The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-03-30
BRINGING THEM TO TERMS
Board of Public Works Threatened with
Proceedings in Court.
Clash Of Authority About q Wall-Com-
plants of The Location of Lights
Organized q New Party.

upon the Board of Public Works at it's
meeting yesterday morning. 1t was just
the board had about completed its
routine business and doubtless its men,
bers wished that it had been all done be-
fore the two gentlemen got through with
them. Mr. Taylor assumed the offensive.
and demanded 60 know what the board in
tended doing with the communication sent
1t by Building Inspector Fitchey in regard
to the east wall-of the Frohneyer Building.
on Washington street, near the transfer
car. That communication was to the effect
that the wall had become SO weakened by
the removal of the one next to 1t that IN
less some action was taken to strengthen
1t there would be liability Of q collapse
The wall removed was that Of q building
owned by the Mayors which was torn
down for the purpose of erecting another
one. To do this work on q new foundation
was begun, but that was stopped by the
building inspector, who said that if the
digging continued 1t would so undermine
the wall of the other building thatit would
fall in. He ordered the wall of the Froh-
meyer building braced, which was done,
and then made the report to the board TO
the effect OF the foregoing marked 1t
emergency" and left the matter with the
board for final action. That was several days
ago. and the board has simply LAID the mat.
ter aside aud paid it no attention. MIR. Tay-
lor's kick" was long and loud. He SAID
that by the order of the building inspector
his client was not able TO continue with his
work. for which the contracts had been let.
and which were under penalty. and that
the board as public officers had no right to
ignore the report that had been handed In
to them. He wanted them to do one thing
or the other at once. Either condemn the
wall standing and compel It's owner to fix
Itup or give his client permission to 90 to
work with things the way they were.
The board said it had nothing to do with
II. and that the two property owners ought
TO be able to Tx the matter up between
them. The attorney then quoted. from the
city ordinances. the one to the effect that
the building inspector must report such
matters to the Board of Public Works, and
that lt shall take final action on them.
What he's the Council got to do with
us'" asked Mr.. Conduit lit cannot make
us do thus and So"
Il should think it had" replied Mr.. Tay-
lor. "At least that is q matter for the
courts to decide. Do you pretend to sit
here a. 3 court aud say that such things
want to know what you are going to do
about this and we want you to say so in a.
many words which way you will decide"
"In other words" said Mr.. Defrees. you
that wall falling down when you begin to
dig under it. Well, We Go not propose to do
that"
Then let US 60 to work and make the
building inspector remove hls order"
Again the board declared that it had
nothing to do with the building inspector,
and from the trend of it's remarks q
casual observer would begin to wonder
what excuse Michael Fitchey had for
drawing his pay. Mr.. Taylor then assured
ha ard hot II rola
of it's own accord, he would be compelled
to see what effect q mandatory order of q
court would have. and then 1t seemed to
dawn upon the officials that they had bet
they promised to give Mr. Mayer q definite
a1swer on Friday. That gentleman, who
kept in the background 90 far. spoke up in
an lmpetuous way:
Say. 10 that etraightW -
He was assured that it was, and he left
with that understanding. The board had
evidently como to the conclusion that il
was not quite 80 autocratic as 1t
thought il was. for. on adjournment,
1t at once went and sought the advice
1t learned 10 kept to itself. building In
spector Fitchey said Of the matter that he
had done just what tho law required Of
him. He thought that the building ives in
9 very dangerous condition and that be
had so reported 1t to the board. There his
responsibility ended, and If the board was
afraid to make q decision on 1t, he said that
he did not sec how he could be held for It.
Washington street. one of which caved in.
killing q man. during the course of dis
mantling. and the other 10 the ono now oc-
cupied by the Slersdorfer shoe store.
sprinkIinx Bids.
Either the exactions of the city In its contracts
for the street sprinkling are 30 severe, or they
prove to be so Improbable that contractors are
getting chary of bidding on them. Yesterday
morning was the time set for the opening of
bids on a number of streets that had been left
when the first contracts wero let There were
twelve Of them in all. but only seven were bid
on, and tho board Will be compelled to readver-
tse the rest The following frms secured con-
tracts; n,..r Merrill and Chadwick streets.
Albert south, at ss5.S5 eacS; streets ts
ia District II. Fuehring Brothers. at $40;
Delaware street., from ST. Clair to Seventh, in
District 8. Fuehrins Brothers, at S29. IS; streets
In District 4, Fuehrng Brothers. at $50; Olive
street. In District 81, Henry Notion. at $3s;
The following will be resdvertised, District l,
Ellen street. from North to Indiana avenue;
District 10. Kentucky avenue. from Missouri to
Dougherty TO Sanders; District co. Wright
street, from Coburn 20 Sanders; District 81,
Bates street, from Dillon TO Leota. All three
times daily.
''Citizen Dreytuaker las Another Party.
While the Board of Works was at its busiest
yesterday a small man with @ long flowing gray
beard came hurriedly into the room. and CON-
menced strewing printed bills in the hands and
on the knees Of every one present. Going up to
the official triumvi he crowded in between
Mr.. Conduit and Mr.. Defrees, handed them
several of his bills, and exclaimed. II hear that
there are some streetrailway franchises to be
let around here, and want you to read these
before You do anything"
Mr.. Scherrer rather abruptly told him to get
out of the way, which hc did after he had filled
the coat hooks with his literature.
81 am sixty years Old" ne began, and Mr..
Conduit broke In with, you don't look fifteen"
Turning and shaking his head he reiterated
81 am sixty six years old and have been around
this town for nigh onto forty-One years, and
know OF some of the rascality that goes on about
this building. You had better read these"
The man was Wilhelm Gustav Dreythaer, and
his circulars we're of a sociaistc nature, adj
vocatng the formation OF a new party, to be
called the party of Producers"
Paving of wholesale Streets.
Henry d. Pierce, NJ. O'Connor, John Murphy
and q number of other of the South Meridian
street property owners appeared before the
board yesterday and filed with it two remon-
strances One was against the paving OF Mary