The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-15
THE CONTRACTORS ACT
MEETING CALLED AND SERIES OF
RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED.
Judge Aliens Decision Not Accepted
as Final and City Urged to
Act-Municipal Affairs.

The recent court decision, relative to the
conflict between the Barrett law and the
city charter, has resulted in almost a COM
plete tie-up of the public improvements
now under way and threatens to defer
further improvements until some definite
decision is made upon which contractors
and dealers in material may rely AL the
meeting of the Board of Works yesterday
a number of prospective improvements
were discussed and bids had been asked
for several pieces of work. No bids had
been filed and the board necessarily de-
ferred further action.
number of persons appeared before
the board yesterday and made protest
against the boards approval of the plans
of the Indianapolis Land and Improvement
Company for it's West Park addition.
Their objection to the plat, as filed, was
that it would make an offset in Holmes
avenue.
The bond of Fred G. Smock, who has the
contract for building the tunnel from the
Jail to the courthouse, was approved. The
bond was furnished by surety company,
and was for s34l75. The city permit for
constructing the tunnel was ordered is
sued.
During the session of the board large
number of contractors and dealers In i'm
provement materials were present, and In
the afternoon, about twenty of them held
conference to consider the best meth
cd of procedure to protect their interests.
A committee was appointed to arrange a
plan. The committee named by A M.
Kuhn, who acted as chairman of the meet
ing, was: Daniel Foley, c. A. Kenyon,
W. W. winsIow, A. B. Meyer and p. c.
Riley 1t was decided to employ lawyers
to look after their interests and confer
with the city authorities, who. 1T was
thought, should be as greatly Interested.
subscription paper for funds to defray
the necessary expenses was passed about
and most of those present pledged the pay
ment of from so to SIS each. The com
mittee on procedure was ordered 10 look
into the matter and report to the CHAIR
man, who will then call another meeting
for action.
Before the adjournment of the meeting,
which was late in the afternoon. the fol-
lowing resolution was drafted and unani-
mously adopted:
whereas, One of the judges of the Cir
cult Court of Marion county has recently
rendered a decision declaring the law, UNI
der which for ten years all street improve
ments in this city have been made, invalid,
and
Whereas, We are informed that the
lawyers briefs were filed on Saturday
and the decision striking down this impor-
tant law was rendered on the Monday
morning following and
Whereas, We regard the decision as
public calamity, the effect of which Is to
thrown all public works into confusion.
Contractors who are doing work find
money loaners unwilling to make further
loans, and the work under way must stop,
with great loss. Material men. who have
laid in large stocks of building materials
in anticipation of the normal demand,
find the outlet paralyzed, and nothing for
their employees to do. Thousands of team
sters and workingmen find their occupa-
ton gone and they must seek new means
of making a living, the majority of whom
know no other work, and
Whereas, We have the opinions of a
number of able lawyers to the effect that
the law is constitutional; therefore be it
Resolved, That under the circumstances
we do not accept the decision as con-
elusive, and urge the mayor and. city
authorities to Immediately have the same
reviewed or appealed as may seem, In
their wisdom, best calculated to have the
work proceed; and
"(2). That If the law does work occas-
ional inequalities Of taxation, our investi-
cations show that in its existence OF ten
years, the judicial sales for street improve
ments have amounted to practically moth
ing, and we believe the present plan to be
as equitable as any yet devised; and
"(3). We submit that the rights of large
number of laboring men, many with fam
lilies to support, who are induced to take
employment on public works, are as i'm
portant as the rights of property The
harm done by the imposition of tax, that
is occasionally unjust, is not nearly SO
great as the uncertainties of employment
are to many; and
Resolved, That in addition to appealing
to the city authorities We appeal to the
Commercial Club, and through that organ
ization to the public, to aid in obtaining
solution to the present confusion. to
the end that public works may proceeo
and
Resolved, That copies of these resolu-
lions be sent to the mayor and to the pres
Club and Board of Trade, with the request
that they take some action in the prem
leo