Indianapolis Times, Volume 45, Number 202, Indianapolis, Marion County, 2 January 1934 — Page 14

PAGE 14

POWER MERGER RECORDS GONE, PROBERS TOLD Reports Missing From State Files: Background of Company Traced. {Continued From Page One)

tuted a futile search for the documents. According to the public service commission act of 1932. all pight appraisals should be on hand for public perusal. The merger authorization of Jan. 10, 1927, by the public service commission refers to eight appraisals made by five "experts." The appraisal made by Earl L. Carter, representing the public service commission, is the only one on file at the statehou.se. Missing are reports of appraisals made by Harry T. Pritchard, W. V. Brunell, H. L. Lowe and Charles W. Spooner. Why are these appraisals not available as specified by law? Referred to as “Grab’’ In referring to the merger proceedings of the Indianapolis Light and Heat Company and the Merchants Heat and Light Company, affecting the pocketbooks of practically every resident of Indianapolis—at least every consumer of electricity—The Times will present the facts dispassionately. Indianapolis newspapers of that pre-depression period frequently rt ferred to the merger proceedings cf the two utility companies as a $55,000,000 grab.” Such statements as “saddling the public with a $55,000,000 stock grab,” or, "the attorney-general of this state openly charged that the small home ownois of this city were being robbed of a half million dollars a year,” were used in the Indianapolis newspapers of January, 1927, of which The Times has copies. But without resorting to the charges or counter-charges of that period, The Times will set down the facts and let the Indianapolis public draw its own conclusions. Served Since 1887 The Indianapolis Light, and Heat Company had served consumers of th's city since 1887. The defunct Merchants Heat and Light, Company had been in operation since 1902. In a building bn the present site of the Columbia Club in Monument Circle the late C. C. Perry and the late Daniel Marmon, founder of the Nordyke Marmon Automobile Company, formed the original electric utility concern which has grown from an investment of a few thousand dollars to the great corporation now known as the Indianapolis Power and Light Company claiming a physical property value of $70,009 000. Shots ly after Thomas A. Edison amszed the world with his miracle of the electric light in his barnlike laboratory at Menlo Park, N. J., Mr. Perry and Mr. Marmon began to __serve downtown Indianapolis merchants with electricity. The use of electric current for homes and industries became universal and the Perrys, the Marmons and the Wynnes, among other Indianapolis families became wealthy. Reputation Was High

The reputation of the Indianapolis Light and Heat Company up to the time of the plans for the merger in 1927 was high in the community. The Merchants Heat and Light Company was formed in 19C2 by a group of Washington street merchants as a competitive company. The Times will present figures in the course of this series to show that the Merchants Heat and Light i Company never prospered; that dividends paid never were earned and that the company was formed primarily to force a sale of their j property to the Indianapolis Light and Heat Company. After various attempts to sell the property to the Indianapolis Light and Heat Company, the Merchants Heat and Light Company finally sold out to a Mr. Brewer of Grand Rapids. Mich., who. at a later date, sold to the Insull interests. Then Came the Instills Prosperity realized in the war days 'y local utility concerns serving factories engaged in the manufacture of war materials was followed by the boom days of 1918 to 1920. Then came the Insulls. Samuel Insull. recently arrested in Greece, where he fled after the collapse of his financial empire, then was spreading his great network of utilities through the middle west. That was in 1925 to 1927. He finally entered Indianapolis. Insull was anxious to gain control of the city's electrical utilities. His active agents bought the unprofitable Merchants Heat and Light Company as a first step to gain control of the city's electric power. SSOO for SIOO Shares T. A Wynne, at one time vicepresident and general manager of the Indianapolis Light and Heat Company, had died some time before. The heirs of his estate soon were approached by Insull representatives and shortly afterward, his estate and one or two smaller interests were sold to Insull. By this transaction the Insulls obtained prectically per cent of the Indianapolis Light and Heat Company, paying the enormous price of SSOO for SIOO shares. With absolute control of the Merchants Heat and Light Company and a foot planted solidly in the Indianapolis Light and Heat Company, Insull interests prepared to gobble up the electric consumers of Indianapolis. Next —Details of the companies’ merger. SCOTTISH RITE GIVES NEW YEAR'S PROGRAM Drama and Mump Presentations Follow Reception. An Informal reception opened New Years entertainment at the Scottish Rite cathedral yesterday. Following the reception, a program of drama and music was presented. The Consistory players presented •'Romeo and Juliet,” one of a series vof "Great Moments From Shakespeare.”

SHOULD MRS. ROOSEVELT BE LIKE THAT?

Third of Her Traveling Due to Family Affairs

BY MARTHA STRAYER • Copyright 1933. Sciipps-Howard Newspapers i WASHINGTON, Jan. 2 Riding "the midnight” between Washington and New York, Mrs. Franklin D.%?oosevelt is the only President's wife who ever bought tickets, tipped porters and slept in Pullman berths like most other travelers. Flying, driving her own car, traveling inconspicuously by rail, Mrs. Roosevelt has been away from the White House more than any other First Lady. How can she attend to her duties as the President’s wife!” is another plaint of tradi-tion-clinging Americans. But newspaper women who have come in contact with her as no other group of women ever came in contact with any First Lady, know that family duties account for at least a third of her travels. The plain fact is that because President Roosevelt can not assume his share of their joint family responsibility, Mrs. Roosevelt is constrained to assume more than hers. Last June she made the first transcontinental air trip ever taken by a President’s wife. It was frankly in an attempt to solve the matrimonial difficulties of her son Elliott; to Los Angeles to see her son, then back to New York to see his estranged wife. a a a WHEN her next to youngest son, Franklin Jr., returned to September from a SI,OOO trip to Europe —college graduation gift from his parents—his father was in Washington, but his mother was on the deck to welcome him. When Mrs. Roosevelt motored to New Brunswick, Canada, it was to open Campobello, the family summer home. She aired sheets, ordered supplies, arranged furniture in advance of the arrival by water of the yacht Amberjack and its crew, the President and their son James. Meanwhile, from all directions, friends of James, Franklin Jr. and the youngest Roosevelt son, John, began to arrive. Mrs. Roosevelt found herself making beds for twenty-two guests, preparing a picnic supper for a hundred. "What did you serve?’” one of us asked her when she came back. “Toasted hot dogs.” she said, and told us how to toast hot dogs over an open fire. She ought to know. She did most of the toasting for a hungry 100. tt tt tt WHEN she went to New York and New England in October, after her husband had come b,.ck to the White House from Hyde Park, she saw that her two younger sons were settled in school. Usually when the First Lady Is about to make a family duty trip, she tells her press conference she’s going to “disappear” for a day or two. On one of these disappearances she turned up lost in a Philadelphia suburb, missing her way when she went to visit her son Elliott’s very youthful divorced wife, Elizabeth Donner Roosevelt, and her own small grandson, Bill. Another time she dropped in on John riding polo ponies at a camp in the Adirondacks, where he was holding a summer job as riding counselor. More recently she met James ard his wife at the dock in New York, when they came from a short trip

Irvington G. O. P. Club Inaugurates Officials

Republican Group Honors New Oriicers With Banquet. Members cf die Irdngton Republican Ciuo inaugurated new olheers, elected several uays ago, at a banquet held last night in the clubrooms, 5448*2 East Washington street. Arthur C. Renick succeded Edward J. Hecker Sr. as president. Other officers seated were Piiny H. Wolfard. first vice-president; Harvey B. Hartsock, second vice-presi-dent; John K. Rickies, secretary, and Thomas H. Kaylor, treasurer. Committees announced by the new president include: Program—Bert C. Morgan, Dr. Mitchell S. Marble, Claude H. Anderson, Alfred Hogston and Dr. Frank H. Brown. Finance —Mahlon E. Bash, Senator Arthur R. Robinson, Edward W. Krause, John E. Shearer and Superior Judge Dan V. White. Ways and Means—Harry R. Jones, Arthur F. Eickhoff. Vinson H. Mamford. Don E. Warrick and Fred M. Dickerman. Auditing—Merrill J. Woods, Walter C. Huston. George K. Vestal. Samuel L. Montgomery and Edward J. Hecker Jr. Membership—Harold F. Kealing. Telford B. Orbison Sahiuel G. Campbell. Stanton Phillips and Roy Lewis. Publicity—Edward J. Hecker Sr., George F. Bingham. Fred E. Shick. Walter L. Carey and Sherman S. Willoughby. House—Oran J. Wenrick, John T. Pope. Joseph F. Lyons, Fred W. Rubin and Frederick Lees. Historical—James L. Kingsbury. George W. Russell. John R. Gray, Edward F. Gallahue. Otis K. Karns and Jesse E. Lowes.

NIGHT RELIEVES COLDS WITHOUT "DOSING' 4 !

8 Ik JfIPIPiIP 111 H Pi/ |1

Mrs. Roosevelt went flying at night with Amelia Earhart, and here she is, seated at the controls in the pilot’s compartment.

to Europe, and visited Franklin Jr., at Harvard university in Boston. Her preSs conference was told about the Boston trip and put on its honor not to print that Mrs. Roosevelt would be there until she had time to get away again. Franklin Jr., Harvard freshman, hates White House publicity! At one of her first press conferences after she came to the White House last March, a newspaper woman asked if she didn't find the routine of the place fairly strenuous. The niece of Teddy Roosevelt smiled. “You must remember,” she said, “that for years I've been teaching at Todhunter school, from 9 o’clock in the morning, three days a week.” And she might have added, during four of those years she was managing the executive mansion at Albany and at the same time helping run the Valkill furniture factory at Hyde Park. a a a THE First Lady’s own personal, Roosevelt vitality accounts for much of her activity. Her mail is tremendous —in one twenty-five days recently, her secretary answered and filed 10,000 letters—the demands upon her are continuous, but the White House itself runs like clockwork and life there must seem like a holiday after her busy past.

STATE BAR SuO.ETY OPENS mm HERE Many Prominent Speakers Are on Program. Mid-winter meeting of the Indiana State Bar Association at the Claypool Friday, Jan. 19. will open with an address by Frank C. Dailey, Indianapolis Bar Association president, at 10 in the morning. Featured speakers on the program on Bernard C. Gavit. Indiana university law school dean; Edson R. Sunderland, secretary of the judicial council of Michigan; Herbert Goodrich, University of Pennsylvania law school dean and adviser of American Law Institute, and Major Norman Allan Imrie. Officers of the association are Eli F. Seebirt, South Bend, president; Wilmer T. Fox, Jeffersonville, vicepresident. and Thomas C. Batchelor, Indianapolis, secretary-treasurer. Negro Footpad Gets Purse A purse containing $2.60 was snatched from the hand of Miss Margaret Wells. 22, of 1031 South Meridian street, by a Negro footpad last night as Miss Wells waited for a street car at Tenth street and Indiana avenue.

Another chance to visit NEW YORK at very low fares SOQ 95 Leave JANUARY! 45 6 7 RETURNING MAM GOOD UNTIL J M rim 1 O Additional Low Fares *36 50 r t°rT Each week end. Mound Trip Pullman Fare Also Reduced. *43 80 r t° r u ,? d and Saturdays—Limit 30 days.

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

The executive mansion’s temporary mistress has few of the worries of a housewife. The place operates with equal smoothness whether she is present or absent. Most of the staff have been there through many changes of administration. Os course, though, the beautiful old place isn’t what it used to be; not with Mrs. Roosevelt as its mistress. “The things she does!” sighs feminine America over its bridge tables. “After all, there’s a certain dignity about the White House!—” On the same day last spring. President Roosevelt's wife was hostess to Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald and his daughter Ishbel, cf Great Britain; a group of weather-beaten Gloucester fishermen who had come to Washington to beg protection—from a Democratic administration!—for their fishing industry; and the exclusive Monday sewing class of her husband’s mother, Mrs. James Roosevelt Sr. The fishermen came from a sailing schooner tied up at the navy yard wharves, ;,o have a glass of lemonade and a piece of cake, and see the White House with the President’s wife as their guide. Ihe friends of Mrs. Roosevelt Sr., socialite New York dowagers, were luncheon guests. The MacDonalds were house guests. On another day Mrs. Roosevelt sat knitting beside Ishbel MacDonald while the prime minister’s daughter answered questions of the same newspaper group; laid down her knitting to go and say a few words to a League of American Penwomen’s breakfast; came back to attend, with Ishbel, a luncheon cooked and served by girl scouts, for a few cents per plate. nan ON still another day, talking fluent French with an European ambassador who had called at the White House, President’s wife heard him bewail the fact that there is no place in Washington like the Cornedie Francaise in Paris, where he might go and listen to

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The First Lady of the United States off again on a flying trip for some place. beautiful examples of the language, beautifully spoken, as an aid to a student who, like himself, is attempting to learn the English of Americans. “But if you want to hear poetry read in English,’ said Mrs. Roosevelt, “drop in to tea. any afternoon. I love to read poetry aloud. I’d be delighted to read to you.” “ —And the ambassador’s coming tomorrow,” she told friends. To a group of women who met in the east room—and its white and gold walls had seen nothing more unusual since the clothes-drying days of Abigail Adams!—Mrs. Roosevelt expounded the philosophy which has sent her on many of her own errands and absences from the White House. These women had come to Washington in a national campaign to boost the raising of funds for Community Chests, as" an aid to the terrific problem of relief. Mrs. Roosevelt told them they couldn’t sit comfortably in comfortable homes, aloof from unfortunates who are victims of depression, and understand the sufferings of those unfortunates. “Go out and see suffering yourself,” she said, “if you want to make other people feel it.” Mrs. Roosevelt has gone out and seen for herself. “Seeing an eviction is quite diferent from hearing about an eviction.” she told the same women’s group. “Let me tell you what I heard from a mother whose child had died because the family was set out on the street. The child was ill. “The mother told me when the sheriff came to set them out, he said, ‘l’m not to nurse your damn kid!’ Hie child slept in a damp, cold bed, and died.” TOMORROW: Is Mrs. Roosevelt a publicity seeker?

WOOD FUNERAL RITES SET FOR THIS AFTERNOON Peru Youth Died in Hospital Here After Valiant Effort to Live. Last rites for George W. Wood Jr.. 16, of Peru, who lost a five-year battle to overcome a spinal ailment, complicated by pneumonia, when he died Saturday in the Riley hospital ! here, will be held in Peru this afternoon. Stricken with the ailment in October, 1928, young Wood was j brought to the Methodist hospital where he was treated by specialists. He was transferred to the Riley hospital and underwent an operation there last summer. Influenza set in three weeks ago and developed into pneumonia. He was widely known for his valiant struggle for recovery and attracted the interest of many persons, among them Tom Mix, movie actor and circus star. The actor became acquainted with young Wood when on location with a circus in Peru. Lifelong Resident Dies A lifelong Marion county resident, Mrs. Mart Brinkman Rode, 70. Five Points, died Sunday in her home. Last rites will be held in the home tomorrow' afternoon at 2 and in St. John’s church at 2:30. Burial wall be in St. John's Lutheran cemetery. Five Points. Mrs. Rode was born Dec. 27, 1863, the daughter of Henry and Sophia Brinkman. She was the widow of Fred Rode, to w r hom she was married April 18, 1912. Mrs. Rode was a lifelong member of St. John’s churh. She is survived by a step-daugh-ter, Mrs. William Woempner; seven step-sons, William B. Bernard €., Clarence H., Raymond G. and Ea- ! win C. Rode, all of near Five Points, j and Arthur H. and Henry C. Rode, ! Scottsburg; a brother, Henry | Brinkman, Indianapolis; four sis- | ters, Mrs. William Waterman, Mrs. William Bade, Mrs. Albert WoempJ ner and Mrs. Ben Kleiman, all of near Five Points, and thirteen grandchildren.

Former City Man Is Dead Otto F. Alig, 51, former Indianapolis resident, died at his home in Des Moines, la., Sunday, according to word received by relatives here. He was born here and educated in the Indianapolis public schools. Mr. Alig was associated with the Home Stove Company here before going to Des Moines, where he was president of the Model Stove Company twenty years. He was a member of Centrel lodge, F. & A. M., and the Shrine. Last rites will be held in Louisville Thursday. Surviving him are the widow, Mrs. Candace Baird Alig; j two chlidren; Candace Baird Alig and j Walter Baird Alig. all of Des I Moines; four brothers, George Jr., Delos, Clarence and Cornelius Alirj, all of Indianapolis, and a sister, Mrs. A. M. Parry, Arcadia, Cal. Swiggett Funeral Set Heart disease caused the death of Charles Swiggett, 54, 32012 East | Washington street, yesterday. Mr. i Swiggett lived with his father, operator of the Roxy hotel at the East Washington street address. Last rites will be held in the Finn Brothers funeral home, 1639 North Meridian street, tomorrow afteri noon at 2. Burial will be in Crown | Hill cemetery. Harms Rites Arranged Last rites for Arthur E. Harms, \ 67, of 310 West New York street, | cigar maker and store operator, who died suddenly in his store Sunday, ' will be held in the home tomorrow I afternoon at 2. Burial will be in ; Crown Hill cemetery. Mr. Harms, a notary, was notarizing an automobile license applica-

tion when he was stricken. He was employed for many years by the A. Steffen Cigar Company as a cigar maker. He was a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles. He is survived by the widow, Mrs Carolena Harms; three biothers. Herman P, Harms, Indianapolis, and Otto W. and August C. Harms. Chicago, and a nephew, Edward C. Harms, Indianapolis. Mrs. Greilich, 84. Dies Last rites for Mrs. Rebecca Greilich. 84. of 1133 North Aresnal avenue. who died Sunday afternoon in her home after a brief illness, will be held in the Woodruff United Presbyterian church, tomorrow afternoon at 2. Burial will be in Crown Hill cemetery. Mrs. Greilich was born in Reading. Pa.. March 28. 1849. the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Mast. She was married here to John Greilich on March 8. 1868. Surviving her are three sons. William. John and Albert Edward Greilich; two daughters. Mrs. George Von Spreckelson and Mrs. W. T. Eisenloehr; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Aged Woman Is Dead Following an illness of six months, Mrs. Una Franklin. 75, of 1427 North Delaware street, died early yesterday in her home. Last rites will be held in the Clyde V. Montgomery funeral home. 1622 North Meridian street, this afternoon at 2. Burial will be in Crown Hill cemetery. Mrs. Franklin was an active W. C. T. U. worker. She is survived by a sister. Mrs. Eva Huff; two nephews, M. E. Huff and E. A. Huff, Indi-

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anapolis, and two nieces. Mrs. H. R. Kepner, Indianapolis, and Mrs. A J. Thomas, living in the state of Washington. Case of Beer Is Stolen Thirsty thieves stole a case of beer $ from a Pittsford Distributing Corttfl pany truck, parked at 2802 Broo*kside avenue, last night. Me/rie George. 896 : : Massachusetts avet/ue. truck driver, reported the los* to police. / Most icebergs come out of ißafftn bay.

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