The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-04
THE FRAUDS in CEMENT
SERIOUS CHARGES MADE AGAINST
INSPECTORS BY f. j. VAN VoRHIs.
CIiRord-Avenue Taxpayers Held Up
by BIunder OF the City
Engineer.

A meeting in the interests of the Citi-
zens' ticket, of which John +. White is at
the head, was held in the Fifteenth ward
last night 1t was an open-air speaking at
the corner of West and McCarty streets.
F. j. Van Vorhis, who has made a num-
Der of speeches against the two leading
tickets in the field, was the principal orator
A hundred or more men, women and chill
dren gathered about an improvised plat
form and listened to the scoring which
both of the principal political parties re-
ceived. Mr.. Van Vorhis, not accustomed
to speaking in the open air, found it diff
cult to talk freely and made but a short
speech. He said he wanted it understood
that he was not stamping" the city in
the interests Of the Republican candidate
for mayor. He said report to this effect
had gone out and he wanted to deny it
emphatically. In his opinion lit did not
make any difference which candidate is
elected-Mr. Taggart or Mr.. Harding
either would be bad enough"
He referred to the record of the present
city administration in it's wasteful expendi-
ture of funds and shoddy public work. Then
he paid his respects to the Republican
county administration. Il have noticed"
said Mr.. Van Vorhis, that the city engi-
neer explains in the evening papers about
these alleged creosoted block pavements
and says that the contracts only intended
these blocks to be dipped in creosote. If
that is true the fraud on the taxpayers is
greater than ever. If Mr.. Jeup knows any
thing at all he must know that would be
useless xpenditure-'dipping' these
blocks. That would amount to nothing"
The orator reiterated his assertions con-
cfr cfd H.
Gently constructed He said he made a per-
sonal examination of the walks yesterday
and was astonished at the fraud perpe-
trated on the property owners. He found
full quarter Of an inch less cement than
the specifications called for An estimate
or this shortage showed that the contrac-
tors used three barrels of cement 10 each
100 teet where there Should have been tlYe
barrels used. Mr.. Van Norhis said these
We're facts that could not be denied be-
cause he mad made a personal investiga-
tlon OF the work and knew what he was
talking about. The work was far short of
what 1T should have been.
The Chford-avenue sewer was pointed
out as another disgracetul piece OF work
which was under the personal direction of
CITY Engineer Jeup. 1t proved to be d job
OF bunging engineering: Mr.. Van Vorhis
told something of how this sewer was con-
structed. On account of the unskillful en-
glneerlng the sewer was constructed with a
great belly in the bottom of it, By this
term Mr.. Van Vorhis meant a basin-like
excavation that should not have been there.
Contractor Bruner, after he began the
work, noticed this hole and called attention
to it. The engineer heard him and ordered
the work to proceed. When the sewer was
completed and Mr.. Jeup made an inspection
he that this hole would have to be
filled up. Mr.. Van VorhiS said ii required
fourteen inches of cement to fill the excaya-
ton and make the bottom of the sewer uni
form.
From the faulty public improvements
which may be charged directly to the Tag
CART adminiStra ton, the speaker passed to
other municipal evils. He spoke of the
lations of the city administration with the
Taggarts various private enterprises and
investments. Mr.. Van VorhiS said he did
not care who was elected mayor of the city
of Indianapolis if he was an honest man.
He presented the name of John +. White
as one well qualified to come up to his ideas
of an ideal mayor. 1t was Mr. White the
speaker said, who held up the franchise
granted the City Railway the night it was
given by the City Council. Mr.. White, he
said. did his best to keep the city from
poraton and property was simply on paper.
In conclusion Mr.. Van VOrhis took a
fall out of the County Board of Review,
which, he said, was chiefly composed of
Republican county officers. The audience
which heard the speaker paid respectful at
tention to all that was said. The story of
how the Clifford-avenue sewer was built
was new to the ears of the hearers. Many
of them chuclkled as the speaker told how
the cement had to be dumped into the ex-
cavation by the barrel after the sewer was
almost complete. After Mr.. Van VorhiS
the candidates on the ticket talked briefly.
Mr.. White was compelled to return home
early on account of illness in his family.
Charles Fl. Krause the candidate for clerk,
talked along the line of the administra-
tons shortcomings.