Stutz Company Gets Order for Tractors

World War I – From The Indianapolis Star, Sunday, October 27: While workers at the Nordyke & Marmon Co turn out Liberty motors to power American planes engaging German aviators in the skies over France, the ordnance division of the War Department has awarded a $3,000,000 (2017: $49,776,260) contract to the Stutz Motor Car Co for the manufacture of 1,200 artillery tractors, of special design, intended to pull heavy field pieces. The five-ton capacity, 7,400-pound, T-13 model caterpillar type tractor will be powered by an eight-cylinder Cadillac motor. Stutz will stop manufacturing its passenger automobiles and exclusively turn the plant over to war production beginning Monday. It is expected that the company will immediately add 500 more men to its workforce so that it can finish not less than ten tractors each day. Delivery of the tractors is scheduled to begin January 1, 1919.

“Wartime Plant Keyed to Meet Hour’s Demand,” The Indianapolis Star, 27 October 1918, Part Two, p. 11:4

“Stutz Company Gets Order for Tractors,” The Indianapolis Star, 26 October 1918, p. 1:5

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Foley Denounces Daubing of Homes

From The Indianapolis Star, Friday, October 25: Michael E. Foley, chair of the State Council of Defense, issued a statement yesterday condemning daubing homes with yellow paint of those suspected of disloyalty. A mob spirit was demonstrated earlier in the week when two Indianapolis homes of persons alleged to have failed to buy Liberty Bonds were splattered with yellow paint on the steps and porch and “Refused to Buy Bonds” was written on the front walk. Police were called to disperse a crowd of sightseers. A few instances of yellow painting have been reported in other parts of Indiana. “The failure of any citizen to loyally support the government at this hour will not…justify any citizen in doing any act…intended to incite the public mind, or to bring the law and public authorities of Indiana into disrepute,” Foley said.

“Foley Denounces Daubing of Homes,” The Indianapolis Star, 25 October 1918, p. 1:3

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Shortage of Nurses Handicaps Flu Fight

From The Indianapolis Star, Tuesday, October 22: Following emergency calls for aid from several Indiana counties where the influenza death rate approaches one in every 200 residents, Captain William King, assistant secretary of the state board of health, declared the most serious aspect of the influenza epidemic in Indiana is the lack of trained nurses. Relief in this connection was assured yesterday with the announcement that the Red Cross will establish a state nurses’ clearing house to handle the registration and assignment of nurses. The state board insists that private nurses should be released except in life or death cases and physicians are requested to postpone surgical operations unless necessary to save life. Every registered nurse, every practical nurse and every woman with sufficient training are called upon to place their services through the Red Cross to fight this disease.

“’Shortage of Nurses Handicaps Flu Fight,” The Indianapolis Star, 22 October 1918, p. 1:6

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