Indianapolis to be Recruiting Center

From The Indianapolis News, Wednesday, April 24: Indianapolis will become a recruiting center for army engineer units according to orders received by Major Thomas Ryan of the local recruiting station. A total of 6,160 men will form the following units at Ft. Harrison: 44th and 48th railway maintenance of way battalions; 60th, 61st, 62nd, and 63rd railway operation battalions, and the 603rd sapper regiment. Among the class of workers the local recruiting office is seeking to fill the ranks of these units and the railway construction engineer regiments and railway maintenance of equipment battalions are: steam shovel cranemen, pile driver enginemen, draftsmen, store keepers, bridge carpenters, mechanics, blacksmiths, laborers experienced in railroad construction, locomotive engineers and firemen, train dispatcher telegraphers, general machinists, car repairmen, section hands, welders, and oilhouse attendants. Some of these recruits will be stationed at the fort.

“Indianapolis to be Recruiting Center,” The Indianapolis News, 24 April 1918, p. 19:8

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Vice Zone Proposed About the Metropole

From The Indianapolis News, Monday, April 22: Federal authorities will join city police and health authorities in suppressing vice in Indianapolis. Charles Tighe, agent-in-charge of the federal intelligence bureau, announced as part of a nation-wide effort by the surgeon-general to rid areas near soldiers’ quarters of vice diseases, a five-mile zone around the Metropole Hotel, Capitol Av and Ohio St, will be established under the conscription law. The Metropole is now the barracks of more than 400 men from Kentucky who are being trained in war industrial work. Federal authorities will work with city officials to enact ordinances to require the examination of immoral women. Together with an anti-vice zone around Ft. Harrison, the zone placed around the hotel will put most of Indianapolis under federal law which will be able to deal more efficiently with disease than local law.

“Vice Zone Proposed About the Metropole,” The Indianapolis News, 22 April 1918, p. 4:3

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Chief Coffin Plans City Wide "Cleanup"

From The Indianapolis News, Wednesday, April 17: Chief of Police George Coffin has established a morals squad with the view of preventing any renewal of the old vice conditions in the city. This action was taken following the receipt of information that many of those who ply commercialized vice in other cities may be moving to Indianapolis because of renewed activity at Ft. Harrison. “The police department is going to do all in its power to keep the city free from vice,” said Coffin. Recent raids on resorts have convinced the police that some resort keepers have moved from their old haunts into the residential and rooming house districts nearer the center of the city. Information on these new locations is hard to obtain and synonymous tips will be welcome. Sergeant George Winkler will head the morals squad.

“Chief Coffin Plans City Wide “Cleanup,” The Indianapolis News, 17 April 1918, p. 1:5

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