Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-04-03

} The state highway commission has des-
ignated $500 miles Of highway for it's
control
II these highways are paved at the
same ratio of cost that prevailed in 1919
they win cost the state S19,811 200 more
than Marion county has demonstrated is
fair price for them
These and other statistics, which show
beyond a doubt that the present high
way commission of Indiana is spending
hundreds Of thousands of dollars for
which the state is not getting value, are
contained in a detailed report of the
operations Of the commission, which has
been prepared for Dr. Carleton B. Nc
Culloch democratic candidate for the
nomination for governor.
DEMANDS AN
INVESTIGATION.
DR.. McCulloch says that the information
furnished him is sufficient to warrant, q
complete investigation of the affairs Of
! the highway commission. and a determi-
nation of why the state is spending so
much money for what appears to be an
inferior type of road paving
Il have frequently been asked why
desired to be governor of Indiana" said
DR.. McCulloch.
1T IS such things as are contained in
this report on the highway commission
that move me to desire that place. I
am led to believe that the taxpayers of
Indiana are being burdened with tre-
mendous load that may be legally i'm
posed, but is neither necessary nor
morally right. l want TO go into the
governors office for the purpose OF
putting an end to such things as the
fayoring of contractors at the expense
of taxpayers, for the purpose Of seeing
that every dollar of state money spent
brings to the state a full measure OF
value"
THE FACTS ON
ROAD PAVING COST.
The comparisons Of the cost of road
paving which have been submitted to DR..
McCulloch disclose:
In 1919 the county of Marion built one
course cement concrete roads twenty
feet wide at an average cost for paving
slab Of $24 Gil q mile and reinforced
them with steel.
The state highway commission built
one course cement concrete roads eight
cen feet wide without reinforcements at
/ a cost of paving of S2a.201 a mile.
Had the county roads been only
eighteen feet vide, it is fair to assert
that they could have been built at a
Z
In this event the difference between
the reinforced cement concrete paving
costs in favor Of the county roads would
! have been $6.191 a mile and the total
saving to the state on the paving of the
] Is 429 miles Of state highways paved
would have been 500. .23s,939.
STATE ROADS
NOT REINFORCED.
This comparison of the cost Of high
rr-o
mission and when done by the Marion
county commissioners is neither exact
net is 1t exaggerated. The difference be-
tween the roads built by Marion county
and the roads built by the state high
way commission is vast. The principle
differences are these
1. County roads of the one course re-
inforced concrete type are reinforced
with steel laid in the concrete.
State roads are not reinforced.
?. County roads of this type run from
Is feet to 30 feet wide. State roads have
heretofore been confined to Is feet.
In none Of these comparisons has the
cost of preparation of the foundation
or subgrade Of the road been considered.
Comparisons are based solely on the
cost Of the actual paving, which is in
accordance with specifications that prove
the county roads to be the better when
they are laid.
WHAT THE COUNTY
DID IN 1919.
Marion county, in 1919, actually built
steel reinforced, two-course cement con
crete pavements at less cost per mile
considering width) than the state high
way commission built its famous one
course, non reinforced cement concrete
road surfaces.
On the unit yard basis Of costs Of
road slab, the county's contractors
would have collected $27126 a mile for
eighteen feet, steel reinforced, two
course cement concrete pavements had
they laid this kind of road where the
state spent s29 POI a mile for one-courss
cement concrete pavement without re-
Enforcement.
In other words, the basis Of pay
ment I'm which the contractors laid two
course, steel reinforced cement concrete
pavements twenty feet wide for Ma
rton county was only 1929 more per mile
than the basis Of payment on which the
contractors laid one-course cement con-
crete. without reinforcement, and only
eighteen feet wide, for the state high,
way commission.
Thus 1t is readily seen that Marion
Continued on Page Two.)