South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-12-12
MAYOR PROPOSES
AMENDMENTS To
THE PAVING LAWS
Keller and Department Heads
Agree on Set of Regulations
Give More Latitude to Local.
tiles Proposing Improvement

Several suggested amendments to
present state paving laws will be pre-
sented at the next session of the In
diana legislature, if plans set afOot by
Mayor Keller, City Engineer Moore
and other municipal authorities are
successful According to these men
the present laws in certain instances
are unfavorable to property holders
as well as TO the cities in which i'm
prOVements have been started.
In accordance with the wishes Of
Mayor Keller and other men in the
city, the city engineer has drawn up
set of suggestions upon portions of
the state laws, which after "A consul
tatiOn between the heads of the vari-
Gus departments of the city will prob
ably be turned over to Charles Hag-
erty and George Y. Hepler, this coun-
tvs representatives, and @. r. Sum
mers, senator, for presentation at the
1915 state assembly.
The first portion chosen for criti-
ciSm was the section wherein is de-
scribed the materials from which
pavementS should be constructed. This
section sets forth that all pavements
in civic Improvement shall be made
of one of four sorts of surfaces
wooden blocks all of which shall be
laid upon concrete surfaces.
That fact that q concrete base is
demanded in all cases excepted to by
the men interested in the proposed
amendments, who claim that in.
streets where the traffic is not heavy
enough to warrant a concrete base, an
injustice is born by the property own
ers who are assessed for it's cost of
construction. They assert that the
ideal law would be one where each
and every city would be authorized TO
construct and improve streets in a
manner suitable to local conditions.
Except to Restrictions.
Exception is taken TO the law which
states that no Improvement shall be
installed where the total assessment
to the individual property holder will
exceed 80 percent of the aggregate
value of the property assessed for
taxation. 1t is claimed that this sec
ton prohibits the Improvement in
many cases of streets which are laid
out in the newer portions of cities. 1t
is declared that this section not only
prevents the construction of pove-
ments but in many cases the construc-
tton of sidewalks and curbingS as
well. 1t is suggested that the section
be amended so as 10 give local works
boards the right to improve any
street where it was decided that that
Improvement would be a public util-
ity and the cost would not exceed the
benefit 10 the real estate. Where the
resident property holders file a peti-
ton for Improvement, it is asked that
the boards in charge supervise that
Improvement
Another amendment asked is one
that will more clearly define the pow
ers Of a works board in cases where
property holders petition for a GER
tain kind of material for pavement of
the kinds that are allowed by the law.
Il is claimed by the local men that
the section in question allows the
residents too much freedom, in that
a good promoter would be able TO cir
culate a petition for his certain class
of pavement regardless Of its adapt
ability for the street to be improved.
Other Sections Criticised.
other sections of the state law
which are criticised are the manner
in which contractors receive pay for
work done: the permission of grad
ing without other Improvement, and
the manner in which monthly INSTALL
ments on assessments are paid
In the latter section the law states
that if a property holder pays his as
sessment by the 10-year installment
plan he must pay the interest for the
full 10 years regardless Of when the
fun assessment is paid. / tbs request
ed that this section be changed so that
If the full assessment is paid before
the expiration OF the 10-year period.
interest will stop at the time of pay
ment
These suggestions will be thor
oughly discussed in meetings 10 be
held in the near future said Mayor
Keller. before they are turned over
to representatives in this district for
presentation at the next legislature"
ELWOOD.- Mrs Anna SchrOck
asks for $1,000 alimuny and a divorce
because John Schrock sticks TO his