The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-04-21
Plan of Officials to Oil
Streets Running North and
South Between Fourth and
Twentieth Streets.
CLUB COMMITTEE is
MEETING ON MATTER
New Law Gives City Right to
Appropriate for Purpose of
Allaying Dust on Streets
of City.

A resolution inviting all contractors
in the city to furnish bids for oiling
and sprinkling the streets was passed
at the meeting of the board of works
board, City Attorney Bond, Attorney
Wilfred Jessup and Charles w. Jordan
secretary of the Commercial club dis
cussed the question of allaying dust.
The plan which the board is now
South A streets oiled at once. All
streets running north and south be-
tween Fourth street and Twentieth
street will be oiled but the property
| owners will be given an opportunity
to have the work done under private
contract. Unless this is done, the
| board of works will order the streets
oiled and assess the property for the
amount as in cases of public improve
ments.
Urge Imbmediate Action.
Immediate action will be taken as
dust on the streets is becoming a nui-
sance and a menace to public health,
according to members of the board. 1t
is believed that, unless the oiling is
! done under private contract, it will
| be June Is before work can be done
| under contract with the city. Recent
amendments to the law for the clean
| ing, oiling, sprinkling or treatment of
| the streets, are believed to afford
| more direct action than was formerly
allowed. A copy of the revised law
will be obtained by City Attorney
Bond as soon as possible in order to
determine whether or not 1t is neces-
sary to go through the usual forms of
letting contracts.
Mayor Zimmerman and City En-
gineer Fred Charles do not favor
sprinkling macadam or gravel streets,
claiming that, as in the case of rains,
the water thrown on the streets would
be the means of the destruction Of the
roadways. They also believe that the
proposition would be too expensive.
Estimate On sprinkIing.
According to City Engineer Charles,
to sprinkle fifty miles of streets for
twenty weeks during the summer, 1t
would cost not less than $4,000. In
making this estimate teams are placed
at 81 per day. Each team is given
two miles of streets to keep properly
sprinkled for the season. Taking 25
teams at $2S per week for twenty
weeks, it would cost total of $14, 900
for one season, he says.
The board OF. works will ask that all
property owners order the streets
treated in some manner at once in
order that the work will be finished
soon. Several kinds of oils have been
recommended. Gluton is especially
recommended but as this costs almost
three times the cost of ordinary street
oil, it is believed that very little of it
will be used.
According to Street Commissioner
Gem and city officials, very few of the
Richmond streets have been properly
oiled. When the work Is begun this
year. it was suggested at the meeting
Of the board that some one be ap-
pointed to inspect the work of the
contractors and see that the oiling is
properly done. 1t is believed that with
proper oiling, the treatment should
last more than one season.
Should Have Inspector.
'The people complain when the con-
tractors brush off the dust but this
is necessary. A man should be hired
by the city to inspect all streets which
have been cleaned for oiling and de-
termine if all the dust has been taken
off," said street Commissioner Gem.
At a meeting of the public health
committee of the Richmond Com
mercial club a resolution was passed
that the city of1cials be advised to
take advantage of the recent law
passed by the legislature relative to
the oiling or sprinkling Of city streets.
The meeting of the committee was
held this afternoon in the Commercial
club rooms.
Chairman viii Quigg believes ac-
ton should be taken by the author
tiles at this time before the season
becomes too far advanced The law +,
to the Commercial club
officials allows the board of works to |
ask an appropriation for the purpose |
of sprinkling all streets in the city, the |
money then to be taken from the gen.
eral fund, or an assessment prepared |
by the city clerk. The law authorizes |
the city officials 10 order all streets Of |
the city to be sprinkled or oiled while |