Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-04-29

publican nomination for mayor, had
been making extravagant statements con-
corning the plant He said he did not
know why the plant should have been
dragged into the campaign. He ex-
planned that the garbage must be col
lected and If the city did not get a
nickel out Of the garbage" it would be
The mayors prepared statement on
the subject follows:
Reference has frequently been made
In published statements and by speak
ers in this campaign to the purchase Of
| the garbage plant by the sanitary COM
mission in 1918. At least three complete
statements of fact have been published
by the present administration in the In
dianapolis papers, setting out fully the
reasons for and the details of this trans
action.
DECISION WAS MADE
By MEN OF INTEGRITY.
AT the time the garbage plant was
purchased by the sanitary commission
Mr. Henry W. Klausmann was city en-
gineer and chairman Of the commission.
Mr. Charles Fl. Hurd and Mr.. Jay A..
Craven were the other members Of the
commission. Mr. Edward Daniels, Of the
law nrm Of Baker & Daniels, was the
attorney for the commission, who for
many years was master Of chancery Of
the United States Federal Court under
Judge Anderson. and a man whose char
acter and reputation for honesty In this
community Is beyond question. The
board of works who sat in consultation
with the sanitary commission was COM
posed OF Mr.. Schuyler A. Haas. Mr..
George Lemaux and Mr.. Thomas A Riley.
Mr.. Samuel Ashby was at that time, and
Is now, corporation counsel for the city
Of Indianapolis. Mr.. Ashby and Mr.. Dan
iels advised the commission and the board
OF works and myself - mayor. not only
upon the legal procedure taken in the
matter but on the advisability Of pur-
chasing the plant. Each and every one
Of these men is well known to the city
Of Indianapolis and their characters for
honesty are well recognized. The criti-
cisms and insinuations which are being
used in this primary campaign are d.
rected against these men and their actions
In this transaction. -"
Mr.. Lucius B. Swift Is now chair
man Of the sanitary commission. Mr.
swift has published a complete state
ment OF this transaction in his reports
OF the conduct Of the department and
mas fully approved the action Of the
board in the purchase Of the garbage
plant. Mr.. Swift has recently returned
from an inspection tour Of sanitary
equipments and reduction plants in the
East He states that the city Of Roches-
ter. u smaller city, than Indianapolis, has
just completed a similar plant with o
24O-ton capacity at a cost of $3.50 600
ne Indianapolis plant has a capacity
u 100 tons and was purchased for S137 600
This transaction was the only available
solution of the garbage collection and
disposal problem at that time, and ex-
perfence has justified this statement
REFERS TO BOARD
OF ACCOUNTS REPORT
The best statement of the facts rela-
tive to this transaction is contained in
the report Of the State board Of accounts
for the year 1918, under date of Dec
81. 1919, on pages 81 to SO. which re-
port is en- file in the city controllers Of
fce, copy Of which is as follows:
The city contract for the collection
and disposal of the garbage of the city
was for fveyear period, the expira ton
Of 1t occurring May IS. 1918. On Oct.
20, 1917, bids were asked preliminary to
the making Of new contract by the
board Of public works. But one bid was