The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-08
STILL "IIELD uP.v
Board of Public Works Again Delays
COnsiderntion of the Sewer


Consideration of the Sewer.
Because 1t would be disastrous to have
anything known with regard to the assess
ments on the White river interceptor be-
fore the election the Board of Public Works
yesterday refused to accept the sewer until
recommendations made by City Engineer
Jeup are complied with. That is not the
reason that is made public, but it is the real
reason. When talking for publication the
officials gave out that they are not going to
allow the city to be held up nor accept work
when specifications have not been complied
with, and there is brave talk about making
contractors live up to their contracts.
This was not done in the case of the Pogue's
run sewer which, by the statement of the
engineer, was accepted before it was pIas-
tered. although he says deduction to cover
the work was made from the contractors
pay. The Fulmer-Seibert Company pro-
posed TO allow a reduction to cover the
plastering that had not been done in the
White river interceptor three months ago.
They were required to agree to let 71a per
cent. of the price of the contract money
remain in the hands of the city three years
to cover any defects in the work, to make
repairs and keep the sewer in condition
L
firm says that Controller Johnson was as
tonished when he heard that over $4,000 of
the money would be retained by the city
This amount, they say, would have been
sufficient to protect the city from any loss
if the sewer had been accepted when it was
completed in June, now nearly four months
ago. From that time they have been claim
ing that the work was completed. but the
IL -
as they did not want the town flooded with
postal cards informing the property owners
Of the amount they will have to pay on ac-
count of the sewer so near the election
Mayor Taggart knows that there will be a
great outcry when the amount Of the as
sessnents is known and he feared for the
effect it would have on his election. This
is the reason that the work has again been
delayed until after the election.
YESTERDAYS MEETING.
AT the meeting of the Board Of Public
Works yesterday morning, the second to
which the contractors and their attorneys
had been invited to talk it over" City
Engineer Jeup submitted a report of the
condition the sewer is in at the present
time. He mentioned various things he
would consider necessary to complete the
sewer, most important of which is plaster
ing. In addition to this there were such
items as putting pans under manhole COW
ers repairing cracks in plastering and in
arches and repairing the sewer trench in
Greenlawn Cemetery, as well as placing
Tenth, Northwestern avenue and Twenty
second street in repair. Most of the work
required is of a trivial character, the con-
tractors claim. They agreed, on the advice
OF their attorneys, to do everything possible
that is required of them. The attorneys say
that the engineer could just as well have re-
ported what was necessary to be done in
june as yesterday and that their clients
would at once nave proceeded With his re-
quirements. Nothing could be got out Of
him a S to what was required of them. This
is further proof, il any were required, that
it was evident the administration feared to
have the work accepted before the election,
In presenting the claim of his clients to
the board, G. s. Denny, of Mcbride Ss
Denny said that his clients are ready to
make most of the repairs asked by the en-
gineer and would have done so long ago if
attention had been called to them by the
engineer. As TO the matter of plastering he
Said
I'VE assume that, as this cementing can
not be done, this sewer should be accepted
particularly as these gentlemen have al
ways stood ready to allow a reduction to
be made from their contract price Of an
equivalent for what the work which it is
impossible to do would cort / am also in
TO allow the guarantee fund which is with
held for the purpose of repairs to be with
held not only TO cover repairs, but also for
the purpose of guaranteeing that they viii
do any and all of this incompleted work
that can be done"
Referring to the Pogue's run sewer, where
the work was accepted without plastering
being done, as an analogous case. Mr..
Denny said:
Il will admit that ordinarily there ought
not to be an approval of any piece of work
until the contract has been substantially
complied with. But if il be true that this
board has in fact recently approved and al
lowed the estimate and issued the assess
menI in the case of another sewer where
exactly the same question was presented
as here-the impossibility of doing a certain
part of the work specihed-would it not be
equally al lawful and regular in this case
as in the Pogue's run sewer, inasmuch a 5
these men will leave in your hands $40 coo?
If ii was legally done in the case OF Mr.
Defrees's sewer. then / say you may here
this morning legally approve this work
Here is a very long delay costing these
gentlemen between $50 and $40 a day This
ought to be taken into consideration ia de-
tcrmining whether there may be some little
fairness in the custom and rules.
Mr. Mcbride suggested that there was no
intention to critlciSe the board before City
Attorney Curtis replied to Mr. Dennys re-