The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-03-22
MATTERS
CAUSE DEBATING
Council Spends Most of Its
Time Arguing on Two Pro-
posed Improvements.
DELAY Definite ACTION
DISCUSSING NATIONAL ROAD
MATTER COUNCIL WANTS TO BE
CERTAIN IT WILL NOT COST
CITY A PENNY.

Consideration Of public improve
ments required practically the entire
time of council last evening. After
the smoke had blown away. the may
or's gavel tapped and the session ad-
Journed, leaving several councilmen
arguing with each other over the rel
alive merits of the stand which they
had taken on certain questions. AS
far as accomplishments are concern
ed, little but routine matters concern.
Ing improvements, was accomplished.
The two most important public i'm
provements to come before council
were ordinance on second reading,
providing for the improvement Of
North Fifth street from Main to D by
construction of cement sidewalks,
curbs and cutters on both sides of the
street, and a resolution asking for the
approval of council to the improvement
to National Road, within the city linn
its, as proposed under the terms of
the three mile gravel road law.
Discuss National Road.
Some classical consideration of the
Improvement to National road develop
ed. The resolution was presented by
Councilman Waidele and was quite
lengthy. 1t calculated on one point,
which has been bothering council.
This was that il the improvement to
the road, which is within the corpo-
rate limits of the city, cost more than
that part of the road which is located
entirely in the township, and without
the city. then the extra cost of the i'm
provement in the city should be tax
ed against the abutting property own
ers who live in the city.
Councilman Bartel did not seem ia
miliar with the terms of the proposed
improvement and even the resolution.
Wilfred Jessup, who was present, in
ed to explain. He said that it was
not known just what kind of improve
ment would be made. The matter is
now in the hands of the viewers and
they have the power to determine the
exact nature of the improvement. All
that Is known is, that a petition sign
ed by nearly GOO freeholders OF the
city and township is on file in the
county auditors office, asking that the
road be improved by macadamizing,
with tarvia binder and cement retain
ers on either side of the roadway.
Report Next Month.
The viewers will report on or before
April 8, as to carrying out the desires
of the petitioners. Mr. Jessup said
| hot h.
form no opinions until after City En-
gineer Fred Charles had completed sew
eral estimates and could show the rel
! alive cost of different proposed ways
of improving the road, but carrying out
the essential point of the petitioners,
that it be a crushed stone roadway.
Should there be an extra cost for the
improvement in the city, there are two
Ways in which this might be met. One
is for the city to pay for it while the
other is for the city to assess the abut-
ting property owners for their proper
tlonate share of the extra cost. AS to
this, Mr.. Jessup said that all the prop
erty owners had expressed a willing
| ness. to be assessed for their proper
tionate share of the extra cost.
1t was stated that Earlham college
will pay for it's proportionate share of
the additional cost The Earlham
cemetery association officials have al
so agreed to do the same thing.
EnsIebert Was Doubtful.
Councilman Englebert seemed un-
able to understand that the improve
ment would not increase the city taxes,
or result in an expenditure by the city.
The speaker said that the cost of the
improvement would be met by the
township and abutting property own
ers, and that the tax rate of the town
ship would be raised to meet the cost.
which would effect not only citizens of
Richmond, but likewise all those liv-
/ ing in Wayne township. Mr.. Engle-
bert was told that he should not con-
fuse his position in the matter.
| Mr. Jessup advised that council pro-
coed slowly in acting on the resolution,
and the mayor said that such would
be the case. The resolution will be
inspected by the board of works and
council again for final determination.
| Kill earteI Amendment.
Then more smoke developed in the
consideration of the improvement to
North Fifth street. The ordinance
authorizing the improvement was Civ
en- second reading and an amendment
was offered by Councilman Bartel. The
amendment proposed that curbs and
cutters be constructed on both sides
of the street, but that the present
brick sidewalk on the east side OF the
street be left, while q cement sidewalk
replace that on the west side. The
amendment was killed by a vote OF
eight to four: kaufman. King. Weis-
haupt and Bartel, being for the amend