Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-03-11

conducting a fight for lower asphalt
prices and who has locked horns with
Mr.. Freeman and Dr. Spencer because
he resisted their efforts to ELIMINATE con-
crete from the materials specified in paw
ing resolutions, was not at the confer
ence. He said he had not been invited
and had not even heard of 1t.
Mr. Coffin and the other board members
offered no explanation for keeping news
paper representatives out of the confer
ence.
RESOLUTIONS CALL FOR
NO PARTICULAR BRAND.
The Marion County Construction Com
pany was the low bidder on the Parker
avenue and Eighteenth street jobs. The
company submitted prices on both oil and
Trinidad sasphalt. Technically this was
unnecessary because the paving resolu-
lions do not call for a particular kind
Of asphalt. In order to break an al
legged Trinidad combine the last board of
works more than three years ago did
away with specifications specifically nam
ing Trinidad asphalt and adopted instead
a set of requirements which any reliable
brand of asphalt would meet. Oil as
phaIt easily came within these specif-
cations City engineers said that i put
down according to these requirements oil
asphalt would make just as good pave
ment as Trinidad asphalt. Oil asphalt
costs much less than Trinidad in general.
Should the board of works go through
with a preliminary order specifically
naming Trinidad asphalt it will be the
first time a particular brand of asphalt
has been mentioned in any record origi-
mating with the board of works since
the specifications were thrown open by
the Jewett administration.
LOW BIDS
1901 AND $50
In his recommendations upon the bids
on Eighteenth street and Parker ave-
nue. the city civil engineer merely rec
commended that preliminary orders be
made for asphalt" He went on, how
ever, to state that a low bid of S3O1
a square yard had been received upon
Eighteenth street and 500 a square
yard on Parker avenue, and that he
thought these prices were fair. He has
contended that instead of $40. which
bids received Feb. 20 from the Marion
County Construction Company figured,
/ a fair price would be from $3.50 to So.
Other contractors on Feb. 20 submitted
prices correspOndingly as high as those
Of the Marion County company. The
Marion County company is the first to
cut prices.
1t was thought that when this com
pany cut its price down to almost SO
that Mr.. Elliott's fight for fair prices
was one, but observers thought diff
ferently after the closed-door back room
conference with the contractors and the
temporary refusal Of the board TO make
a preliminary order which would insure
for the city the advantage of the $S.01
and $500 bids.
Mr.. Elliott recommended preliminary
orders for asphalt" The prices named
in his recommendations were based on
the oil asphalt bids OF the Marion
County Construction Company. BY
making the preliminary order for Trim
dad asphalt" the board of works would
express intention of accepting the Marion
County Construction Company's Trini-
dad bid, which was approximately 80
cents higher a square yard.
When this difference in price was sug
gested to Mr.. Freeman he said: Con
sidering the two materials we think that
Trinidad is far cheaper"
DR.. Spencer said that he thought oil
asphalt pavements would not last as long
as Trinidad pavements, and that he much
preferred that the board use Trinidad.
One recommendation OF the engineer
was concurred II by the board. This
was that all bids be rejected upon the
permanent improvement Of Chester street
from Michigan to Walnut STREETS because
they were too high. The lowest bid,
which again was by the Marion County
Construction Company upon oil asphalt,
figured $3.50 a square yard.
EAST PROSPECT STREET
ASKS FIRE PROTECTION.
Before going into the conference with
the contractors the board received a dele
cation of about $50 members Of the East
Prospect Street Improvement Association,
who presented a petition signed by 1000
persons, asking for water for fire pro-
lection; extension of the Prospect street
car line from Keystone avenue to Sherman
drive, and domestic electric service In
the territory roughly founded by Key
stone, Bethel and Southeastern avenues
and Sherman drive. This section com
prises Norwood and LOvetown, chiefly
populated by negroes. and a new white
residential neighborhOod to the southeast.
The delegation was led by Franklin
McCray and Everett VI. Schotield. 1t was
Significantly mentioned to the board that
OF the 5000 inhabitants Of the section,
1000 are voters.
Miss Ada d. Harris, negro school
teacher, was so pleased with the recep-
ton accorded the delegation, which was
chiefly negroes, that she wanted to lead
a prayer or a song but the board politely