Vote of Delegates Reverses Report

From The Indianapolis News, Tuesday, November 11, 1919: The permanent home of the American Legion will be in Indianapolis. Delegates at the first national American Legion convention in Minneapolis selected the Hoosier Capital City, shortly after noon today, over Washington, DC on a second ballot vote of 361 to 323. Many delegates believed the legion would be the victim of “pernicious politics” if it lingered long in the national capital. In contrast to “blue sky” proposals made by Minneapolis and Washington, the Indiana delegates could not promise the legion anything of a definite nature and had not been armed with any offers from Indianapolis civic organizations. The offices of the permanent Legion national headquarters will bring 300 employment opportunities to Indianapolis. Within a few months the organization’s authorized publication, The American Legion Weekly, will be moved to the city.

“Vote of Delegates Reverses Report,” The Indianapolis Star, 11 November 1919, p. 1:7

#1919 #AmericanLegion

Split Develops in Conference on Fuel Order

From The Indianapolis News, Thursday, November 6, 1919: In response to the national bituminous coal miners’ strike, a State utility fuel committee has been appointed to survey the coal supplies of utilities and make recommendations on the conservation of fuel. Indianapolis utilities objected to a blanket order curtailing services, noting that lightless nights would result in great commercial loss and lowering the water pressure 10 per cent would have a bad effect on the city’s industrial life. The Citizens Gas Co asked for an order limiting the use of gas logs for home heating so that the company’s coal supply may not be depleted. Discontinuance of electric and gas use in signage and window lighting, as well as electric street lighting, except on moonless and cloudy nights, will be considered. Maintaining public health and safety will be of utmost concern.

“Split Develops in Conference on Fuel Order,” The Indianapolis Star, 5 November 1919, p. 1:6

#1919 #utilities #coal #lightlessnights #CitizensGasCompany #laborstrike

Lawson Air Liner May Start Tomorrow

From The Indianapolis Star, Wednesday, October 29, 1919: The Lawson Air Liner, the largest passenger carrying airplane in the world, may leave Indianapolis tomorrow, weather permitting, for Chicago on its return to Milwaukee where it departed six-weeks ago on a 2,500 mile demonstration trip. The huge bi-plane, with seating for twenty-six, landed at the Speedway last Friday on a flight from Dayton, Ohio carrying eleven passengers. Alfred Lawson, president of the Lawson Air Line Co, designed the big airship and was the navigator on the flight. He plans on putting 100 passenger airships in operation between New York and San Francisco in May. “I’m favorably impressed with the geographical and industrial location of Indianapolis as well as the facilities I find here, and am considering making the city one of the connecting trunk stops on the through service,” Lawson said.

“Lawson to Build 100 Big Airships,” The Indianapolis Star, 25 October 1919, p. 1:4

“Lawson Air Liner May Start Tomorrow,” The Indianapolis Star, 29 October 1919, p. 8:4

#1919 #aeroplanes #LawsonAirLineCo #passengercarryingairplanes #changingtimes