The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-22
END TO HoRD sCHEMT.
Expert Hill Wants $4,000 for His
Services.


Services.
A letter was sent by the Board of Public
Works yesterday to w. B. Hord, notifying
him that the city could not purchase the
plant Of the Indianapolis Water Company
at the price offered. He was informed that
whenever the stockholders wish to make a
proposition based on fair cash value of
the water works the city would try to come
to terms. This was done on the recommen-
dalton Of the mayor, who wrote the board
long letter covering the Hord PROPOSE
ton. The mayor spoke Of the constitutional
limit of Indebtedness as being in the way
of buying the plant by arbitration, as, even
if price were agreed on, there was no
money available. Then came the Hord prop
osition, the price named in it being $3.50 900,
of which 100000 was to be paid in cash
by the city. This presented two questions,
whether the plan was legal, which was de-
cided in the affirmative by the city at
torney, and was the price fair? This last
question was decided in the negative by
Expert Hill, whose report showed it's value
to be less than $20OOvO0. The mayors letter
concluded:
AT the earliest period in our investiga-
ton every step taken by any of the city
authorities was laid before the public that
cussion of the proposition. The Board of
Trade, the Commercial Club and the Cen
trail Labor Union were invited by me to
appoint committees to aid in every way
which might be suggested in determining
the question.
1.-The interest manifested by these various
organizations and by the public at large
has been commendable and gratifying. As
result of all this investigation, 1t would
seem plain:
Il. That the municipal ownership of the
Water Companys plant is desirable in
order that the people may have water at
the cheapest rate possible, and that a high
standard of purity In the water supply may
always be maintained.
% That no plan of payment has been sug-
gested which is so feasible and free from
objection as the lord plan.
% That the price named In the Hord
value Of the tangible property owned by
the Water Company, as shown by the re-
port of the engineers, that that price ought
not to be considered.
a. That your board should notify Mr.
Hord that his proposition to sell the plant
Of the Water Company cannot be enter
These suggestions are made merely as
expressive Of my views on this very impor-
tant subject"
Expert John w. Hill. of Cincinnati, who
was employed by the Board of Public Works
to ascertain the value of the water works,
has submitted his bill 1t amounts to $500
for ffty-two days work, twelve days at $50
a day and forty days at $40 day. The bill
has been allowed by the Board OF PUBLIC
WOTkSs approved Dy COHlIOilSl OOlllSOh, oiO
last night an ordinance appropriating that
amount and 500 Tor the services of DR..
Geiss, who made the analysis. was intro
duced in Council Mr.. Johnson was asked
yesterday afternoon if the bill was fair
one.
Il know of no way of determining said
Mr.. Johnson, except to judge by what
others wanted. The board wrote number
of experts of Mr.. Hills standing asking
what their fees would be and all wanted
$50 a day and expenses. Mr.. Hills charge
is 500 less than the others would nave
amounted to, and I suppose their expense
accounts would have amounted to $l,Oo ad-
ditional anyway"