The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1917-06-18
MUELLER IS
ACCUSED OF
NEGLECT IN
INSPECTION
Report Declares He Failed to
Find Discrepancies in Ma
terials in About IS Struc-
lures
CONTRACTORS NAMED

Charging John W Mueller. county
bridge engineer, with gross neglect of
duty In experimenting the construct
ion Of about % bridges throughout the
county the grand jury, in its report
OF the bridge investigation today, ask
ed that steps be taken to force con-
tractors who built the bridges to pay
the amount of damage done through
the use Of material lighter than that
called for In the plans and specifica-
tions of the bridges.
Shortage in material amounting to
$1,075.38, caused by the use OF steel IN
the girders and other parts of the
bridges Of lighter weight than that
called for In the specifications and
damage resulting therefrom amounting
TO $5,71737. making total loss to the
county In the last seven years OF
$6.79275, Is shown by the report Of
three engineers hired by the grand
Jury TO investigate the shortage and
make a survey of the bridges.
Three Engineers Assist.
The investigation of the bridges was
made by Kenneth d. Coffin, of Purdue
university, assisted by County Survey
or Howard Horton, and Fred r..
Charles. city engineer.
Eight contractors and bridge COM
panies are named in the report Of the
engineers, one of the contracts being
let by Randolph county. The largest
single damage in the county according
to the report was on the Murry bridge.
This bridge was built by the Pan
A nr{I ca NAN, - onA oh@uyo1
shortage Of material OF 6,494.15
pounds OF steel. amounting TO $109.50.
resulting in a damage to the bridge OF
S1,11223, making a total loss to the
county Of s1,32173 This company
also built five other bridges coming un-
der the engineers investigation, all of
$82 06 on the White bridge up to that
OF the Murry bridge.
Eight bridges investigated by the
engineers we're built by I. E. Smith,
local contractor. who IL to build the
Main street bridge. All Of these
bridges showed a shortage amounting
to damages ranging from $5440 on re-
pairs to the Bethel bridge to $554.26
on the Smith bridge.
Burke Company Named. ,'.,..
Inc burke CONSTITUTION company,
mentioned in the report in connection
with seven bridges. shows shortage
ranging from $409 in the Kimes-Kline
bridge to $51203 In the John Locke
bridge
Three bridges investigated by the
engineers failed to show any damage
or shortage in material. These were
the Horace Scott bridge, constructed
by j. S. Duke, the Williamsburg
bridge, constructed by r. f. Henley
and company. and the Dalton bridge,
constructed by the Oregonia Bridge
company.
The bridges were all built between
the years 1910 and 1915 and In the
majority Of the cases were. built under
the supervision OF Mueller, mentioned
in the report Of the grand jury as
neglecting his duty,
Here 10 Report.
The complete report of the grand
Jury In connection with the bridge fol.
lows, together with a summary of the
report Of the engineers
The jury has given careful consid
Grafton to the matters presented to it
and has gone very thoroughly INTO the
question Of the building of bridges in
Wayne county during the last few
years. AS result OF our investiga-
ton into this matter, we the Grand
Jury, respectfully submit the follow
rcontinued On Page Ten.l