The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-06-01
STREET IMPROVEMENT BIDS
Another Meeting with Gentlemen Rep
resenting Vulcanite and Trinidad.
They Answer the Questions Of the Council
Committee on Contracts, and Extol the /.
Merits Of Their Respective Materials.

A small bat important meeting was held at the
Mayors Office yesterday afternoon. The alder
mamie committee on contracts aud the Council
committee on contracts met to hear the repre-
sentatives Of the National vulcanite Company.
of New York. ADD Of the warrsu-Sehsrf Asphalt
Paving Company, Of Cincinnati. the bidders on
the proposed Improvement Of the roadway OF
Washington street. present the merits Of their
different plans. A number Of property-holders
on that thoroughfare were present, together
with expert rosd-mskers, the city engineer and
others Representing the vulcanite company .
gentleman of national reputation appeared. the
famous Governor Alex. r. Shepherd, he
who has made the sitg OF Washington
the handsome capital il now is. and whose honest
efforts. long misunderstood and misrspresented.
are now acknowledged by everyone. s. Whin-
merry. general manager of the warren-Scharf
company; Geo. W. Scharf. superintendent of the
same company, and W.. c. Murdoch, of Wash
lngton. and De Witte c. Greigsre, OF Chicago,
experts.
Mir. Whinnery, on the part OF the Warren
Scharf Paving Company, said he would be glad
to answer any questions that might be asked;
that be was no speaker, and, as a matter of fact,
was not feeling we'll
Governor Shepherd said hs would like to ask
the status Of the matter now.
Chairman Darnall said the present was the
third meeting that had been called; that at the
second meeting the merits of both pavements
had been argued pretty thoroughly and post
poned entll this meeting, so that these parties
could be heard in the interest Of their pave
Inents
Ne wh;rn..v. .;d e.. w..-.. ch.-eC-
ny had bid on genuine Trinidad asphalt at . GER
tain price aad also for vulcanite, and were pre-
pared to execute the contract in either way;
that in banding in their bid they had thought
that for Washington street the genuine Trini-
dad asphalt was much superior to vulcanite, and
That vulcanite would not be sufficient TO stand
the heavy traffic of that street.
Governor Shapherd-I understand this i'm
provement Of Washington street was advertised
for under two speci fcations-ons the so-called
Trinidad asphalt and the other the vulcanite
pavement. As ! understand it, the Warren
Seharf and the Barber are the same thing,
aud put IN two bids, one for their pure Trim
idad and one for impure vulcanite. Am | ~correctl
My attention was first called to the paving bust
ness In Washington in 1871, and by the advice
of my colleagues 1 called upon Gems HUMPHREYS.
Meigs. Babcock and Barnes. and made inquiry
as to the best kind OF pavement. They recon-
best Much was laid, and also q good deal Of
wood pavement which rotted out and had to be
replaced The vuleanits pavement has
the best record of any laid In the
United States. having stood the test Of fourteen
years Of travel. This piece lpointing to Q large
sample which lay upon the table, was cut from
K street, Washington City. near Ninth,
at my request, and you will see
the wear upon the surface. Il has less Of the
elements of decay than the so-called Trinidad
asphalt pavement; IL Is homogeneous. and OF oil
that class Of pavements Is the only one that has
q good record. In regard TO the purity of the
Trinidad asphalt pavement I want TO call the
attention OF the committee to . letter which
Mr.. Murdoch has prepared and which 1 will
read"
Gov. Sheppard here read the letter. The cost
OF materials Was stated as follows: Asphalt. $50
per ton; sand, sl.40 per cubic yard; limestone
dpst, S. per ton. Asphalt will lay fifty square
yards TO one ton OF mastic, sand will lay four
teen square yards to one cubic yard
of mastic. limestone will lay fifty square
yards to one ton of mastic. The cost per square
yard for material is 81. So; grading and curbing
are local matters and vary on each street The
petroleum asphalt mastic 40 laid by the Barber
Asphalt Company. consists of refined Trinidad
asphalt and petroleum oil combined, fine sand
and carbonsse Of lime. Proportions are about
a. follows: