100 Years Ago This Week: Jan. 3-9

From The Indianapolis News, Wednesday, January 7, 1925: The Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce has requested a lighting engineer of a large eastern electric corporation to make a survey of the Indiana Soldiers and Sailors’ Monument and determine the cost of flood lighting after the Monument board of control promised to be “ready and willing” to consider any proposition to beautify and make the Monument more impressive. State and city patriotic organizations were enthusiastic over the proposal, and if a flood lighting plan is approved the Chamber of Commerce will request funding from the Indiana legislature. Barnett W. Breedlove, American Legion state service officer, said, “I have often wondered why such a grand and imposing monument should be hidden in the dark.” Three years ago, the Harold C. McGrew Camp, United Spanish War Veterans, recommended the flood lighting of the Monument.