The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-13
HOLDING BACK IMPROVEMENTS.
Present Board of Works Becoming
VIGOROUSLY Validating.

Present Board of Works Becoming
VIGOROUSLY Validating.
There is something apparently wrong in
the manner of making the preliminary ar
rangements for public improvements. 1t
takes about forty days from the time a
resolution is first adopted by the Board Of
Works until the contract can be let. Thir-
ty days of this time is for advertising the
resolution for the benefit Of those who are
interested and desire to demonstrate. Then
final action is taken, and the advertise
ment for bids must then be advertised ten
days.
There have been two sets of specifica-
tons prepared at different times this spring
for improving North street. The first one
called for asphalt. The board heard few
demonstrators and decided to change the
resolution to blocks. To do this the board
simply ordered new resolution, instead of
making a modification of the old one, and
thus lost all the time that had been con-
sumed in the process OF partially complet-
ing the first resolution.
Bids were received on this resolution,
which called for red cedar or cypress
blocks, with and without creosote. Since
the junket to the South the board has prac-
tically announced that it viii use yellow
pine, saturated with creosote. for pave
ments in the future, and in anticipation Of
this change the city engineers force was
engaged yesterday in preparing new res
olution for North street. so as to comply
with the new ideas of the Board of Works.
1t will take forty days after its adoption
to bring the work TO the stage of receiv-
ing bids whi SSs will delay the work Until until
have been in progress now.
Several plans to remedy this condition Of
affairs have been suggested, two within the
would probably require legislative enact
ment.. Section % of the city charter. which
street improvements. provides that at the
end of the period for remonstrances the
board shall take final action on the resolu-
thought that the provision for modifying
the resolution covers the case in point, and
that when 1T is desired to lay a different
in the resolution the board has right to
modify its resolution to that effect and
save the long delay necessary for the adop-
ton of new resolution.
The last Board OF Works adopted a plan
which proved satisfactory to all concerned
but was spurned by the present board be-
much as If they had no minds Of their own
This plan was TO adopt two or three sets
of resolutions for the same street, covering
were advertised and remonstranceS were
heard, and then the board decided which
one It would complete and take fnai action
essary to complete resolution for an i'm.
provement.
1t has been suggested that the law might
be changed so as TO allow the Board OF
Works TO adopt resolution simply stat
ing that a certain street would be i'm
proved permanently with some one of the
several kinds of pavements in use. without
naming any particular kind. Then the
property owners would have an opportunity
to demonstrate against making any i'm
provement, If they wished. or could file
their petitions with the board, setting
forth the kind of pavement desired.
In this way the resolutions could be com
pleted, and on the final day the boary
could decide which kind of pavement !.
would adopt, and order the specification
accordingly. This would also tend to pre-
| vent certain class of remonstrance
| made under the plea of not wanting tn,
KIND or street ordered, wnen IN fact the re
monstrance was made for the purpose o
| defeating the Improvement in any shape.