The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-09-29
JOBBERY IN BRIDGES
MANNER IN WHICH THE COMMIS-
sIoNERs AWARD CONTRACTS.
Bids To BE Received To-day On Pleas
ant Run neutrality-suspicious.
and Plans Differ.

If the transactions of the Democratic
commissioners of Marion county were all
exposed the good citizens would be startled,
but much of the work in the Commission
ers' Court has been effectively concealed.
Not only has the county suffered by the
extravaganza of these commissioners, but
public money has been gwen to favorites
even without the warrant of the shadow Of
law. The bridge contracts in the county
have long been suspected of rottenness.
To-day two contracts will be let by the
commissioners, and an examination of the
plans and specifications of at least one of
these contracts would indicate that the job
has been cooked for some ~favorite.
One of the contracts to be awarded to-
day is for a bridge over Pleasant run be-
tween this city and Irvington, near the
Belt railroad. A number Of contractors Sc
cured from the commissioners copies of the
plans and specifications, and were much
surprised to find SO glazing discrepancies
between the blueprint plans and the print
ed specifications, allowing all sorts of lati-
tude for the man whom the commissioners
intend shall have the contract. In other
words, there are several thousand dollars
in the contract besides the legitimate prof
it. 1t is not known to whom this money is
to go. The plans and specifications were
prepared by County Surveyor Julian, who
is also a candidate for reelection on the
Democratic ticket.
The bridge is to be a one-span one, and
the locality where it Is to be constructed is
of good solid ground. Contractors say that
quicksand has never been found in excavat-
ing in the neighborhood. However, in the
plans which the County Commissioners have
drawn up, they have provided for expensive
piling that would cost between 5000 and
$4,000. AS there is little occasion for using
piles, the contractor could easily put this
large amount in his pockets and drive in a
few old telegraph poles or something of
hat sort.
In the SALES.--FUTURE are the greatest dis
crepancies and the greatest opportunity for
jobbery, for after work is under ground
there is but little opportunity to show that
it is not done according to contract. I'm
der the fourth heading of the Specifications
is this paragraph: The pits for the abut-
ments will be e~xcavated TO a depth of two
feet below the low-water mark, and a con-
crete foundation built therein as hereinafter
specified" The blueprint plan shows that
the pit shall be e~xcayated to a depth of
a difference of nearly three feet and a half.
AS the pit is to be filed with a concrete
foundation, this difference of over three
80 "OoAt 'N~N @ ~
in cost. The contractor who stands in
with the commissioners would, no doubt,
make the concrete foundation according to
the specifications, and pocket a good sum
by so doing. -
In these same specifications it is provided
that: 1.-The soil. having been excavated
two feet below low-water mark, piles shall
be driven in parallel rows, three feet apart
on centers each way, and cut off one foot
below low-water mark But the plans call
for five feet of masonry to start nine inches
below low-water mark, while according to
the specifications the masonry starts eight
cen inches above low-water mark. A con-
tractor following the specifications would
be able to pocket another big sum by the
saving. These are only two instances in
which the specifications and plans are
juggled by the commissioners in order to
shut out honest competition and give the
work to some one whom they have deter
mined upon in advance.
1t is customary in all honest specifca-
tons to have a clause wherein it is pro-
vided that if anything is omitted on the
plan but found In, the specifications, or vice
versa, the work SHAH be done without ex-
take no such means. however, to throw a
safeguard around the CONTRACT, for that
would prevent a good fat contract for the
favorite. There is no such provision in
these specifications. Instead, the commits
sioners say: 1.-The commissioners will al
l %yitin mo ex Tpis w W1Ies s,,e same tb is ordered nob e in
either to follow the blueprint plan or TO
follow the specifications. whichever will
give him the biggest nOld-Out; or, II Will
allow the commissioners TO give him more
money from time TO time and keep the rec
ord off the minutes until the affair is for
gotten.
Another feature of the specifications is
that provision which reads: "Each bidder
must make a lump sum for which he will
agree to complete the work as shown by
the plans and specifications" 1t is GUS
tomary for contractors to bid on masonry
and excavation by the cubic yard, an hon.
est way of bidding in which every c~ontrac-
tor would have an equal show. but i'm the
papers ordered by the commissioners all ex-
cept the favored contractor are in the dark
and are afraid to bid, lest the commission
ers punish the successful man for daring to
take the contract away from the man
whom the commissioners have decided upon
for the work,
The bridge, according to the specifications
referred to above, would cost less than S.
COO, but according to the blueprint plans
would cost more than $1,000,
The contract for a bridge over White
river at First street is also to be let to-
day, and it is quite probable that the plans
and specifications for this structure have
been juggled in the same manner. There
has been considerable talk about the man
ner in which the Kentucky-avenue bridge
over White river was built.