Indianapolis Times, Volume 43, Number 237, Indianapolis, Marion County, 11 February 1932 — Page 8

PAGE 8

HOUSING EVILS IN CITY SHOWN AT LOW POINT Indianapolis Relatively Is Better Off Than Most of U. S. (Thi* li tb* flr*t of a aerlf* of *torif* about housing condition* In Indianapolis, following the srrla* on the national *ll- - completed Monday in The Time*. Sartlingly inadequate housing facilities of the American people as a whole, as revealed by The Times in a scries of stories based on a na-tion-wide survey, bring to minds of Indianapolis residents these questions: How does Indianapolis compare with the national average? Is it true that half the homes in this city, as throughout America, fail to measure up to the minimum standard of health and decency? A study oi actual conditions here would indicate the answer, in the words of Andrew H. Brown of radio fame, to be: ‘‘Yes and no—mostly no.” Cost of 20 Per Cent Just what constitutes the ‘'minimum standard of health and decency,” is debatable. In the national survey, it was taken to include: Healthful surroundings, ample and pure running water in the house, modern sanitary water-closet in the house for exclusive use of the family; enough rooms, sufficiently large, to afford the family privacy; sunlight and ventilation and dry walls; adequate garbage removal and fire protection, a location within reach of work, and a cost not to exceed 20 per cent of the family income. This classification does not include such quasi-necessities as a telephone, central lighting, central heating, or even a bath tub. Ahead of Nation With all its faults, Indianapolis is far ahead of the nation in its housing conditions, it would appear. The city is fortunate in that it neither is metropolitan nor rural, but strikes a happy medium, avoiding most of the worst features of the two extremes. It does not have slums, in the common sense of the word, nor doeos it have a large proportion of houses without modern conveniences. Yet it does have conditions bordering on slums for which there is little, if any, excuse. Half of Indianapolis’ homes are valued at more than $5,000 each, bas"d "on values in times of normal prosperity. Between 70 and 85 per cent of its pnni'lation lives in at least fairly good homes. Less than 5 per cent of its homes are not modern in any respect. 5,000 Are I.ightless Os the total of 115,000 residences and apartments counted by the postoffice department in its last survey, not more than 5,000 were without electricity for lighting, according to estimates of utiiity experts. The light company has approximately 92,000 meters in service in houses, apartment buildings and business properties. This number would be increased materially, if it were not for the fact that some apartment buildings have only one meter for the entire building instead of separate meters for each Individual apartment. More than 90 per cent of the city’s residential units have water piped into the home, while about 75 per cent have private bath tulis, health officials estimate. Sanitation Excellent In one respect, Indianapolis is far ahead of the average larger city, and the average smaller city as well. That is in the great proportion of homes having modern sanitary water closets. It is estimated by Dr. H. G. Morgan, city health officer, that not more than 3,500 to 4,000 outdoor vaults still remain in use, and these mostly in sections of the city where running water and sewer connections not yet are available. Few other cities surpass Indianapolis in garbage collection and disposal systems and in fire protection. SEVEN-YEAR ITCH ENDED The Itch (scabies) is highly contageous and - if not treated it will continue for life. It is not a blood disease, but is caused by the itchmite which burrows and forms torturous galleries within the skin. The itch-mite spreads rapidly and is immune to ordinary treatments. The Psoric Institute has perfected a simple treatment called ‘'EXSORA” that kills the itch-mite almost instantly and rids you of your trouble in three days. Get complete EXSORA Treatment at once at any Dependable Drug Store.—Advertisement.

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A Sigh , a Tear ; a Lifted HandTools of the Stemmers Trade

(This I* the second of m serle* of storle* on the activities of "atrmmera” In Indianapolis and police attempta to rope with them.) A SCREAM comes from the crowd o f pedestrians. Every one looks to the street where a man has been hurled to the pavement by a street car. The accident “victim” apparently is unconscious. But the real victim is in the crowd of witnesses. For this is the time-honored act of a stemmer, who probably has made his way across the continent being knocked over by street cars and has more money stuck away some place than most of those who saw him fall. He regains consciousness in a minute. His eyes scan the crowd and rest, a second, perhaps, on a man or woman. There is the real victim. The stemmer is not hurt, he decides. So the crowd thins out and police officers go back to their posts. But the accident “victim” and his victim somehow are cast side by side. ana HE takes on the bravado of not being injured, but “I sure need some money to wire my folks that I'm all right.” How much? Well, he tells, he hasn't eaten for several days and is up against it. He could use $lO. Before he departs, having selected his victim well, he might have the $lO. Perhaps he didn't score the full amount, but received $2, possibly $5. Before the stemmer’s day’s work is done several other crowds have watched a “brave man” discount his street car injuries and stroll down the street with a sympathetic witness. The walking - into - the-side-of-a-street-car racket is worked here several times weekly, police said. Often the stemmer is known as

FEAR NO EARTHQUAKE IN U. S., SAYS EXPERT Odds Five Million to One Against Death in Such Disaster. By United Pres* NEW YORK, Feb. 11.—Odds are 5,000,000 to 1 against you dying in an earthquake if you live in the United States, according to John Ripley Freeman, who has spent twenty-five years investigating their cause and effect. Freeman, past president of both the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the American Society of Civil Engineers, estimates that only about 930 persons in the ; United States have died directly or indirectly as a result of earthquakes in the last 100 years. Total property damage, exclusive of fire damage following quakes, l does not exceed $40,000,000, accord- | ing to Freeman. ‘JIM HAM’ PUT IN RACE Petitioners Ask Illinois Senator’s Name on President Ballot. By United Press SRINGFIELD, 111., Feb. 11.—Senator James Hamilton Lewis (Dem., 11l ), was thrust into the presiden- ! tial race today when petitions filad I with the secretary of state asked that his name be placed on the i April 12 primary ballot.

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a “compromise” artist. He seeks to settle his fake injured with the traction company for $lO to SIOO. And the same kind of stemmers always trip over sidewalk gratings of well-established business houses on slip on the ice on the sidewalk in front of a large corporation. a a a THE big shots in this racket want the company to pay off rather than face unfavorable publicity. Small-time stemmers of this type, merely, in cold weather, want the warmth and food of a hospital and a few dollars to carry on afterward. Many of the smoother members of the stemmer fraternity carry their business into police headquarters. Captain Lewis Johnson of the traffic department can talk for hours about stemmers. In one winter he turned over SB6 on pleas for food, ■warmth and train fare, his record book shows. Perhaps a few were bona fide. Johnson says he knows the others were professionals. ‘ The biggest hooking I ever got was from a woman who was accompanied by a little girl,” he relates. “Anyone will feel sorry for a woman and child. “She told a direct story. She

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THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

had to get to Chicago, but had got on the wrong bus and her ticket was no good out of Indianapolis. The child was blue with cold and the woman shivered as she talked. a a a "■fITHAT could I do? The same * thing you would do. I gave her $€ for bus fare and sent her to her station in a warm police car. Before she left, she took my name and address. I'd get the money back—soon. “Did I? Os course not. Neither did the other half-dozen men who contributed $6 for that woman and cold, shivering child that day.” Charity organizations consistently face stemmers, most of them men and women posing as husband and wife, who seek to obtain room rent or train fare. Donation of cash is prohibited by heads of the local agencies. Many stemmers make it their business to follow Community Fund drives throughout the country just as others follow sporting events. During the fund campaigns they find the cities worked up to a charitable key. • Often the topnotch professionals average SSO a day during charity campaigns.

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STAGE IS READY FOR AUTO SHOW Exhibits Will Be in Piace for Opening Saturday. With the completion of the decorations and fixtures for the twentyfirst annual auto show this morning, the Manufacturers’ building at the state fair ground, where the exhibit will be held, is in readiness for the placing of displays this afternoon and Friday, according to E. G. Henry, manager of the show. Friday will be spent in making final preparations and arranging the display, Henry said today, so that everything will be ready for the

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opening of the show at 10 Saturday. This year’s show will run a full week. The event will close Friday, Feb. 19. Special equipment, used by manufacturers in presenting details of their producest to motorists at the larger shows, has arrived. In addition, the usual displays of cut-away chassis will be shown, in order to give, the prospective buyer an idea of new types of construction. “With the exhibits of accessories augmenting the main display, the show should be complete in all details," Henry said.

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BRITISH ISLES LASHED BY STORMS AND COLD Death Toil Mounts as Blizzards Continue Unabated. By Unite*! Pres* LONDON. Feb. 11.—Arctic weather continued over the British isles today. with a mounting toll of death, injury and property loss from storms and blizzards. Snow, sleet and bitter winds showed no signs of abating after twenty-four hours. A 14-year-old boy was killed and

.FEB. 11, 1932

three were Injured when a sleigh collided with a motor truck at Sheffield. One railroad worker, blinded by snow, was killed by a train at Southall and another was run down and killed at East Grinstead. By United Prenn PARIS, Feb. 11.—Steamer service in the English channel was paralyzed today as one of the most severe storms in years continued unabated. Several deaths were reported from the cold.