The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-09-22

What has Mr. Fixit actually done?
Has he been of any help to Times
readers in getting service from the
city administration?
Determined to find something Of
his work. Mr.. F'ixit ceased regular
operations Saturday noon and
launched in a tour of the city max
ing districts where complaints were
received. Files Of the paper showed
more than 500 letters had been sent
in.
Checking up on Mr.. F'ixit's work
was no small task. Many letters
were merely asking advice or infor-
nation in matters before the board
Of works. But most Of them sought
10 have some condition remedied.
such as oil for streets, streets graded,
alleys repaired, streets cleaned or
weeds cut.
What He Found
So here are some Of the things dis
covered:
Out on Boulevard Pl. north of Ma
pIe Rd.. Mr.. Fixit found that the
street had been oiled by the city fol-
lowing complaints.
The score was then 1 to o in his
favor.
Going up Harding St which is the
new name for Schurman Ave, he
found both street signs despite the
fact that citizens had asked TO have
old ones removed. The city had
promised to do it. The score was
then tied between Mr.. Fixit and the
citizens.
On lots adjoining the home Of G.
[. Foote. 1925 Central Ave. weeds
/ had been cut following complaint of
Foote. Remembering a complaint
for oil on Broadway south of the
canal. Mr.. Fixit drove over. He
found the street oiled.
Ambling over on the east side, he
| found that boulevard approaches in
Brookside Park had been repaired
by the park board, following com
plants. In Spades Park. where east
side tiappers complained of odOrs
from sewers, everything was found
in good working order, causing Mr..
Fixit to believe he was still held in
/ high esteem by the flappers.
Part of BrightwOOd Dusty
/ Many citizens out in Brightwood
were still choking in dust resulting
from oil they didn't get after letters
to Mr.. Fixit. Twenty Second ST..
from Olney st. to Brightwood Ave,
was an example of action Mr.. Fixit
failed to get. But funds for oil were
| exhausted long before the demand
for oil faded out. City officials
didn't have the money, and some
body had to be left out.
Down on the south side, a stone
wall at State and Cottage AYES. was
still strewn over the sidewalk. This
had been called to attention Of city
/ inspectors twice. It will be investi
/ gated again.
/ A bad hole in front of 1881 Pros
/ pect st. was found patched and hold
/ ing up under heavy vehicle traffic. A
/ Times reader had said he couldn't
I sleep due to automobiles striking this
hole and then attempting to get out
Sections of Cottage Ave. were
found graded and in good repair aft
er letters complaining Of this street
/ being full of chuckhoIes. Incidental
! ly, Mr.. Fixit found many reasons
why citizens have a right to kick or
streets on the south side. But the
city unimproved street department
also complains. That department has
a shortage of funds.
Subway Cleaned
The Merrill st. subway between
Pennsylvania and Delaware SITS. was
found clean after citizens had com
planned to The Times. John F
Walker, superintendent of street
cleaning, said this job cost the city
1925. Dirt was packed to a depth
of several feet.
Residents of keystone Ave. south
of the Pennsylvania tracks had lit
tie aid from the city in repairing
their street. Stretches are bad, al
though the city says work was done
here early in the spring.