The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-03-21
brought to this City.
A NEW T CONTRACT
BOARD AMI THE CITY ENGINEER.
A Reduction of Rates to Private Con-
sumers the Thing of Chief In
terest-City Affairs.

The members of the Board of Public
Works and City Engineer Jeup were clos
eted I'm the private Office of the city engi-
neer nearly all of yesterday Afternoon dis
cussing the question of making a new con-
tract with the Indianapolis Water Com
pany. When the meeting adjourned late in
the afternoon the members of the board
and the city engineer filed out solemnly
and were reluctant to give out information
regarding the conference. From one of the
party it was learned that this meeting was
the first one of a series to be held in re-
gard to the Water Company's contract
with the city.
In 1892 the Indianapolis Water Company
made a contract with the city for five
years, which expired i'm 1897. Since the ex-
piration of the contract a new one has
never been made. and the Water Company
has been acting under the provisions of
the old contract. The members of the pres
ent Board of Works went over the old
contract with the city engineer yesterday
afternoon. and, it is said, while nothing
definite was decided upon, yet it was
agreed that there is great need of a new
contract with the Water Company.
What the new contract will embody is a
matter of conjecture, as the members of
the Board of Works and the city engineer
nave not discussed the matter TO any ex-
tent as yet. 1t is said that since the old
contract was made there has been such a
great growth of the city that a new con-
tract Is needed. The board will take up
every question to be set out i'm a new con-
tract and discuss IL thoroughly before
calling In the representatives OF the Water
COMPANY for a conference on the matter.
1t Is said when the new contract Is rati-
fed the water consumers or this city VIII
find they will not be compelled 10 pay such
high rates. That there will be a decided
difference in the new rates is admitted by
one of the men who was at the conference,
although he said he was in no position at
the present time to state just how much of
a reduction will be made. The question or
extending the water system OF the city n
other improvements will be fully taken up.
There has been considerable adverse
criticism at times against the water Com
pany for lack of water pressure at fires.
and the recent fire on South Meridian
street is still remembered by the fire de-
partment and members of the board for
lack of sufficient pressure at times Fire
Chief Barrett was instructed. at the con-
clusion of the conference yesterday, to
meet the board this morning to discuss
the matter of fire pressure In order that
some light can be thrown on the water
situation In that respect. The present con-
tract calls for a pressure sufficient TO force
eight streams of water a distance OF one
hundred feet into the air at the time OF a
fire, but IL Is said this pressure is Woe
fully lacking at times. IL is believed Fire
Chief Barrett can furnish the Board Of
Works with some valuable information re-
garding the fire pressure and what is
needed from this source In the future.
The board will also take up the petit
ton OF the Water Company for the vaca-
ton of a section OF the Charlottesville
road and Gent avenue. near the water
works station. for the purpose of placing a
sand hltering system on the land at that
place. In making the new contract IL Is
said the Board of Works Will arbitrate
with the Water Company and settle all
differences In that way. but will hold out
for lower rates for the consumers and
needed improvements. The contract will
rave TO be ratified by the City Council
when 1t Is prepared