Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-12-20
MAYOR-ELECTT TO
DIVIDE POWERS
WITH COUNCIL
Each Member Responsible for
Needs of His Own
District.
WORK FOR UNEMPLOYED

Members-elect Of the city council today
had before them an offor of Mayor-elect
Samuel Lewis Shank. which II taken ad-
vantage OF will return to the office or
councilman something of the personal
power which it carried in the good old
days before the Legislature saw lit to
establish such things as board of public
safety, public works, parks and public
health.
SHANK SPRINGS
SURPRISE PLAN.
The mayor-eIect at a meeting at the
Hotel English yesterday afternoon-at
which the councilmen finally unanimous
~ endorsed his plan for relieving IN
employment-told the future legislators
that he wanted them to divide the city
into nine districts. one for each member,
and each accept the responsibility for
recommending pubic Improvements
therein. If anybody wanted a sidewalk.
q sewer, an electric light or a policeman
In q given district the councilman OF
that sector would have to recommend IT
before the mayOr-elect would pass it on
to the boards, said Mr.. Shank. The
proposition struck the counciImen- elect
with much favor.
Those counciImen-elect who refused TO
indorse Mr.. Shank's plan OF putting IN
employed men 10 work regarding unlm-
6roved streets and dumping the surplus
N8rt upon the east bank Of White River
as the foundation for the proposed food
wall had changed their minds since Mr..
Shank's dinner Saturday evening and
were enthusiastic about the plan. The
cOuncilmen who came into camp and
endorsed the scheme were Theodore J.
Bernd, Lloyd D. Claycombe. John 3.
King, Ira L. Bramblett, HeydOn W.
Buchanan and Ben II. Thompson Walter
". Wise, Otto Ray and William E.
Clauer were for it from the start
Mr.. Bernd, Mr.. King, James II. Ogden,
apcointee for city attorney, and John L.
Elliott, appOintee for city civil engineer,
were named a committee TO work out de-
tails.
WILL GIVE WORK
To IDLE MEN.
1t was practically agreed in the confer
ence that the city should pay the men
put on this work s. day, six days
week. From 900 TO 500 men could be
taken care Of at the outset Mr.. Elliott
thought. This, in the opinion Of R. c.
jenkins, employe Of the State and city
free employment agency would give re-
lief to practically all Of those now IN dire
distress.
The proposed 81 wage would not be at
all commensurate with what IS consider
ed q fair wage for labor, the new officials
agreed, but this would be an emergency
matter properly TO be treated in an alb
normal fashion. It would be unecOnomi-
cal, from one standpoint, to use a great
number Of men upon a job which G very
few could accomplish with modern equip
ment, but in the long run it would be
more economical, the future city rulers
thought, to give men 4 chance TO earn
their bread, meagre thought It be, rather
than afford them relief through soup
kitchens.
Councilmanic cooperation is necessary
IN the plan because the unimproved street
repair fund Will be used up by IL and It
I'll be necessary to have an additional
appropriation to replenish it for upkeep
OF these highways the rest Of the year.
The six coUncilmen originally unwilling
to express approval did not SPECIFICALLY
promise that they would make the ap-
preparation TO rebuild the fund when the
time came, but they went on record s
favoring, in general. the scheme.
SUGGESTS OTHER
IMPROVEMENTS.
Other improvement projects Of the
mayor-elect were discussed briefly, in
GLIDING the purchase Of part OF the
county v-orkhouse plot ut Twenty-First
street and Northwestern avenue from the
county commissioners as the site for
municipal yards. Councilmsn Bernd
King and ClaycOmbe specifically said
they were IN favor of this. Mr.. Bernd
and Mr.. King, who reside on the south
side. said they were in favor of anything
that would get the city mules out Of the
rItv barns at 1874 Shelby street. South
sfders have been clamoring for such re-
movaI for years.
Councilman Ray thought tina THE old
course of POgues Run through the south
side ought to be filed up with some OF
the dirt scraped OF Of the unimproved
streets and the mayor-elect indicated he
would think over the suggestion.
NAY SELL WORK
HOUSE GROUND.
County Commissioners CarIIn H.
Shank and Harry u. Tutewiler were in
the conference. Mr.. Tutewiler explained
that the commissioners are. ready to
sell the workhouse ground but that be-
fore this can be done il viii be necessary
for the county council TO authorize it.
This will be asked OF the council at its
January meeting. he said. with such
authority it viii be necessary TO advertise
the ground for sale at public auction
wherein the city will have to take it's
lsance with other bidders. Il was said
0at a big manufacturing interest has
its eyes upon the entire workhOuse plot
and may bid against the city.
Mr.. Shank left early today for Port
land, Ind. where he is to speak at
chamber Of Commerce meeting tonight.
He said he would stop of in Muncie to
see few friends.
LODGE PLAYERS