Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 40, Number 229, 7 September 1915 — Page 1

VOL. XL. No. 22&- IXZtXiSr'Tlm

RICHMOND, IND TUESDAY; EVENING, SEPTEMBER 7, 1915. SINGLE COPY, 2 CENTS pin i JV

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LARGER INCOME FOR TIUS CITY TO BEJGNOREO No Action of Utilizing City Plant Earnings for City : General Fund Will Be Taken.

COURT LARGER DEBT Plan of Purchasing: Profitless L. H. & P. Plant With City Plant Funds is Still Favored. Although it it positively known that the Indiana Public Utilities Commission when it rules upon the petition of the city of Richmond for a reduction in electric light rates for Richmond Will ran n r that o tnisaMi t,,A - "1 uwflvviBUVll AUUU be provided foe the municipal plant, that it be required to contribute a, part of the salaries of the mayor, city attorney, board members and controller for the work they do in the interests of the plant, and that a charge for taxes against the plant be made annually although the plant is not required to pay any taxes, no action has yet been taken by the administration to comply with such anticipated rulings. Before the city can take advantage of an act passed by the legislature last winter authorizing, under certain conditions, the transfer of earnings of municipal plants to the general municipal fund it is required that a depreciation fund be established. What Law Says. It is further provided in this law, sponsored by Richmond city officials and Interested citizens, that the earnings of a municipal plant cannot be utilized for general city purposes until there Is provided a sinking fund containing enough monies which at three percent compound interest, will provide for the retirement of all bonds outstanding against the plant at the date ef their maturity. '- ' Up to the present, time officers of the administration have not even computed what amount would have to be " paid fjto the sinking fund of the plant during the next year to insure a sum sufficient to provide for all bonded indebtedness when the city plant bonds mature, twelve years hence. $35,994 In Fund. At the present time there is in the plant sinking fund, in cash and negotiable Improvement bonds, $35,994. In the general fund of the plant at this time there 18,160,000. By the end of the year there will be at least $80,000. It is said that if $60,000 of the estimated $80,000 plant earnings this year was transferred to the plant sinking fund this amount, in addition to the sum now In the latter fund, would be sufficient to provide for the retirement of the $139,000 plant bonds when they mature in 1927. And from the date of making this large payment Into the sinking fund no other plant monies during the ensuing twelve years would have to be utilized to provide for the payment of bonded indebtedness. Estimating that there would be $20,000 remaining in the general fund at the close of this year after $60,000 of the earnings had been paid into the sinking fund it would then be possible to establish a depreciation fund out of the balance left in the general fund and have a small amount available to be paid into the general fund of the city. How to Reduce Taxes. It is also pointed out that in the event final action was taken this year in providing for the bonded indebtedness of the city plant the bulk of the plant's earnings in 1916 could be paid into the municipal general fund 1917. opening a way for a reduction in city taxes. The city of Richmond, all public officials admit, is confronted with a serious financial difficulty. Its normal operating expenses have outgrown is income. An increase in the tax rate would, of course, provide a solution of this question but Mayor Robblns and the councilmen flatly refuse to taka advantage of this alternative. The law permitting the transfer of municipal plant earnings into the general municipal fund of a city would. In the case of the city of Richmond, provide a most satisfactory method of securing a revenue sufficient to make it unnecessary to pare to the bone the annual appropriation for every city department, a practice which has had to be followed our for several years thereby preventing many necessary public improvements. Pile Up Debt. This logical plan to relieve the city of its financial embarrassment is not to be adopted by the Robbins administration, however. The policy of piling more debt upon the city is to be carTied out by the administration if the Ftate public service commission authorizes the city to purchase the electric light plant of the Light. Heat & Power company. In such an event it is iie administration s plan to apply all th surplus earnings of the city plant to the purchase of the competing plant. The administration believes it a better plan to purchase, at an expense: probably in excess of $20,0,000, a competitor that the city plant Is steadily driving out of the local field and which has been operated at a heavy loss for several years, in preference to utilizing municipal plant earnings to give the city government an adequate income and to relieve the citizens of a part of the tax burden imposed upon them for the operation of the city governmwii. ; . . . - j

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The city and fortress of Grodno,' Russia, was taken by the German armies. The city is on the Niemen River and the railroad from Warsaw to Petrograd. More than half the 50,000 inhabitants are Jews, engaged in manufacture of textiles and preparation of tobacco.

NO CONCLUSION REACHED BY U. $. ON HESPERIAN Lansing Holds Gun on Vessel May Alter Entirely. View of Wilson on Submarine's Action. AWAITS ALL DETAILS Page's Telegram Claims Boat Not in British Government Business But Merchntman. WASHINGTON, Sept. 7. Secretary of State Lansing today announced that he had received a long detailed report from Consul Frost at Queenstown, on the sinking of the Hesperian. Tbe secretary said that all he could give out at this time was tbat tbe report was "not at all conclusive as to whether the vessel was torpedoed." Secretary Lansing further said that the question of a gun being mounted on the Hesperian may enter into any discussion tbat arises. He said tbat wben the United States originally declared tbat a gun up to the size of a 6-inch cannon might be used by a merchant vessel for defensive purposes without making it an armed vessel, the submarine had not entered into warfare. Under present conditions tbe question of a merchant vessel carrying any size gun will have to be taken up anew, he said. The state department made public the following telegram from Ambassador Page at London on the sinking of the Hesperian. "Hesperian sunk at 6:45 this morning (Monday), near where torpedoed. The admiralty stated Hesperian was sailing as an ordinary passenger liner and never had been in the government service since the war began. There were no troops aboard. Some wounded Canadian soldiers were traveling on individual tickets as passengers." The state department announced that no word had been received from Ambassador Page as to whether the ship was warned. CZAR ASSUMES COMMAND OF RUSSIAN ARMY PARIS, Sept. 7. Emperor Nicholas has taken over the command of the Russian army. Whether this will result in the complete elimination of Grand Duke Nicholas is not yet known. Apparently, the czar's action has been kept a close secretin Petrograd, because tbe first intimation of this action came in a personal dispatch from the Russian ruler to President Poincare. The message from the czar to the president follows : rin. placing myself today at the head of my valiant army, I take particular pleasure in addressing to you most sincere wishes for the grandeur of France and the ultimate victory of its. glorius army,"

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COMMISSIONERS POSTPONE ACTION ON HOSPITAL FOR CONSUMPTIVES

Action on the tuberculosis hospital was again postponed one year by the county commissioners ' this - morning when they refused f to reconjmeRd to ttf county council .iaa appropriation for the. construction .of the. hospital. ' This action was anticipated by members or the Wayne County Tuberculosis' Society because' of the many other interests which have to be taken care of by the commissioners this year. "I want it understood," said Commissioner Anderson, "that the county commissioners are in favor of the hospital, but they do not deem it advisable to appropriate the money at this time because . of the necessity of increasing the tax rate. The Main street bridge will require an additional levy and we have found that this is absolutely necessary." Or. Bond Present. ; Dr. S. E. Bond, president of the tuberculosis society was present at the meeting this morning and insisted on the commissioners taking action on the matter. He said that it would JONES LAUDED BY COUNCIL ON HIGHWAY WORK Roads Cost County Only $105 a Mile Per Year For Upkeep' Under Efficient Management. The county, road superintendent was complimented , this morning by. the county council on the management of the roads in tbe county.-According to the report of the county auditor, on the condition of the finances of the county, it was shown that the roads of the county have cost the tax payers but $105 for upkeep. Severe criticism was raised by sev eral of the township trustees of the county, who are opposing the road supervisor, so the county auditor took the liberty to look up . the records of the township trustees and it was found that the. township roads are costing the taxpayers $10fr per mile for yearly up-keep. The tax rate for the upkeep of free county turnpikes is nine cents and the commissioners have recommended that this rate be retained for next year. Although the county will be closely pressed for finances next year on account of the many expenses that have to be met in the way of emergencies, the county council was of the opinion this morning that the condition of the county roads as : compared with the township roads, warrants the expenditure of money made .during the past year. It was estimated by the county commissioners and the road superintendents that the upkeep of roads for all of this year will be about $33,000. On this basis, it was asked to retain the nine cent levy. - At the , present time there are 350 miles of road under the supervision of the road superintendent.-There are' at present time, petitions for 40 miles of road to be tifraed ove to the county for upkeep and this .will increase the work of the road superintendent and his deputies. In 1915, the yearly upkeep of the township roads was $95 per mile and in 1914 this was increased to $100. These figures in the minds of the councilmen impressed them with the efficiency, of the road superyjsion vorb., ,

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Jnot be necessary to appropriate more than 126,000, if this means were ta ken-but he advised the issuing of poaas tor, the; payment of the hospital, f 'The tuberculosis s hospital would have been our first concern, had it not been for the expense, .which baa come up unexpectedly on the bridge matter,' said President Anderson of the com' mlssloners. , . Dr. Bond suggested that even if the commissioners refuse to recommend an appropriation, that they at least mane it known in their report that they were in favor of the hospital so that the question could be put at issue. The commissioners - promised the president of the tuberculosis society, however, that the hospital would be the first consideration in fixing the budget for 1917, but they refused to commit themselves in making any kind of a recommendation to the county council this year. They said that next year, tbe bonds on the court house would be retired and six cent levy would then be available for this. HESPERIAN CAPTAIN REPORTS ACCIDENT LONDON, Sept. 7. Captain Main's official report on the sinking of the Allan liner Hesperian, was received by the British admiralty today. The report was kept secret, the admiralty following its usual custom of withholding reports of such kind, but it is possible that part or all of the information given in the report will be furnished to Ambassador Page if he requests it. SUES RULIELY PI ANT TO GET BACK SALARY INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 7. Clarence S. Funk, of Oak Park, Chicago, today filed suit in federal court here, against the M. Rumely company, of La Porte for $197,672, which he claims as salary equity in a five-year contract as president and general manager of the Rumely company, at $60,000 a year. Funk lost - his job with the Rumely company when that institution went into the bands of a receiver last January. United States Report: Partly cloudy with local thunder showers tonight and probably Wednesday. Temperature Yesterday Noon .... Maximum Minimum 79 71 56 ; For , Richmond Unsettled late this afternoon and tonight. Probably Wednesday. Showers and probably thunderstorms. : ' ... , General Condition: A great are of low barometric pressure over the Mississippi valley and high pressure in the eastern states will cause continued warm weather for the next 24 hours with occasional rains. W.: E. MOO BE, Weather Forecaster 7-

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DAY'S SUCCESS MEANS GREAT FUTUREPLANS Varied Program Arranged by Members of Central Labor Union Entertains Crowd of Three Thousand Persons.

A. M. BEASLEY TALKS Circular Letter Issued to All Organizations of Samuel Gompers Read as Part of Exercises.Observance of future Labor Days in Richmond will be on a larger, grander scale than the successful . celebration at Athletic park yesterday afternoon, under tbe direction . of ', committees from the Central Labor council. Between 2,500 and 3,000 laboring men, members of local unions, and their families, enjoyed the program of races, games and vaudeville stunts to such a degree that officials of the governing body lost no time today in announcing that another celebration would ' undoubtedly be arranged for 1916. So varied was tbe program and so abundant the refreshments, that no one could complain that he could not find enjoyment in the committee's of ferings. A. M. Beaaley Talks. A. M. Beasley, of . Linton, state organizer, delivered the only address, which was heard with great Interest. That labor organizations should di vorce themselves from politics was one of tbe keynotes of Mr. Beasley s talk. Unions should attain a higher degree of usefulness, he said, if they disengaged themselves from political wiles and did not allow their questions to become Involved as Issues in elections. Unionism, with its thous ands of supporters, should stand alone and not allow , itself to become a politict reocpau. -- Mr. Beasley review tbe - successful efforts labor organisations have made Ua4mprxve.. working conditions. Shortr er hours, better wages and wholesome, sanitary conditions are the result of the unions' campaigns. The speaker, deplored violence in , strikes and discussed the unrest so apparent among the machinists and union men making munitions. Circular Letter Read. Lucius Harrison read the circular letter which Samuel Gompers issued to all labor organizations on the observance and significance of Labor Day. The complete text of the letter was published in the official organ of organized labor, recently. Mayor Will J. Robbins and former mayor, Dr. W. W. Zimmerman, who were booked to discuss Labor Day sentiments, did not speak. Details and results of tbe athletic contests which formed a large part of the program, are reproduced on the sporting page of this issue. TEACHER RETURNS Frank Walker, instructor in printing at the Garfield school, has returned to the city and is putting the equipment in condition for the opening of school. Mr. Walker spent part of the summer in a technical school at Indianapolis studying printing. TRIAL OF BELL ON CONSPIRACY CHARGE BEGINS INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 7. The first gun for the defense in the trial of Mayor Joseph E. Bell, whose trial on a charge of conspiracy to commit a felony in connection with the election in Marlon county in 1914 was fired in criminal court this forenoon, when Attorney M. Ryan, at the opening of court presented a motion to Special Judge Eichhorn, asking the dismissal of seven men summoned for jury service on the grounds that they could, not be found. The work of selecting a jury to hear the evidence in the trial was delayed this forenoon by the numerous requests of veniremen who sought to be excused from service. Mayor Bell and Thomas Taggart laughed and chatted merrily with many persons who greeted them in the court room. Taggart occupied a seat as a spector, while Bell sat with his attorneys. Ryan sarcastically alluded to a hand picked jury. Roach contended the impaneling of the jury was in strict accordance with a law and insisted that there was no showing that the court or sheriff were actuated by prejudice or sinister motives in the summoning of veniremen. ' Extreme bitterness featured the argument concerning the right of Judge Collins to order the - sheriff to summon veniremen for. the - seven who could not be found. At the noon adjournment. Judge Eichorn declared nothing had thus far indicated any prejudice In selecting the names, but he believed a section of tbe law not. yet referred to would apply and might result in moving the jurors. v

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WITHOUT ISSOTG !! Oii TA13 County Auditor Bowman Reports AD Criixcj Disused for

1913 Floods Repaired or Repbccd at a Cost . cf , $75,000 All Refunds? Bend Isises Ex- ' ; ceptin $20,000 Paid Oil

County Auditor L. S. Bowman, In his annual report to the county council, made public today,, sets forth the fact that the financial condition of the county is quite satisfactory at this time. The largest surplus in the last three years was in the county general fund, June 30 this - year, the auditor reports , and the policy, of meeting all obligations without issuing nonds or increasing the tax levy has been rigorously compiled -with. Mr. Bowman sets forth the fact that all bridges damaged by the floods of 1913, have now been repaired or replaced at a total cost of about $76,000. It is stated in the report that the refunding bond Issues have now been paid off, with the exception of $20,000, which will be provided for by a seven cent levy this year, to be applied to the retirement of tbe remaining bonds next year. There is now in the fund established for the construction of a bridge in south Richmond $82,648.91. Monies from this fund, have been loaned from time to time to other funds and the total amount now owed to this fund is $59,000. Council, however, has enacted ordinances for the reimbursement of the south end bridge fund, the final payment of $5,000 to be made June 30, 1918. The auditor also reports that there has been a reduction in the amount of delinquent taxes. In part the report reads: The General Fund. The balance on hand in tbe general fund of - the v county on June &0 and December 31st of each year, the dates BERLIN 'ADMITS U-BOAT SUNK BERLIN, Sept. 7, via wireless The admiralty announced today that the submarine U-27 had sunk a small British cruiser about August 10, 1 but the U-boat has not since returned to her base, and is believed to have bees lost. The location of the sinking of the British cruiser is officially reported to have been west of the Hibrides Islands, which lie off the northwest coast of Scotland. TRY TO WRECK C & 0 TRAIN ATMLIAN'S Three Colored Boys : Open Switch to Derail Passenger Train But Freight Balks Efforts. CARS DERAILED What evidently was an effort to wreck the north bound C. & 6. passenger train which leaves Richmond for Chicago at 11 a. m., dally, was made yesterday morning by three colored youths. Their plan was balked, however, because a section of through freight train No. 95, in charge of Conductor Crissel, was sent out ahead of the passenger train. The freight train dashed into a siding near Newman's bill in Falrview, after the negroes had thrown the switch, and five cars were derailed. There cars, however, remained on their wheels and were not damaged in any way. Traffic was blocked until the wrecking crew had placed the derailed cars on the track. Women See. -Wreckers. The young men who threw the switch were seen by a Mrs. Parker, who resides on Bridge avenue, and she was able to furnish the authorities with a good description of them, but they had not been located. They fled as soon as they had thrown the switch. What the motive of the three men was in attempting to wreck tbe C. ft O. flyer has not been ascertained. Mrs. Parker says she saw the men while they were engaged in breaking a switch lock at a siding close to Newman's hill, just a short time before the flyer was due to leave tbe city for Chicago. After breaking the lock the switch was thrown, Mrs. Parker says, and the men fled. Before she could give any warning to the railroad authorities freight train No. 95, which had been sent out ahead to let the flyer pass . it further north en the line, came along and dashed Into the siding.

on which tax corteetloM are receipted Into this fond, te a reliable barometer of county finances. ; The balance on hands on June SO.of each of the last S years la as follows: June 30. 1910 $63,345.84 June 30. 1911 ....V......." 70.5SS.01 June 30. " 1913 . TMJ7.0 June 30, 1913 . ... S.212.20 June 30, ,191 V. -47,tl8.24 Jane 30,.r 1915 : : - ; ; . .t - M.476.65 Theoretically speaking-, the balance On hand on June 30 -and Dec. -31. 'Is the amount , available to par -tbe. expenses chargable to this fund for tbe following- six months, when It is again replenished by collection of ' another Installment of taxes. .. . Since June 30, 1913, there has beea itald from the general fund, the' sups of $11,000 to the South Side . Bridge fund for temporary loan, leaviag -:a balance in the general fund ' of $4tv 467.55. which sum -would be consider-

vAvcyi. wi ui uwv. wen wilt be no registration nor electloa expenses, this fall. . v The Oowlng table shows. the tax rate. 'receipts, expenditures and balance on hands at the end of each year of the general or county fund for, the past 6 years: Tear. Rate. BaL end ef Tear. 1909 30-3-20 $S8.8t0.31 1910 31-3-20 69.9S7.C3 1911 34-3-20 70,293.47 1912 30-3-20 4S.737.38 1913 30-3-20 40,584.71 1914 319-10 -. . . 12,745.;3 The bridge sinking fond, mere commonly known as . tbe South Side bridge fond, was created in 1904. for - Continued On Psge Three.' ' PASTORS TEH ATTITUDE ON UNION REVIVAL Congregations Unable to Take Part in Work Because of Previously Made Arrangements. V V ; EXPLAIN PURPOSE Wish Revival Success as Purely Denominational Movement But Will Not Take Part While expressing hope for the evecess of the. revival services which are being conducted at -the Central Chris tian church, : several - prominent,- ministers of leading Protestant-churches have raised objection to the use' of tbe word "union" in connection with' tbe series. They declare - that -the newspaper statement that all churches would unite in the evangelistic campaign is responsible for. the misunderstanding of their attitude by members of their respective congregations. Two pastors said today that they had been approached by church workers who asked them to. define their position toward the revival. Apparent indifference of the ministers, they assert, is giving their congregations the impression that the clergymen are not doing all in their power to advance the kingdom. . Explain Arrangements, These ministers after conferring with others, .said they believed, the evangelistic series had been arranged by the Central Christian church, and that while they had been invited to participate; plans already In course ef execution by each congregation would prevent taking part under any consideration at this time.- That their membership may not receive an erroneous conception of . their attitude the pastors say this inability to assist prevents the campaign from being, a union one, so far as they are concsraed. The spokesm a who voiced the sentiment of the majority of the pastors, thus justify - their relations , to the services and at the same time wish the meetings may succeed as a purely denominational movement. ROAD SUPERVISORS TO STAGE OUTING I The annual picnic -of -thepervisors with, their families . sad. friends, will be held at Glen .Miller park Sunday afternoon. The .county commissioners hare also been invited and . William Seaney. tbe recently elected commissioner, will -be a special guest. It Is expected that from stxty to seventy-fire people will attend t&e Picnic. - .