Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-06-28

Having been criticised for three years
for dilatory, "buck passing" tactics by
citizens Of the south side, who declared
I'VE pay high taxes, now we'd like to
see some BENEFITS the board Of sanitary
commissioners and the board of public
health today showed signs of actually do
ing something to stop the pollution of
Pleasant Run and Bean Crook, following
a conference last night at the city hall.
Four inspectors from the public health
department have started a survey Of
Bean Greek and Pleasant Run to find the
operating sewer interceptors, vaults
which are draining into the streams and
other sources of pollution.
When such detriments to the public
health are found DR.. Herman G. Morgan.
secretary Of the board Of public health,
announced he will issue orders to the
owners Of property from which sewage Is
flowing to Immediately connect with
sewers, or in case these are not available
TO build septic tanks.
STOP EAIPTYING OF
TRADE WASTES.
Meanwhile the board Of sanitary COM
missioners, according to Frank C. Liu-
genfelter, one of its members and city
civil engineer, will attempt to enforce
orders issued last year to the Citizens
Gas Company and the American Creosot-
ing Company to cease emptying trade
stes into Pleasant Run, and to the
Weber Mix Company to stop throwing;
waste products into Bean Creek.
Harry B. Dynes, spokesman for the
delegation from the Southeastern I'm
provement Association, scored city Of
icials for failure to clean up the two
streams during the three years the citi-
Zens, who have been all but driven from
their homes by the insanitary conditions,
have been trying to get something done.
The officials awakened with a start and
after passing responsibility for the con-
dition from one to another for half an
hour finally agreed upon the steps out
lined above.
While the sanitary and health boards
are taking che steps which seem to them
to be those which can be accomplished
quickly and effectively, a committee com
posed of Corporation Counsel Samuel
Ashby, City Attorney Thomas D. Steven
son. Harry E. Yockey, attorney for the
health department; Dixon n Bynum. at
torney for the sanitary board and J.
Clyde Hoffman, attorney for the board Of
park commissioners, will be looking aft
er the preparation of ordinances which
will give city departments more power, if
needed, to clean up the streams.
POLLUTED FOR
SEVERAL YEARS
According to residents in the vicinity
Of Pleasant Run and Bean Creek. the
streams have been badly polluted for sew
eral years. They tell many stories of the
fiIthiness of the watercourses, such as
that children who wade in them come out
with poisoned feet and legs, the smells
make life almost unbearable in hot. dry
weather and vegetation along the banks
is killed.
DR.. Morgan declared, and Mr.. Hngen-
felter sided with him, that the chief pol
luton Of the streams, particularly Pleas
ant Run, was not from the Citizens Gas
Company and American Creosoting Com
pany, as the citizens complained, but
rather from sewage which finds its way
into the creek from the homes of some
Of the people who talk about the condi-
ton. Creosete and coal tar wastes from
the two plants, while they give Pleasant
Run an unpleasant look act as disinfect
ing agencies and IL it had not been for