The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-10-31
Board of Works Believe Rail-
road Company Wants to
Deal Fairly in West Second
Street Controversy.
is LIKELY THAT VIADUCT
WILL BE BUILT AT ONCE
Company Asks "Squatter's
Rights" on State Street
Which Has Been Practically
Covered by Filling Track.

The amended agreement between
and the city of Richmond relative to
the construction of the West Second
Street viaduct, was filed with the
Board of Public Works yesterday by
Attorney John l.. Rupe. for the rail
road company. AS general PROPOSE
ton the amended agreement does not
materially change the original agree
ment, excepting as to the conditions
that shall be imposed upon both city
and the railroad company. and al
though the agreement was drawn up
in its entirety by the railroad officials
the members of the Board of Works
are inclined to believe that the pro-
visions contained are fair to the city
and that no effort has been made to
give the municipality the little end OF
anything
Division Of Contracts.
The Pennsylvania still agrees that
it will pay 60 per cent of the cost of
the Improvement, which will consist
of two viaducts, one under the Rich
mond division, the other under the In
dianapolis division tracks. but it in
ssts that the construction of the via
duct proper, the structure which shall
support the tracks, is a part OF the
work mhich should and must be left
entirely with the railroad company
and that 1t must be permitted TO let
the contract for this work without
any suggestions from the city. On the
other hand the Pennsylvania company
will relinquish any right 1t may pos
sess under the original agreement to
have any part In the letting of the
contract for the actual street building.
The Pennsylvania will permit the city
to go ahead and attend to this part OF
the general contract and IL will as
sumo the responsibility for the build
ing of the viaduct superstructure. The
city lis to submit TO the railroad conn.,
pany a certified copy of the plans and
specifications for its part of the work
and the Pennsylvania will turn over
to the city the plans and specifica-
tions upon which the contract for the
viaduct is let. This part of the agree
ment is included SO that each party
may know exactly what the other is
doing. The total cost of the two con-
tracts will be apportioned between
the city and the railroad company as
originally agreed, 40 and 60 per cent.
The principal concession asked by the
Pennsylvania is that the city will save
the company from any liability in con-
nection with State street, which par
allels the tracks of the company for a
considerable distance. The railroad
company by reason of its right-of-way
fill has encroached upon the city's
ground. The company evidently does
not see its way clear 10 give up its
.'squatter rights and desires the city
TO relinquish it from any liability re-
sulting therefrom. AS a return conces-
sion the Pennsylvania is willing to
pay the full cost of the retaining
walls of the viaduct.
Agreement is voluminous.
The agreement is voluminous, COW
ering a number of closely type-writ-
ten pages, but the most significant
points involved are outlined above.
No call for special session Of coun-
Gil to consider the matter has been
made and likely it win come before
the council on Monday night at the
regular session. As stated the Board
of Works is favorably impressed with
the proposition because of the fact
that it recognizes that the need for
the opening of West Second Street
is pressing and there evidently must
be some concessions made on both
sides. The west side citizens are anxi-
Gus that the matter shall be closed
up