The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-06-05
COUNCIL TAKESA
LOOK INTO CITY'S
GASOLINE TANKS
Report Says Fuel and Cars
Are Used on Sunday
Employees Reply,


City councilmen today were consid-
ering a report that a city official
drove an average of ninety miles a
day, using 1876 gallons of gasoline a
month in a city car.
Results Of an investigation by com
mittee composed of Councilmen Walter
W. Wise, Ira L. Bramblett and Ben
H. Thompson of charges that city cars
were being misused and an excessive
, amount of gasoline used by certain
: city officials was submitted Monday
night at the council meeting.
The investigation started several
weeks ago when it was rumored city
cars were being used to take city en-
ployes on Sunday baseball trips 10
towns where the me and Sarah"
baseball team played.
Report Adopted
Edward Mcbride, director Of recrea-
ton, and John Zenner, lieutenant OF
detectives, attached to the city con-
troIler's office, were mentioned as
worst offenders The report was
read and adopted unanimously. No
other comment was made.
The report:
We find It has been the custom
in the past for city employees to use
city machines Saturday afternoons
and Sundays and in some instances
IN the evenings. In fact we find that
for some time past a truck belonging
to the recreation department has been
used every Sunday for hauling the Me
and Sarah baseball team to various
cities throughout the State with the
exception Of May q when it rained
and no game was played.
Another Car Sent
I'VE find that Mcbride used car No.
so to go to Charlottesville, Ind. on
May 25 TO make arrangements for a
game to be played on May %. His car
developed engine trouble and he called
back to the city for aid and another
car was sent from the municipal
garage. However, car No. so came
back to Indianapolis under it's own
power. This is only a sample of how
city cars are used.
I'VE find that most city cars are
using an average amount Of gasoline,
but there are some exceptions. For
instance. car No. 124, belonging to
Zener has used this month up to
May 20, 119 gallons Of gasoline; in
January, III gallons; February, 81;
March. 1872. and in April 1877 gallons.
This IS a private car" Zener uses
Car No. so. driven by Mcbride,
used IN January IS gallons, February,
So; March. 1875; April. 1876. and for
May, up to the twenty-ffth. 1874 gal
Ions. If in April it ran twelve miles
on a gallon, the car would have to
average ninety miles a day, counting
twenty-six days in the month. This
seems impossible for any city official
to do and at the same time attend 10
business
The report showed that $3.50 more
gallons of gasoline had been used in
city cars this year than in the same
period Of 1922. In 1922. 1902 gallons
and his year 1851 were used.
On Board of Works Order
Harry Newly, superintendent Of the
municipal garage, said today that no
cars are allowed to go from the garage
or any gasoline issued except by order
Of the board Of works and that he has
all such records on file.
The board Of work Monday adopted
this order:
Harry Newly, superintendent Of
the municipal garage. is authorized to
place openly in the Office of the board
OF works all papers, records and books
for full investigation by members of
the city council investigating commit
tee as pertaining to the operation of
the municipal garage"
let Them Rave" Says Mcbride
why none of those fellows know
a thing about what my work con-
s3sts Of or why my car is on the
streets all hours Of the day up until
10 o'clock at night" said Mcbride.
They never talked to me about the
matter. So I'm going to keep quiet
and Just let them rave"
Zener told several of the councilman
Immediately after the meeting that if
they didn't furnish a better grade of
gasoline he was going to quit using it
any way. mo wonder I use so much
of that stuff Zener declared At think
it's the poorest that can be bought.
I'm running my car and if you don't
buy a better grade I'm going to quit
using 1t altogether"