The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-04-12
URGE BARRIERS
FOR DEAD END
CANAL STREETS
Action Follows Fatal Auto
Plunge at Alleged
IIIegibIe Sign.
WATER co. OPENS QUIZ
Safety Board President
Says Utility Should
Place BIOckadeS.

Action 70 substitute barriers fol
the alleged illegible sign at Eugene
street and the canal, following the
death early Yesterday of Mrs. Mar
Esret Stewart. wife of a prominent
Lebanon attorney. and the submer-
sion Of three other women. after
their automobile plunged into the
water, was being urged today.
Charles r. Myers. president Of the
safety board. stated last night that
he would urge that the indianapolis
Water Company. owners of the
canal, be forced 10 construct bar
riers at the dead-end streets lead
ing 10 the canal:
Declaring that he did not con-
sider the erection of barriers a re-
sponsibility of the city's safety
board. Mr.. Myers added that he also
did not consider as especially
hazardous the site of the fatal acct
dent
Fl. A. G. Put Up Sign
The wooden warning sign at Eu-
gene street and the canal was
placed there voluntarily by the Hoo
sier Motor Club, Todd Stops. sec
rotary manager of the club, said to-
day. Mr.. Stoops said that an iron
reflector sign should be placed at
this dangerous spot. but that il
was not the responsibility of the
club to purchase it.
The r1cv1t1efl,iIffr, ,.o~f-
the city and the water company. Mr.
Stops asserted. The property
along the canal is privately owned
by the Indianapolis Water Com
pany
However, Mr.. Stops added. the
club would place an adequate sign
at the dead end for humanitarian
reasons. If the city or the water
company does not take steps tc
protect motorists there
Last Rites Planned
Last rites for Mrs. Stewart were
to be announced later today. Her
body was found three miles below
the scene of the tragedy at Black
ford and West streets. where it had
been carried by the swift current.
In the car at the time of the fatal
accident besides Mrs. Stewart were
Mrs. Charles Park. Mrs. J. R. Spell
bring and Mrs. Helen Ruth. all
prominent Lebanon club women
The women had attended a meeting
of the Order of Eastern Star here
and we're returning to Lebanon
with Mrs. Park at the wheel.
A traffic jam at Thirtieth AND
Clifton street caused the women &c
change their route. Mrs. Parl
thought she was on Twenty ninth
street where bridge crosses the
canal, instead of Eugene street
which has a dead end.
Pulls Away from Rescuers
The women screamed as the car
suddenly left the pavement and
crashed into the water at the enc
of the street. 1t sank rapidly un-
I'll only a few inches of the roof
was visible above the surface.
Jesse Warren and J. B. Candy
city youths. heard the car plunge
into the water and without heSita =
ton, Owed into the water and res
cued all four women. AS they pulled
Mrs Stewart from the stream, she
pulled away from her rescuers and
began swimming downstream. They
lost sight of her in the darkness
as they quickly returned to the work
of rescuing the other women.
Following the accident. Mr.. Myers
said he conferred with Frank c
Jordan. secretary-treasurer, and w
c. Mabee, engineer of the Indian
spolis Water Company. on the cree
ton of barriers at all dead enc
streets. He said the utility officials
promised an investigation.