The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-07-25

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gravel from Marion gravel pits only
have the hauling cost added.
Hadden asserted the use of local
gravel cuts out freight cost for the
saving of approximately $4,000 to
$4,000 a mile to taxpayers.
Dust in Public Eye"
This talk about one material be-
ing inferior to the other is just
throwing dust in the public's eyes.
Hadden said. All materials are
found to be a little imperfect at
times. There are places in Indiana
where stone should be used and
places where gravel is better"
"Schmidt's specifications OF
crushed stone or highly screened
gravel would make good concrete
but not as good as those regularly
recommended by the highway com
mission and as applied to local con
ditions," Hoffman said. The vast
! difference Is in price. he claimed.
What we want is open competi
tion," Hoffman said.
Gravel men have termed the
county road specifications to be
monkey specifications because
they are not standard. according tc
Howard Maxwell, assistant manager
of the Maxwell Gravel Company.
Hard for Local Men
Local gravel men could not pos
sibly meet the specifications. They
are made hard for us, so it will
bring the cost above that Of stone
All we want is an equal chance
with stone men. but instead we got
frozen out in the county"
Schmidt's specifications call fol-
nothing over two-inch and allows
only per cent to pass through g
Il inch screen. while the State high
way commission regularly permits
on State roads 212 inch gravel anc
Is per cent through Il inch screen
THE specifications favor the
stone men. Requirements are such
that gravel men could not meet them
without a large expenditure OF
money and time" declared Warren
Santsen, 700 E. Sixty-Fourth St.
who is in the trucking business.
"Schmidt's specifications call for
stone or it's equal, but they do not
designate who is to determine its
equal"
County Commissioner John Nc
Closkey opposed Schmidt's specif
cations, declaring they CLOSED out
Marion County gravel.
Roads Poor"
McCloskey said an inspector Of the
State highway commission last
week condemned fifteen to twenty
carloads Of crushed stone shipped
here for improvement of the Three
Knotch Rd., from the end of S.
Meridian St. to the Johnson County
line. The inspector, who was OBJ
tanned on application of fifty in
terested property owners. rejected
the stone on grounds it was toe
soft, dirty and unwashed. McCloskey
said.
A representative Of the Indiana
Crushed Stone Association, 500
Hume-Mansur Bldg, admitted there
was no question that crushed stone
cost more than gravel. as now
supplied by local gravel concerns.
However. he asserted that highly
screened gravel, as specified by the
county surveyor, would also be more
expensive. He said crushed stone
costs only from $500 to S4OO a mile.
Marion County roads have been
in poor condition due to loose speci-
acations." he claimed. Under loose
specifications there is danger OF
slipping in anything, he said.
Although it takes more care and
expense to get highly-screened gravel
the results are more permanent,
he said.
Streets Affected
City streets also entered into the
question when it was announced a
thorough airing Of the question of
paving on z. Tenth St, between
Sherman DR.. and Emerson Ave.
will take place at a public hearing
to be held at p. m. Friday by the
board of works.
Lawrence Orr, chief examiner OF
the State board Of accounts, which
filed a report that gravel being used
in construction contained too high
a proportion Of dirt and loan. will
be invited to attend.
Frank c. Lingenfelter. city engi,
neer, reported to the board that the
paving is satisfactory and that the
public dispute was stirred up by a
faction of the gravel interests jeal.
Gus of the contractor. the Mead Con-