Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-11-10
STREET PAVING
SUBJECT VEXES
MAYOR JEWET1
Did Question of Repairing Be-
tween Tracks Bobs Up.
Again.

The question Of compelling the Indian
epolis Street Railway Company TO pave
between it's tracks in Illinois street be-
tween Maple Road and Forty Sixth street,
Inherited from the administration Of
Mayor Joseph z. Bell. arose again today
TO vex the administration of Mayor
Charles W. Jewett For almost four year:
the Jewett administration has talked
about making the utility pave this
stretch but always the excuses Of the
company have been accepted and no pen
atty imposed for the violation of an order
for the paving which has been on the
books OF the board all this time.
While the center of the street has been
left unpaved serious damage has re
suited TO the pavement on both sides,
put down a bare five years ago. Under
ordinary circumstances the street should
last fifteen TO twenty years. Property
owners now see cracks and holes ap-
paarinZ which probably will shorten its
Life to only half the normal time. The
edges Of the pavement next to the I'm
paved section IN the center are being
damaged by having big chunks bitten of
when the wheels Of heavy vehicles slide
from the pavement to the cinders in the
unpaved section. After every rain big
puddIes Of water stand in the unpaved
portion and the moisture runs under the
paved portion, gradually undermining the
base. Engineers say that this will to-
tally destroy a street IN a very short
time
But the pleas of property owners have
resulted In absolutely nothing. The
board of works latest excuse is that the
street railway just isn't paying between
tracks any more until 1t is definitely
z%nh 81 -ha<h h1u m ha
new regulatory ordinance passed by the
city council in lieu OF the surrendered
franchise.
The problem came up IN q new way
today when the board received from the
Republic Construction Company, con-
tractors who laid the pavement outside
the car tracks more than five years ago,
long, determined Communication taking
the board to task for ordering the COM
pany to make some renairs upon the
street. The letter points out that the
contractor repeatedly, while the street
was under construction, tried to get the
board Of public works to compel the
street railway just isn't paving between
ter section and was assured that this
would be done. Specifications and con-
struction OF the outside portions of the
street were made with the presumption
that the center section was to be paved,
that is, there was no provision asked for
BIZ the board Of works or made by the
cor tractor to prevent damage to the pave
rnent- from the fact that the car tracks
were left unpaved, the letter states.
Therefore, the letter says in effect, the
board OF works and not thu contractor
are responsible for most Of the flaws
now developing. The board is again
urged to compel the street railway COM
pany to finish the street.
The letter closes with three ultima.
tums: --------
/. The Republic Construction Company
refuses to repair the street unless the
bosrd Of works holds a conference with
the company, the street railway company
and other city officials and proves that
such repairs as are asked for are in.
places where faulty workmanship or ma
terials are responsible.
?. The contractor demands that the
board release S5.426S1 in Barrett law
Londs due the contractor, which the
board has held longer than the legal five
year guarantee period. If they gre not
delivered the contractor will sdei'8Sr
them. ''.r
the bill Of more than $4,000, which the
con actor fled several years ago for
extra st in constructing the street due
to thS days OccasiOned by failure of the
board to make the street railway COM
pany act If the bill is not paid tue
contractor viii sue --------r-- -
The board took the matter under ad
yisement