The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-09-21

"This is the golden oppor-
tunity for Indiana to rid it.
self forever of the scandalous
pollution of it's streams" said
Otto P. Deluse, chairman of
the board.
IF Indiana passes it by, it will be
regretted by many generations to
come"
To-day we learned that farmer
near Newcastle lost 300 hogs, which
died from drinkink the polluted wa
tiers of a stream. Every day we re-
ceive reports from communities
throughout the state begging Tor
relief from the menace of stream
pollution. Now is the time for cities
and towns throughout the state to
act"
Only ID Cities Apply
Deluse revealed that municipalities
have been reluctant to apply for
federal aid because of misunder-
standing
Although $7O0OO,OOO has been al
located to Indiana for water works
and sewerage projects, the financing
of municipality utilities and
other regenerative projects, and
projects that are socially necessary
and economically sound" only four
teen Indiana cities have applied for.
$5,00O,000 to date.
The board admitted that the prof.
ect launched June Is had chosen
an unfortunate time due to the
statewide hearings now in prog
reSs on tax adjustment.
I'VE first must educate the peo-
pie of the state in the advantages
of this project" said John Dyer,
Vincennes, member of the board.
improvements Are Needed
The communities need the inn
provements and the government
has the money, but local officials
are panic-stricken by the demands
,of taxpayers for slowing down of
expenditures and decrease of
taxes. This project does not involve
boosts in the local tax duplicate
at least not for years to come.
I'm all approved projects, the
government agrees to pay 30 per
cent of the cost, the remaining 10
per cent to be paid for from bond
issues taken by the federal govern
ment. No payments are due on
these bonds for five years to come"
Communities which have not ex-
ceeded their debt limitation of 2
per cent imposed by the Indiana
Constitution may make these bonds
a public obligation to be redeemed
from the federal government in
twenty to thirty years. In other
instances, the bonds may be self
liquidating and never be burden
to the taxpayers.
Small Charge Planned
I'm the matter of sewage inn
provements," said Dyer, we will
make proposal that a service
charge for use of the proposed dis
posal plant be made monthly. This
would be a small charge-possibly
25 or so cents month in the aver
age community"
1t is possible for city which can
not issue bonds to build city hall,
for example, according to Dyer, to
have the government finance the
building.
Deluse revealed that, according to
reports made to state engineers,
more than 100 Indiana cities and
towns are badly in need Of sewerage
and water supply Improvements.
Condition Is "Scandalous"
AS an example of the immediate
need of clearance of stream pollu-
ton the board pointed to the cities
along the st. Joseph river including
Goshen, Elkhart, Niles and South
Bend badly in need Of remedy.
"Forty-one sewers from Elkhart
alone dump into the st. Joe" said
Deluse. The condition of the river
is scandalous.
If the municipalities of the state
take advantage of the present OPP
portunity," said M. Simons, COM
missioner of the state department.
of conserva ton, they not only will
have removed the chief source of
pollution in this state, but also set
an example for the industrial in
stitutions which are causing great
damage