The Indianapolis journal., 1891-04-09
STREETS TO BE IMPROVED
But Little of the Work Decided Upon by
the Council to Be Carried Out.
Delaware Street and Broadway Not to Be
Paved This Yesr-Last Steps for the Via
duct-City Engineers Dilemma.

The Board Of Public Works held an ad-
Journed session yesterday afternoon, at
which it formally awarded the first street
Improvement contracts it has yet let. The
awards were practically decided upon at
the secret meeting Monday night. The
awards made are all for work advertised
for by the Council, the bids for which were
referred unopened to the board. There
were proposals upon sixty seven pieces of
work. OF these the board accepted twenty
two and rejected all proposals upon forty
i've. The principal contract let was that
Tor paving with asphalt Wabash street
from Pennsylvania to Delaware. The West
ern Paving and Supply Company got it at
price of S3.11 per lineal foot upon each
side of the street for paving s. per square
yard for repairing where intentionally cut
60 cents per foot for curbing. sl.2O per foot
for round curbing at corners and 20 cents per
foot for resetting curb. All the rest of the
contracts let were for sidewalks and alley
improvements. The citys share of the cost
of all let is estimated at g, OO6 by the city
engineer. Among the work upon which all
proposals were rejected was the asphalt
paving on Delaware street from Washing
ton 70 st. Clair, on Broadway from Chris
tian avenue to Seventh, and on the north
and.south alley between Pennsylvania and
Meridian, from Washington to Market.
delaware street was Knocked out partly
because the specifications did not conform
to the rule for the width of streets adopted
by the board, and partly by the expecta-
down the street from Massachusetts ave-
nue.. The Broadway contract was not let
because the board will do no patch work
paving. When street is paved it will be
clear through. The alley contract was
blocked by legal technicality. There is
Jog" In it which. under tne old law,
made two ordinances necessary. Only one
was adopted by the Council The only
killed" was che sewer on Indiana avenue
between Tennessee and Missouri streets.
The following rates were established for
the rent of Tomlinson Hall: State and
county conventions, $40 for day. $50 for
night. and S55 for day and night; Congress
sional, township and city conventions. S25
for day, S35 for night. and $40 for day and
night; political meetings. same rates as con-
ventions: musical and literary entertain
day and night drills. $50 for day, S35 for
night, and $40 for day and night; balls, $50
for night; G. A. X. meetings. $40 for day.
SO for night. and $50 for day and night;
church affairs, $40 for day. $50 for night.
sl60 for four days and nights, free for day
rehearsals. and SIS for night rehearsals.
The question asked by the Water Com
pany as to whether or not it should lay GER
tain mains asked by q recent resolution of
the Council. was referred to the city attor-
ney. A communication was received from
c. Z. Coffin, begging. that the paving of
Seventh street be ordered at the earliest
first alley west of Liberty street, running
north half block from Lockerbie. IL also
refused 20 vacate the alley asked for by the
Laycock Manufacturing Company.
1t was supposed that there would be
crowd of remonstrants against the Virginia
avenue viaduct before the board yesterday
morning as this was the day fixed for hear
ing remonstrances against the proposed
change of grade. However. not single
objector appeared and the board adopted
its final resolution changing the grade as
described originally in the viaduct ordi-
nance. Thus the last legal point in the
way of the construction of the viaduct was
gotten out of the way. Then the question
of assessing damages came up. The Union
Company is to pay the damages and the
charter requires the board to assess them.
The board desired to appoint assessors for
the work. and asked the city attorney if
could send men there to gather infOrma-
tion, but the action of assessment must be
the boards. The question was brought up
as to the railroad companies proposition
walls on the building line, allowing them to
use it as q part of their foundation wall.
Edward Daniels, attorney of the COM
pany. said that there was no doubt OF
the c0mpany's willingness to do this. DNt
there was no record to that effect. An
agreement between the company and prop
erty-owners, covering this point, Will be
drawn up and taken into account In tho
assessment of damages. As soon as this
agreement is signed the assessment will be
made. In the afternoon the board ap-
pointed Messrs. Frank Hamilton and w. 4.
Christian TO make the apursisement.
Mr.. Stechhan called the boards attention
to his resolution. asking that the Union
Railway Company be compelled TO con-
struct viaducts on East, Alabama and Ten
nessee streets. President Conduit looked
over the resolution and eaid IL was big
thing. but promised that the boaro would
consider it in time.
Mr.. Stechhan also called the attention of
the board to an ordinance of his which died
on the Council files requiring the Citizens'
rail i1f for G their tracks. HH He stated that the
charter of the company required it to use
him that this was the rail which the board
had required the Broad Ripple company to
use. 1t was question as to who was to de-
eide what was the most approved rail. He
said the board would look into the matter
and IT the Citizens company can be CON-
PEELED to use the w" rails this will be done.
w. "A. hebc06m was OuCo IuOIc DclOTo LILO
board trying To pursuade the members to
accept the Bruce Place plat, which they
have already refused, because the streets
do not '.jibe' with those of the surround
ing territory. He even promised to call
the streets Conduitt. Scherrer and Defrees
avenues if they would accept the plat. the
board promised to consider the matter. A
number of other plats were before the
board, but no definite action was taken,
further than to order that Twenty second
street shOcld remain at fifty feet Mr.
Stechhan and the board settled the matter
of getting Tomlinson Hall during the month
of July for the furniture exposition. The
hall was let at rental of $500 for the
month. The petition to pave Clifford ave-
nue. with brick, mentioned few days ago.
was formally filed with the board yester-
day..
Engineer Mansfieid's Dilemma.
City Engineer Mansfield is in pretty
sort of q pickle. Ever since the charter be-
came law he has been enjoying life upon