The Indianapolis times., 1928-05-26
RESIDENTS TO
SEEK MEANS To
FORCE SERVICE
State Highway Director
Refuses Permit for
Tearing Up Road.
800 PERSONS AFFECTED
Indiana Central College Is
Among Seekers; Meeting
Is Called.

~ SSAiOAs
John D. Williams, State highway
director, today refused to bulge
from his declaration that the Citi-
zens Gas Company cannot lay mains
alongside Madison Rd. paving to
serve more than 800 persons in Uni
versity Heights.
Upon his declaration University
Heights leaders declared they would
see what could be done to force
action.
Williams prohibits laying of the
mains within eleven feet of the paw
ing, so the BERN (the earthen
shoulder would not be destroyed.
Fears Ruin of Paving
"There is ample space for the
Citizens Gas Company to lay the
gas mains outside the BERN of the
road and I can see no reason why
more than $4,000 of pavement
should be ruined when it is not
necessary. Williams said.
This statement came as a result
of the complaint of residents OF
University Heights and the Univer-
Sity Heights Civic League that Will
liamS had for two years been block
ing the laying of the mains through
his order that the BERN cannot be
penetrated to permit the placing of
the piping.
Naturally want the people in
University Heights to have gas" the
highway director said. "But 1 can
not see where any one will profit
when an expensive pavement is
ruined to place the mains and then
the State turns right about and ap-
propriates money to repair road
way which was laid to last many
years.
Damaged BrookvilIe Road
without permission the gas COM
pany tore the BERN of the Brookville
Rd. and ruined perfectly good
road. All that am endeavoring to
do is to protect the Madison Rd.
against the same damage sustained
by the Brookville Rd.'
'The Citizens Gas Company did
not in any manner injure the
Brookville Rd.," Kirk declared in
answer to this charge.
''It is true that we placed the
mains without permission but it was
through an error which we sought
to remedy by asking permission.
This was refused us.
"'Ihere was crack in the road
east of Ritter Ave. before the men
dug the ditch, and they reported
that water ran out from under the
macadam into the ditch from the
very road itself, and this in all
probability caused the injury to the
road" Kirk charged.
Mains Wait on Siding
Gas main valued at $4,000 are
waiting on sidings to be put into
position upon the obtaining of per-
mission from Williams to proceed
with the work, Clarance l.. Kirk,
general manager of the gas company
said.
"If we laid the mains along the
logical route they would be placed
down Madison Rd. to Lowrance ST.,
the southern boundary of University
Heights and in iris manner we
could serve the 344 homes that need
the service. Any other routing would
miss forty-nine homes for which gas
have been asked.
Bond Is Refused
"If we followed Williams order
which called for the installation
eleven feet outside the BERN of the
road it would mean the tearing up
of lawns along Madison Ave" Kirk
said.
He added that he offered to place
a bond of $4,000 to repair the road
BERN and return it to its original
condition and provide the upkeep
of the road for five or ten years.
1--WE don't want his bond," Will
liams declared when told about it,.
What we want is to keep the road
intact. The gas company should
not be permitted to ruin a road, be-
cause no matter how well the pave
ment is repaired after the BERN is
torn up, the road remains faulty"
"It is a case of downright con-
trariness of the highway commits
sion. John D. Williams owns the
roads and the taxpayers have moth
ing to say about the MATTER" Kirk
said.
one of the seekers of gas is the
Indiana Central College which
needs the fuel for its laboratories
and buildings.
Property Owners Irate
Irate over the ruling Of the high
way director, University Heights
residents will hold mass meeting
Thursday night at the home of Paul
Trees. on Lawrence Ave-, to decide
on a course of action.
The meeting has been called by
William McClish, University Heights
Civic League president, and a COM
mittee composed of Trees, Sable,
Finch, Russ Berry, Kenneth Smith
and w. H. Finch, will report to the
citizens on some plan of action.
Citizens of the neighborhood
threatened a march on Williams
office and demand action.