The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-10-01
STATE BRANDS
POOR FARM AS
FIRE HAZARD
MarShaI'S Order Will Force
County Officials to Act
for Relief.
PROMISES ARE D0DGE[
'WeIShing' on Pledges to
Afford Prompt Aid
for Aged
BY EDWARD G. FULKE

Condemnation papers ordering
abandonment of the ramshackle
mems building at the Marion coun-
ty inflrmary were being drawn up
by the state fire marshal today as
county officials, confronted with the
necessity of remedying conditions,
inspected the matter through polit-
ical glasses.
Fire Marshal Alfred E. Hogston's
order, expected to be completed
Thursday, will compel county Off
Gals to act for the relief of $40
men packed and damned into fire
trap structure with capacity of
not more than two hundred.
Backtracking on a public state
ment made Tuesday that the county
council would be called upon to issue
about $4,000 bonds to give inmates
new and decent living quarters,
County Auditor Harry Dunn told
The Times today that matters are
all gummed up" and indicated the
emergency meeting may not be
called.
Shearer Remains Mum"
Investigation of condition at the
institution by Times reporters Mon
day barred facts that about $40 male
inmates are living in conditions
scarcely fit for animals.
Today John E. Shearer, president
of commissioners, and henchnen in
Coffin politics, remained num-"
promising no relief.
Although Harry NJ. Styner, deputy
fire marshal, recommended forth
with abandonment" of the mems
building after an inspection Tues
day, Hogston said today he would
order the abandonment in sixty or
possibly 120 days. Only the lack
of legal description of the property
deferred immediate issuance of the
order, he said.
I'll Allow 60 Days"
Although my deputy describes
the building as 'uninhabitable,' the
inmates can not be removed with
out some provision being made for
them," Hogston said. For that
reason I'll allow at least sixty days
for their removal.
"One hundred and twenty days
may be needed, but it would be
better to construct temporary
dormitories for the men than to
leave them crowded together in the
firetrap all winter, awaiting a
permanent new building"
The fire marshaPs order will be
served personally on all county COM
miSSioners and county councilmen,
HogSton declared.
With matters at such a state that
private businesses are offering aid,
Byron Carter, in charge of the poor
farm, told The Times condemnation
will cripple the county's poor facili-
ties to an alarming extent.
Charity" Is Accepted
Carter told The Times twelve beds
have been accepted as charity
from the White Furniture Company.
Inmates have been sleeping on
straw "ticks" in Railways most of
the summer, The Times survey dis
closed.
Dunn today inferred politics in
Republican ranks brought the poor
farm problem to standstill.
Asked if his pledge of Tuesday
to call council meeting still is
good he said he'd probably be
able to answer the question next
winter
Dunn is not a candidate for re-
election, and his term of Office ex-
pires in another year. Commission
ers, his political constituents, are
up for reelection with the excep-
ton of George Snider. who heartily
boosts an improvement program at
the poor farm.
Dire condition of inmates as re-
vealed by The Times has been
seized upon by the Democratic
county committee as political am
munition."
1t is said Dunn and commission
erS intend to "close up because
the poor farm question may become
an important issue in the No
vember election.