Butler to Honor $350,000 Donor

From The Indianapolis News, Monday, February 8, 1926:  The first new building at Butler University’s Fairview site will be named in honor of Indianapolis capitalist Arthur Jordan as a token of appreciation for his $350,000 (2024:  $6,330,000) gift to the school’s building fund.  The building will be known as Arthur Jordan Memorial Hall. The announcement was made by John W. Atherton, Butler’s executive secretary, at Saturday night’s Founders’ Day banquet.  Butler University opened its doors in the month and year of Jordan’s birth, September. 1855.  This is his second gift; Jordan gave $25,000 (2024:  $452,000) to Butler’s fund last year. “Although I was deprived of the privilege of attending college, many of my closest and life-long friends have been Butler graduates and I have followed with interest the progress of the institution particularly in the last few years,” Jordan said. 

“Butler to Honor $350,000 Donor,” The Indianapolis News, 8 February 1926, p. 1:6

To Cut Street Lights in Half at Midnight

From The Indianapolis News, Monday, February 1, 1926:  Indianapolis will be only half lit tomorrow at midnight.  As an experiment to keep the street lighting bill within the budget for the year, assistant city engineer Arthur Haufer announced that all streetlights on one side of each main thoroughfare will be turned off promptly at midnight Tuesday.  It is estimated this action will save the city $15,000 (2024:  $271,273) annually and an additional saving of $28,000 (2024:  $506,376) will be made by reducing the lights in the overhead globes from 1,000 to 600 candle power.  This action was approved by the board of works after receiving a report that the present arrangement for street lighting would exceed the budget.  The board also cancelled plans for extending new lighting service.  Merchants Heat & Light Co has a ten-year contract with the city.

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“To Cut Street Lights in Half at Midnight,” The Indianapolis News, 1 February 1926, p. 1:7

Orbison New Klaliff of Klan Organization

From The Indianapolis News, Monday, January 25, 1926:  Indianapolis attorney Charles Orbison was appointed imperial klaliff (vice president) of the Ku Klux Klan national organization by imperial wizard Hiram Evans at a Hotel Lincoln banquet attended by 300 Indiana Klansman yesterday evening.  Orbison will receive an annual salary of $12,000 (2024:  $217,000).   He succeeds local attorney Walter Bossert who had relinquished the office as well as the position of Indiana grand dragon.  Before the banquet, 5,000 Klansmen met at Tomlinson Hall and ratified the nomination by the imperial wizard of W. Lee Smith, of Evansville, as Indiana grand dragon.  There was a move to block the nomination, but it was explained the Klan constitution gives the imperial wizard the sole right to nominate grand dragons.  James Jackson, brother of the governor, was reported to be leading the opposition to Smith.

“Orbison New Klaliff of Klan Organization,” The Indianapolis News, 25 January 1926, p. 7:2