The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-10-07
A SAVING OF $4,000.
Property Owners Tafs Much Better
on than Under Democratic Rule.


1t is a fact that has received much com
ment In journals devoted to public i'm
p~rovements that this city has been for
some time getting work done cheaper than
any other city in the country. The. sim
pie statement that 1T is done cheaper does
not convey an adequate idea of the saw
ing to the property owners and taxpayers.
Until the beginning of the year 1894 the
prices paid here for street improvements
were about the same as were paid in other
cities and lower than In some places. With
the incoming OF the late Board of Works
it was decided that there was still a large
margin for a reduction in cost of paved
streets and efforts were Immediately made
TO pull the cost down TO the lowest notch.
Asphalt streets seemed to offer the great
Immediately made there. 1t was decided
that so long as there were only two COM
panies buiiding such streets in this city
and enough work to keep both of them
busy at all times there would be no chance
to force them to make lower bids. 1t had
been argued by many that there was moth
ing that could be substituted for rinidad
asphalt and therefore the city must suffer
and pay the prices demanded.
The Board Of Works and the city en-
gineer undertook a series OF Investigations
and tests to determine IL there was any
other asphalt tina would wear equally as
well If laid properly. 1t was found that
Tic DCl llUDC SRnaAt AoRCA
handled, had given satisfaction and the
city engineer made a trip TO many cities
where II was in use and found that in most
as the Trinidad asphalt. With the result
of this Investigation laid before it the
board decided TO insert In the specihca-
would admit any asphalt TO competition
that was proved 10 be equally as good
as the Trinidad.
Another company was then formed to
handle IN asphalt and the first con-
tract that was let under the new specihca-
tons showed a marked decrease in price.
the new company. which secured this con-
tract. was required to enter into a bond
binding 1t TO resurface the street with
years IL the Bermadez asphalt should prove
TO be not as good as the Trinidad.
This was the entering wedge that drove
t p1'ss sbe a1 min,m umey Of Son 81 7o 10 eo aee,ane vs ani
was reached. Before the change in the
specifications was made the price had
making a reduction in price of 40 per cent.
This extremely low figure did not prevail
long. II being the result of a bitter compe-
mate of the actual cost OF the work. After
a few contracts were let at prices ranging
from $l.N TO s. a square yard prices grad
a reasonable profit. The average price for
the year 1891 was about 500 a yard. The
city engineer figured the net saving to
$50 III LIIt LNAa NIIA-
provements made durine tne year on ac-
count. OF this change in the specifications
10 have been $4,000. This estimate is
based upon the prices for which similar
work was done In 1896. The record of the
Two years Is as follows: In 1898, 7.SS miles
OF asphalt street were built at a cost or
~S5oS.Ifj, an average OF &1,S0S a mile. In
1891 there were built 800 miles of asphalt
street at a cost OF sos, IA. ain average Of
St.494 a mile. This Is a difference of $2f.-
ia a mile. which. IL the streets built In the
two years had been of the same width.
would have made the net saving S97. Ol2 Sc.
but on account of the streets built I'm 1894
averaging narrower in width than those
built In the year before, which reduced the
cost per mile 10 some extent. the actual
saving, as near as can be estimated bv the
city engineer. Is about so. O0.
The same general facts In regard To
brick pavements are true. There has al
ways been open competition I'm brick pave
ments In this city. so far as street build
ers are concerned. bU until the advent
Of the present administration the specifica-
tons limited the size OF the brick 10 the
size OF the ordinary building brick. This
excluded several make OF brick that were
a little larger and had stood the test In
other cities remarkably well. Under this
administration the Specifications were more
liberal in this regard and brought into
larEer brick. which do not cost enough
more per .tlsoasand 70 make the cost Or
tho pr'ck - = square yard equal the cost