The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-16
Results of Exhaustive Studies Made
at Home and Abroad Submitted
i'm a Paper.
BEST MATERIAL FOR STREETS
ASPHALT AND MACADAM NOT SUIT
ABLE FOR ALL PURPOSES.
BituminOus Waterproof Macadam and
Good Results of Barrett Law.

smoker, but about forty members OF the
club. who deeply interested in all mu-
nicipal affairs, turned out to hear Clarence
A. Kenyon's paper on the question of paw
ing and to participate in the general dis
cusson of the subject that followed.
The Commercial Club is taking an active
interest in the question of resurfacing and
repairing the streets of indianapolis, and
it was for the purpose of getting expert
opinion on the subject that Mr.. Kenyon
was invited to prepare paper for the oc-
casion. Mr.. Kenyon is at the head of the
Hoosier Construction Company, and he has
studied the paving question both in this
country and abroad. Consequently his
views were heard with more than ordinary
interest
Fred Heron, vice president of the club,
presided and introduced Mr.. Kenyon and
the subject for discussion in short speech.
Mr. Kenyon illustrated his paper with
number of stereopticon views taken in
American and European cities.
MIR. KENYON'S PAPER.
Mr.. Kenyon first took up the various
kinds of pavement, starting with the un-
qualified statement that there is no such
thing as a perfect pavement. The granite
block, as paving material, is thing of
| the past, he said. Macadam, he concluded,
| is unsuitable for city streets. The bitumin-
Gus waterproof macadam pavement gives
| great promise of being one of the most
comfortable and most durable. Probably
the greatest evidence of its worth, he said.
| lies in the opposition to it of the asphalt
| trust Asphalt he held to be unsatisfac-
tory, while the creosoted block had many
| virtues.
1t was in Mr.. Kenyon's discussion of, the
4 ~ airs fh0f fhn fnCf N
terest was taken. He held that it was not
| practicable for the city to attempt to do
its own repairing of asphalt. He con.
| tinued:
ION brick and wood block the city can
easily take over the repairs. In Paris
| cleaning and maintenance are kept as one
item of cost. All of the minor repairs are
made by the cleaners; break in the wood
pavement is repaired by 'hurry-up-can
to the city yard. A light spring wagon
some blocks two men, some sand and &C.
ment, tamper and couple of hand axes,
and you have the repair outfit complete.
| No machinery, no heating, no mixing, no
| waiting; take out the defective block, put
| in a new one, grout il, lamp il, and drive
| on. This department has grown until now
| only about 10 per cent of the wood paving
| is done by the contract; the city saves the
contractors profit While such depart
ment works well for stone, macadam and
wood blocks over there, il does not work
for asphalt pavements, for the reasons
given.
"Such a department. properly organized,
| might be a good investment for this city,
but politics would have to be kept out OF 1t.
TWO THEORIES.
There are two theories upon which street
improvements are made. First, that the
cost of all paving, repaving, repairs and
cleaning should be paid out of the general
revenues of the city This is grossly in
equitable unless all streets shall be paved
Immediately and kept in equal repair and
1
pensive and our debt limit would not per-
nit it. You cannot pave part of the streets
and leave the others until you can come
to them. Some streets in this city have al
| ready been paved twice. and some three
times, and some not at all. The man whose
street remains unpaved not only helps pay
for paving his neighbors' street once, twice,
but may three times. He has helped keep
il clean and helps repair the same for thir-
~ years and his neighbor has done nothing
for him.
1.-THE second theory is that building a
pavement in front of a mans property
benefits 1t the cost of the erection the same
as building n house on a piece of property
not be positively said that the land will
Immediately sell for the cost of the pave
ment more than the man held the lot to be
worth, and you will find the same true in
the case where the house was. built on the
lot instead of pavement in front of it.
Many times the lot is increased in value
you see there is never perfect equality and
there never can be in taxation. No perfect
will be devised the single takers dream
to the contrary Notwithstanding.
THEORY OF BENEFITS.
This theory of benefits, with its inc
qualities, has proven to be the best there
is up to date. and certainly more progress
has been made under it by growing and
ambitious cities than under any other.
That idea and the Barrett law has done
more for Indianapolis within the last doz-
en- years than any of us could have
dreamed Indianapolis has been changed
in that time, as If by a magicians wand
from an ugly country town of $4,000 popula-
ton TO one of the beautiful cities of the
country with population of 10000. think
few Will claim that our modern city charter
was not potent factor in all of this. TIC
start with, ii took twO-thirds of all the res
identS to demonstrate to kill improve
ment. In fact, civic pride was so wrought
up that a remonstrator gained the con-
tempt of his neighbors and the press
frowned on the slightest suggestion of a
backward step. But with time and the
increase of improvements there developed
quite large class of men who were land
owners more than one street, and they
began TO look for ways and means OF
stopping street improvements, at least
where they were concerned. They appealed
10 the Legislature with success and one
by one amendments have been made to the
| charter until almost any improve
| ment can be defeated by or two per
sistent opponents. IL must be remembered
that with the exception of few streets
! in the center of the city the same lot has
not been improved but once, L mean, sew
| err pavement and sidewalk. so that prop
| erty is not suffering from excessive i'm
provement But IL is the one owner oi
many lots on different streets that feel:
il. But should that count? That is only
because of his greater wealth. The the
DRY is based on the equality of one owner
for each lot. But the fact remains.
Some of the pavements first laid have
worn out and the owners are demanding
that they shall be replaced out OF the gen,
eral fund, and really so extensive has thi:
sentiment grown that recent efforts 10 re-
surface several streets by the city hav.
failed because of it, although quite mum
Der of streets have heretofore been resur
faced at the cost OF the abuttor
A SPECIFIC CASE.
LET us examine the matter. | do none
of this work, my discussion on the lin,
of interest is entirely dispassionate A
new Improvement on. we will say. Virgins
avenue. is absolutely necessary for tina
street 10 maintain its place or prestige
hence 70 improve ii will benefit il, anc
the property alongside. Can 1 refuse I,
buy a new carpet for our parlor because
bought the first one. and because oui
friends and neighbors helped wear IL out