Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-02-23
sAfter AU Is Said
and Done
Rr vOI.NEY Il. FOWLER.


Science, the great aim Of which IS to
make life more uvable, has come out with
another boon to mankind. Now comes
John L. Elliott, city civil engineer, with
the announcement that somebody has In
vented a noiseless manhOle cover and
that he is going to have the board of
public works buy half a dozen Of them
for experiment upon the streets Of In
dlanapolis. The style of cover now in
use becomes loose so that there Is re-
sounding clank every time q motor car
crosses it. The engineering department
frequently receives complaints from citi-
zens objecting to the irritating sound in
front Of their homes One light sleeping
woman living on Meridian street reported
that during certain joyous convention
not long ago motor cars kept the cover
at, her corner agitated that she could
not close her eyes all night. THE new
cover is noiseless, its producer claims,
because It requires a twist-tO loosen It.
There used to be suon a thing as a
holy of holes" at the city hall. Before
Samuel Lewis Shank invited the whole
town to come up and put its feet upon
his desk mayors could shut themselves
up inside luxurious private offices and
ponder problems of the day or conf1b
with confederates to their hearts content
while the mayors secretary and messen-
r. ger worried along with the crowd await
ing admission outside But not so since
an. ?.
Ssyor Shank's private Office is about
keast private place in the city hall
~ &aegin with he lets his secretary ad-
N @ST more people to the inner chamber
Xbably than any executive in private
k%Se or public life in Indiana. Two de-
tectives, the mayors messenger, his sec
rotary and another employe weave in and
out from the outer to the private Office
bearing the names and usually the de-
sires Of those who wish TO see Mr.. Shank.
II he is in the Office there are few who do
not get admitted.
During the first two weeks Of HIS ad-
ministratlon Mr.. Shank seldom left his
desk. except to attend board meetings.
The time came, however, when It was
necessary for him TO talk to people one
Mt a time.
The private stairway leading upward
to the board Of public safety suite and
downward to the back room Of the board
of public works provided the means Of
escape. Now when the mayor wishes a
moments peace he goes up or down the
stairs.
People are quick to find out means of
looking behind the scenes. One Of the
green curtains on the heavy doors lead
ing from the second floor corridor into
the private office does not fit tightly.
Almost any time OF the day two or three
inquiring citizens can be found peeklng
through the crack to catch a glimpse Of
what is going on inside. The crack has
!. been there for q long time but the mayor
pxZSs never had it closed.
"A
~ E4et Commissioner Martin J. Hyland
- &4weg un to fear for the permanence of
*&y& Of his new cinder streets. Not that
thinks they win wear out, but that
ySzxSEis afraid they will be burned up. The
s%other day Assistant City Attorney Viii
liam T. Bailey was interviewing a needy
woman, who had applied for help. A
basket Of groceries was ordered for her
and Mr.. Bailey asked If she had any
coal. She had none but she did not care
for any.
why not? How are you going to
keep warm?" inquired the attorney.
Pm ashamed to tell you" said the
woman.
'We1l, Why" persisted the official.
Il guess I might as well tell the truth,
replied the housewife You know they
spread some cinders on our street the
other day. Well, those einders are the
finest coke Yves ever burned"
CitysBuiIding Commissioner Francis l..
Hamilton is trying to find a way to ado