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

Widow Succeeds Urbahns in Office

From The Indianapolis News, Friday, January 22, 1926:  Shortly before noon today, Grace May Banta Urbahns was administered the oath of office at her home, 404 E. 43^rd St, becoming the first woman treasurer of the state of Indiana and the first woman to hold a major office provided by the state Constitution.  Her accension to this office followed the death of her husband, Bernhardt “Ben” Henry Urbahns who had been elected state treasurer in 1924.  Urbahns died the previous evening of complications following surgery for the removal of a kidney.  Before entering the hospital, Urbahns was concerned that he might not survive the surgery and sought to have his wife appointed state treasurer in the event of his death.  Gov. Ed Jackson had agreed to this request and this morning he signed the commission selecting the grief-stricken woman.

“Widow Succeeds Urbahns in Office,” The Indianapolis News, 22 January 1926, p. 1:8