Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 72, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 December 1916 — INDIANAPOLIS GETTING FEVER [ARTICLE]

INDIANAPOLIS GETTING FEVER

“Dry” Forces Gradually Closing in On the Capital City. Indianapolis, December 2.—Announcement of a victory for the anti-saloon forces in their campaign to make the First ward dry by remonstrance under the Moore law, has been followed by general talk among both the .wet and dry elements of the city concerning the proposed campaign of the drys to make the entire city dry territory. When the last saloon license in the First ward has expired it will he the second time a ward in-Indi-anapolis has become dry under the Moore law. Saloons were driven from the Second ward in the summer of 1905, shortly after the passage of the law. All of the townships of Marion county, - except center, have been dry for a number of years.

The only saloons in the county at the present time outside of Indianapolis are .two on the Center township side of the town of Beech Grove. Both of these saloons are in the portion of Center township outside the city limits. E. S. Shumaker, superintendent of the Indiana Anti-Saloon League, asserted last night in discussing the situation, that under the provisions of the Proctor local option law, a portion of a township outside the city limits is a unit for an option vote. He said this will make it possible for the residents of Woodruff place, which is in Center township, as an incorporated town not included in the corporate limits of Indianapolis, to unite with the residents of the portion of Center township south of the erty limits in voting under the Proctor law. He said this probably would make it possible to drive the two saloons from Beech Grove.

The portion of Wayne township outside of the city limits was wet until a few years ago. when it was voted dry under the Proctor law. Pike, Lawrence, Decatur, Perry and Franklin townships and the portions of Warren and Washington townships outside of the city limits have been dry by remonstrance for years. Irvington is in Warren township, but it is legal licensed territory, because it is a party of the city. No saloons ever have been established in the section since it became a part of the city, as all of the property at the time the suburb was established was sold under the restriction that liquor never would be sold on the premises.

All of Washington township was outside of: the city when it first heeame dry and since a portion of it became part of the attempt has been made to establish saloons in the district. The county commissioners will begin work at an early date on the remonstrance presented to make the Fourth ward dry. The names of a majority of the voters of the ward have been obtained for the remonstrance. The dry forces are circulating a petition to make the Ninth ward saloonless. The Ninth ward includes Irvington and a large portion of the territory in the eastern part of the city north of Washington street. Much talk of a remonstrance in the Sixth and the Seventh wards, both downtown, has been heard, but; both dry and wet leaders asserted that they did not know of a proposed contest in either ward at the present time.