The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-03-13
Officials Do Not Know Wheth-
er the Recent City Con-
tracts Will Be Held to Be
Valid or Not.
MANY NEW FEATURES
CONTAINED IN ACT
Board May Order Property
Owners to Build Sidewalks
At Their Own Expense-
New Official Plum.

The board of public works Is In
something Of Quandary as the result
of the Thornton street paving act.
This measure became effective with
the signature of the governor and
now applies to all public improve
ments relating to the construction OF
a pavement and side walks. The law
repealed parts Of the old Law and IL
quite drastic in some OF Its features.
The advice of the city attorney Will
be sought, as the board does not know
whether the contracts for improve
ments awarded recently will be held
valid or not.
One of the most interesting points
in connection with the law is that pc
titioners shall name the kind Of ma
terial that goes into the pavement. A
majority petition shall rule In each
instance. In case of q remonstrance
the Improvement cannot be made ex-
cept by special order of council by
means of an ordinance. II must bo
passed by a two-thirds vote Of council
and approved by the mayor. II with
in seven days from the date the Inn
provement Is ordered the majority OF
the free holders affected have desig-
mated the kind of pavement for which
bids shall be received. the city must
be governed.
Action Taken on Bids
II the kind 10 not specified. Within
ten days after the conclusion OF the
first seven the board shall go ahead.
II no award is made within the ten
days. all bids shall be treated m re-
jected and the city shall re-advertiss
for bids. After new bids have been
received the preliminary order desig-
mating the kind of pavement to b
used shall name the kind designated
by any majority petition filed within
the seven days period for filing peti-
tions, after the first bids were receiv-
ed
II the board shall desire to improve
or repair any sidewalk or sidewuaks
in the city. and shall adopt a final
resolution therefore. the board may.
IL
quire the owners Of abutting property
to construct or repair their own side
walks. designating in such order the
kind of sidewalk to be constructed or
the character of repairs required.
Thirty days is given In which the
property owner may construct the
sidewalk. Should any property owner
fail to do SO. the board may cause
the work to be done by independent
contract.
New Political Plum.
The law, also. will serve to create
new political plum-a city contrac-
tor At the first OF each year this con-
tractor Is to be named When q prop
| erty owner fails to put down the walk
as required. this contractor gets the
job.
| Public Improvement contractors arc
to be entitled to monthly estimates
ON work being done. The board shall
issue to the contractor certificates
for SIS per cent Of the amount shown
by the estimates to be due. Last year
two large jobs went beggin& In this
city because the old Law prohibited
partial payment for public improve
ments. Few contractors cared TO un-
dertake q big Job, knowing they must
wait until 1t was finished before they
could get any money I'm payment.
| The act says such certificates shall
be negotiable. II was the purpose Of
this provision to put the financially
weak contractor on an equal footing
with his stronger brother. II IL point
ed out. however. that when . work is
completed. II property owners should
find reason for Withholding approval
OF the assessment roll. and Herewith
payment to the city. the banker who
had discounted the certificates would
be without recourse The contractor
In such an emergency. II he chose to
do NO more than the Law required.
could force the hank to stand such
loss, while he made away with IS per
cent.
0arrett law AFFECTED.
Besides the provision that paving
shall be specified before bids are re-
ceived. the act carries other provis-
ions affecting especially the Barrett
law. the combined effect Of which is
to make Barrett Law bonds gilt ede-
led Investments A provision which -
Iregarded ~ drastic by the peoperty
towner burdened With 1uluruye1Dsnts
IL that which says propsEfy a1a1 -
sold when the paymeat ~ say fn1n1l.
ment under the Barrett 1hW koeess
Idelinquent This Is psUvfsjua 49,
which the loan sharks win faften- u