The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-06-12
THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
City Engineer Shearer Reports Meridian
Street in Bad Condition.

The Board of Aldermen met last night. A
number of messages from the Council were read.
The board refused to concur in the action of the
Council that the street commissioner be di-
rected to repair the old National road bridge,
and that he be directed to receive bids for put
ting tine same In good order"
Action in the matter Of vacating portion of
wheeler street was concurred in. Tue new COW
ordinance was read the first time.
The report of the city attorney in the case OF
Perkins VS.. The Mayor ct al. was referred to the
committee on finance.
The majority report of the committee on print
ing was not concurred in, but referred to the
committee on printing and contracts to report
at Lext meeting.
The report of the Council committee on public
charities, awarding $346for the present fiscal year
to the Home for Friendless Women, was amend
ed by adding thereto $500 year to the Little
Sisters of the Poor, and a like amount to the
Colored Orphan Asylum and also to the German
Orphan Asylum.
The action cf the Council directing the street
commissioner to serve notice ON the present &C.
cupant of Garfield Park to deliver possession to
the city, and if not done that the city attorney
take the necessary steps to disposses him, was
cOncurredin
the city civil engineer to investigate whether
the Bee Line, l., B. G. W, and Peru railroads
have not LAID tracks across John street without
having first obtained the right to do so, and to
their location, was CONQUERED in, with this addi-
ton, By Mr. Hamilton: THAT the city attorney
cause all unauthorized railroad tracks and
switches crossing John street to be at once
taken up and removed"
The action OF the Council refunding part of
the saloon tax to VIM. Cheezum, who lost his
place OF bushes by fire, was cOncurred in.
BAD BLOCKS IN MERIDIAN STREET
The city civil engineer submitted the follow
ing report, which was adopted: "At your last
regular meeting was requested to examine the
Meridian street block pavement and report the
cause of the depressions in that street. About
year before the street was paved the water
company extended their mains from Second to
Seventh street; to-day the line of said mains is
indicated by trench throughout les length.
Shortly before the street was paved the citizens
were notified by order of Council that permits
sion would not be granted to trench the street
after 1t was laid. THIS caused
every property not already supphed
to connect with the street mains. To-day al
most every connection is plainly indicated by a
trench across the street, At the time of laying
the pavement every trench found unsettled was
taken up. relaid in layers, rammed sushed and
put in as good condition possible The
occurrence of these trenches is another illustra-
ton of the erroneous method of laying gas and
water mains in the roadway of streets. better
plan would be to extend a smaller line OF mains
on each side of the street in the lawns between
the curb and sidewalk. Aside from the trenches
there are a few other slight depressions or fat
places caused by the settling of the top-dressing
of the foundation, although at the time the
foundation was prepared it WAS rolled by large
hand-roller weighing 5000 pounds These fiat
places, though not serious, could have been
avoided by the use of heavy steam road-rOller
"a machine without which good pavement
can properly be made, and would recommend
the purchase of such machine before other
streets are paved.
The b Ocks show no indication of wearing or
unsoun6ness, and are in good condition as
this kind of blocks could be expected. The ma
ture OF the material, however, is such as not TO
warrant any expectation as to its durability, it
being at best but short lived, and wish TO re-
peat that by reason of the manner of laying it,
III four or five years. the pavement, without
system OF repairs, would be in holes 1 would
recommend that the street commissioner be
directed to take up and relay that portion of
Meridian street that has sunk, and that he do SO
at once.
ORDINANCES PASSED.
The usual appropriation ordinances from the