respect. he said. After the filing it Is
incumbent upon the petitioners to legally
advertise the fact that the petition has
been fled and that the board or council
has fixed q date Of hearing, which shall
not be less than ten days after the peti-
tlon is presented
II the board OF works refuses TO grant
the petition the law provides for appeal
10 the Circuit Court, Mr.. Johnson said.
MILLER SIZES No
CAUSE To COMPLAIN.
A statement OF the reasons for which
West indianapolis desires disannexation.
signed by twenty seven prominent
citizens Of the section was read by Mr..
Johnson when the petition was presented.
This called forth a long speech from
Mark II. Miller. president Of the board.
which was to the effect that he could
not see that West Indianapolis fairly
could complain that il had been neglected
or injured by the rest Of the city
The talk you have made was very dig
nifed and very nice" answered Mr..
johnson. "but It just rubs the fur the
wrong way on every man here. These
arguments have been made 70 every man
and woman here time after time until
it has cotton so that they are ansered
By them.
This morning before we came IN here
we thought il would be only fair 10 the
to IA
and We went to his Office. The mayor,
the corporation counsel and the city con
troIIer were there and they listened TO
US very respectfully. But when We I'm
ished the mayor made TO US practically
the same argument you have made; pos
sibly not so ably as you, but he at least
covered the same points. These people
have heard all Of these arguments 30
many times that the mere mention Of
them just makes them boil"
Upon insistance Of Board Member
Irving W Lemaux that the merits Of the
case be argued upon the day Of the
public hearing hostiIties ceased.
TAKES IN
LARGE TRACT.
The technical boundaries Of the section
desiring Instrumentation are the right Of
way Of Big Four railroad ON the north,
White River on the east and the pres
ent corporation line on the west and
south.
Ifssons for disannexatlon set out in
the statement are as follows:
1. That the territory commonly
known as West Indianapolis IS en-
tirely separate and set of from the
main part Of the City OF Indianapolis
by natural and artificial lines OF di-
vision.
?. That the interests of West In
disnapolls can be more carefully pre-
served and cared for If the territory
is governed by officials selected by
the citizens of that community alone.
3. That better facilities for policing
the town and fire facilities can be. OBJ
:. tained if under the direct supervision
Of officials who live within the terri
tory ought to be disannexed.
f. That IL the citizens Of this terri
tory are given an opportunity TO gov
ern themselves more interest viii be
shown in improving the sanitary and
living conditions OF the community
and greater park and playground IA
cilities will be provided for the com
munity.
3. That this community will be di-
rectly interested in eliminating all
public nuisances which now interfere
with the health and happiness Of the
community; that the citizens OF the
community will then be in g position
to prohibit the use OF grounds within
this territory as dumping grounds
for the City OF Indianapolis and will
be able to prevent a part OF the terri
tory being used for sewage disposal
grounds and incinerating and dessica-
ting plants and viii thereby protect
themselves from the nOxious fumes,
(COntinued on Page EIeven.)