The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-06-12

The. specifications cali for s.s1s.ss square
yards OF asphalt pavement. aid. dividing as
than 1872 a square yard. This gives the
average cost thus far this year at 1871 a
square yard.
mat II IL impossible TO calculate the cost
OF paving In this city by the square yard
Sv re rea segur re a shs comparison WITH 9ther cities,
Ing the contracts. They further say that
comparisons cannot be made between cities
because conditions In each city, and such
Things as enter materially into the computa-
ton OF the cost, differ. The average cost
as given above includes of course the foun-
cation and the excavation which may be
necessary. but these are also said to be in
GUIDED In the cost as given In the table.
the standard street of indianapolis con-
binder and two inches of asphalt. A guar
antee for nine years is also required. The
position the contractors take regarding COM
parsons was expressed by City Engineer
Jeup in a recent interview. in which he said:
NO proper comparison can be made with
prices in other cities for the reason that the
specifications are different ard the length Of
money retained by the city for the guarantee
Of the pavement, the kind of asphalt, the
been increased TO Is cents an hour, all vary
in different cities. In addition. on Pennsyl-
wait for his money for at least from two TO
five years for the amount of the assessment
against the postofice property. with uncer-
talnty as TO whether he Will receive any
money at all for this Improvement. In fact
the contractor for the present pavement
has not yet been paid by the government.
The cost OF the Pennsylvania-street i'm
provement is about &c."
The contractors further say that the cost
or hauling away the dirt enters largely into
the cost. Some streets are near the place
for the dirt to be deposited and others are
far away. This enters into the cost, they
say.
ENTER A GENERAL DENIAL
The charge of collision is vigorously de-
MED. X. G.. Adams. who represents the
Warren-Scharf Company. said: 1.-The charge
is utterly untrue. The cost to the property
owners is in the neighborhood of 81. and is
greatly reduced from the former cost. There
is nothing whatever in the charge
John w. Cooper, of the Indiana Bermu-
DEE Company. said: There is no truth what
ever in the charge. We are now working at
about $3.50 a square yard. when we formerly
received about So"
George II. Royce. of the Western Paving
company, said: such a report is ridiculous.
Ii Is the same old report that has always
existed. Don't you know the different COM
panies here watch each other closely and
between them? The diffe, ent companies mis-
trust each other and these are the same
charges that have been made from the
first"
The contractors say that they can show
by figures that the cost of asphalt paving
In this city has been reduced and is now
about 50. and they will demonstrate il.
NJ Denny yesterday said: when
| was mayor II looked 10 me as though a
combination existed between the asphalt
companies. and I made a special trip to
washington and other Eastern cities TO
learn what ! could about asphalt. To prove
the existence of a combination is an almost
impossible thing to do, but / wanted to do
what I could to break 1t up. If IL existed.
For that reason the specifications were
changed so as to admit another make of
asphalt. as that seemed TO be the only way
to get at the trouble. / never could get
actual proof that a combination existed, for
tracks are covered too well for that"