The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-16
Members Do Not Believe Abutting
Property Should Be Compelled to
Stand the Expense.
MAYORS BOULEVARD PLANS
HE OUTLINES 1T TO THE COUNCIL
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
Different Sections to BE Given Ger
tain observation-disclosures Omcials
Examine Paved Streets.

The Council committee on sewers, streets
and alleys, composed of Councilmen Holli-
day, Expert, Rhodes, Wynne and Wahl,
will report adversely on the ordinances
authorizing the Board of Public Works to
resurface Virginia avenue and East Wash
ington street at the expense Of abutting
property. The committee met last night
to discuss these ordinances. The discus
sion was brief and emphatic.
'T will not support any effort to saddle
the expense of such improvements on abut-
ting property" said Mr.. Rhodes at the out
set 1.-The property owners who have borne
the expense of improving streets, as 1 be-
lieve they should, should not be held up
for the expense repair when the city has
been at fault in not caring for the street
after ii was made If the city had repaired
the streets promptly and properly there
would have been no need of resurfacing."
well, 1 guess we are of one mind on
that" said Mr. Holiday. Mr.. Wahl agreed
with them. Mr.. Wynne however, dissented
He said the city had been at fault in not
caring for the streets, but the only way in
which the streets could now be put in good
condition was through the method which
the board had undertaken. Otherwise
there would be no proper repair, as the city
had not the means to make ii. Mr.. Expert
was not present.
The resurfacing improvements are on
Virginia avenue, from the alley north of
Stevens street to the alley north of Pros
pect street and on Washington street, from
Alabama street to the Union tracks. Both
were defeated by effective remonstrances
before the Board of Public Works, which
was required to gain the approval of the
Council before proceeding with the work.
DRIFT OF PUBLIC POLICY.
The action of the committee is following
the general drift of public policy on street
improving. Mayor Bookwalter has provid-
ed fund of $4,000 for use next year in
reapairing permanently improved streets,
and he has also advocated the enactment
of a charter amendment prohibiting the
reassessment of property for resurfacing
until after the lapse of a certain period of
years His theory is that the city should
be prompt to repair streets and thus make
them last longer and be kept all the time
in first-class condition. But Ii is also true
that If this policy was to be put in force
suddenly there would not be enough money
available to make all the resurfacing and
repairs necessary. Certain streets, it was
felt, should bear another assessment for
resurfacing, and then the city should by
constant application those that are in
good condition gradually bring them all
to high grade.
emergency was sufficient to warrant the
two improvements for which approval was
asked, but it finds that sentiment has be-
come very strong against a continuance
of this policy. The condition of the streets
is an inheritance from the Taggart regime,
which contented itself with repairing them
all together by an annual contract. The
Taggart regime refused to adopt the
prompt-repair system. and when it went out
of power left most of the streets in de-
plorable condition.
The committees decision will doubtless
be approved by the Council. 1t may also
have the effect Of awakening public interest
in the policy of about facing and pro-
viding the means necessary to make re-
pairs on all improved streets as soon as
they are discovered.
The committee also approved the ordi-
nance ratifying the contract between the
Board of Public Works and Crown Hill
Cemetery Company, by which the cemetery
company pays $4,000 as its share of the
construction of the Notwithstanding
sewer. The ordinances changing the names
of Ruth street to Holmes avenue and
Dewey avenue to Andrews street were ap-
proved.
The ordinance providing for a fagman at
East North street and the Big Four tracks
was approved by the committee on rail-
roads.