The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-05-14
Spicy correspondence.


The Board of Public Works was deluged
with communications from the water COM
pany yesterday morning One was to this
effect: April p, 1891, the water company
asked you to designate where six thousand
feet of mains should be laid May Is and
80 the. question was repeated. this num-
Der of feet being oil that we were required
by the contract to lay for the year expir-
ing June /. 1892. You sent in q number of
orders from time to time until the num-
Der of feed exceeded forty thousand. Not
withstanding difficulties we laid for you
81. 922 feet. leaving of your orders unlsid
$500 feet" The letter then went on to say
that the mains ordered can be LAID IN
employed. "What what orders we have and
what we expected q polite request would
give Us we thought we would be enabled
to employ the men until July /. when
not only the $500 feet would be laid. but
the entire 20 900 feet of new mains.
Under the foregoing statement We there
fore conclude that your letter was written
without due consideration, aud that there
has been nothing In the dealing of the
water company with you that would justI-
fly declinAtion of Our request, which was
made in order 70 comply promptly with
your orders ard to serve the interests of
the citizens. In view of the fact that we
will by June have exceeded the contract
requirements by nearly 1000 feet we re-
specially ask that you reconsider the mat
ter and order the mains at once. so that
the pipe can be procured and the work of
laying them proceed without interru ption."
This spicy letter was in answer 10 one by
the board stating that no mains would be
ordered until last years orders had been
filled. To it the board sent the following
answer:
I'VE expect all mains ordered last year
to BIO laid at once. The question as to
whether the laying of these mains shall ap-
ply on last years amount or on this can
remain open, asit Is extremely unlikely that
We will be able TO order 10000 feet during
the present fiscal year. but we do insist
that the water company lay mains as or
dered. and not wait for an accumulation
of orders and select such streets as will
suit their convenience for laying"
Another letter was received yesterday
from the water company regarding mains
on Central avenue. IN which it was stated
that the delay had been occasioned by a
failure TO have the street graded. 10 was
promised. however. that the work would
be begun next week and would be COM
pleted by June l. To this letter the board
IN ade answer that il could not make any
agreement with the water company where
By IL could wait until streets are graded
before being called upon 10 lay maine; that.
order mains on any street where 10 Is
deemed necessary for the protection of cit
liens. and would make it a rule TO call
upon the water company to lay mains in
streets that are TO be permanently i'm
proved.
Another letter from the water company
offered TO lay six hundred feet of mains in
Pennsylvania street, from Sixteenth to
Seventeenth, If the board would take one
hydrant and not consider il a part of the
$1,000 feet coming under the contract. The
mains will not be ordered.
Last year the County Commissioners or
dered the extension OF Indiana avenue
opened. Yesterday tho water company
wrote letter to the board demonstrating
against the openIng. The letter was re-
ferred to tho city attorney.
Complaints and Notes.
Complaint was made of the condition of
the cutters on the south side OF Meek
street.
Robert Kempf asked that the chuck holes
In McCarty street between Illinois and
delaware be filled up.