The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-08-25

period of four years and cannot be
changed now for three years.
Mayor Robbins turned down Coun-
Gilman O'Nieps proposal that 81 900 be
taken from the $4,000 crushed stone
fund and added to the $4,000 hospital
fund.
Il know the hospital is a blessing
to the city," Mayor Robbins replied.
But If the hospital is finding expen-
ses increased, so has the city found
that 1T has to squeeze at every corner
to make both ends meet. The hospital
Is good institution and does much
charity work. The charges are lower
than hospitals elsewhere. I am friend
of the hospital but the city cannot at
this time give more aid"
Councilman Russell proposed that
the $4,000 allowed in the budget for
crushed stone be .altered to include
binder for macadam streets. He
showed how improved streets are worn
by the absence of binder.
Complain Of Streets.
This opened discussion of the pres
ent condition of streets where the
Light, Heat and Power company is
searching for leaks in gas mains
Frank Howells of the Fifth ward COM
planned against the condition of East
Main street where excavations have
appeared every ten or fifteen feet
1T is not so much that l object to
the excavating, but it is the condition
of the streets after the company has
restored them" Councilman Howells
said. 1T would be saving for the
city to appropriate $500 or $1,000 as
salary to street inspector to see that
brick and macadam streets are proper
~ restored. A few years ago the city
employed inspectors to watch the
work. The water works and gas COM
pany repaid the city the $500 the in
spector received. On east Main street,
tnere seems to be leak in every con-
nection of the line"
Clerk Bescher stated that there were
tWenty-nine petitions in the engineers
office to make excavations. one Of
which was to dig up South Sixteenth
street which was completed Just three
days before the petition came in. He
also stated that the gas company is
reported to be losing thirty-three per
cent of it's product through faulty
plumbing in the mains.
Bond Suggests Plan.
The city attorney suggested that all
property owners along streets to be
improved should be notified in ample
time before the improvement and the
water works and gas companies should
also be given notice. Then unless gas
and water connections are made at
least up to the curb of every property
whether occupied or not, the city could
refuse to permit excavations for this
purpose until the street had worn
down.
After advising council that the prop
erty owners are partly to blame for
excavations by their failure to have
the gas and water connections made
when streets are torn up, Mayor Rob
bins said that an ordinance should he
drawn up giving the city some recon-
pense for the excavating He referred
the matter to the committee on sew
ers, streets and alleys for further in
vestigation.
Alfred Bavis advanced the belief
that companies should be placed nm
der partial bond. This would be sub
Ject to collections unless excavations
were restored in twenty-four or forty
eight hours, the allotted time. He said
the board could not have repairs all
over the city rolled with one street
roller and that the price of another
was included in the budget.
Council then decided to meet again
next Monday night for further consid-
Grafton of the problems which arose
last night