100 Years Ago This Week: July 15-21

From The Indianapolis Star, Wednesday, July 19, 1916: “City planning is a scientific, rational scheme of looking ahead and Indianapolis has got to take it up or be left in the race of American cities…. (Cities) are realizing there must be careful coordinating of rail and street traffic systems to reduce transportation costs to the lowest possible minimum. The movement of persons and things within the city’s borders must be governed, lest there be chaos, congestion, and confusion, with their inevitable wastes, and the consequently higher costs of living and doing business. There must be provision for recreational life if there is to be human efficiency to meet the tremendous demands of the modern complex social structure,” said John E. Lathrop, director of the American City Bureau city planning department, at a talk at the Chamber of Commerce last night.