The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-07-29
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PAVING TIEUP
THREATENED IN
MATERIAL WAR
Concrete Asphalt Feud at
City Hall May Affect
100000 Program.
BY EDWIN V. oNEEL

Tieup Of the 100000 street paw
ing program for the remainder of
the season will be threatened If the
concrete-asphalt paving feud con-
tinues at city hall, City Engineer A.
Il. Moore declared today.
Asphalt Il terests have brought suit
against the city to restrain the
works boaft from proceeding with
the paving o. Shepard street, charg-
ing that specifications. permitting
Ons-course psvements, are not &C
cordine to the state paving statute.
Attorney Merle n. A. Walker de-
clareo the city will be enjoined in
other projects under present speci-
fications.
Moore expressed the belief the
pr1ce Of asphalt never will be re-
duced sufficiently to make possible
laying of asphalt streets as cheaply
as concrete. Moore frequently speci-
fed asphalt on main thoroughfares
where concrete is not considered ad-
visable.
The asphalt contractors have
large investments and naturally will
not idly sit by letting all the streets
so for concrete. I don't know the
solution for the situation" Moore
said.
Owners Are Target
Under the present paving laws
the resident property owners have
the only voice IN petitioning for
preference Of material, making the
property owners the target of mate
rial promoters who grant minor
favors for their signature on a petit
ton to the board to award the con-
tract for their favored material.
Many a driveway has been paved
and wagon loads OF material given
to residents in return for their
signatures. In cases where one
property owner controls the Situa-
ton, contractors and promoters
have been reported to have paid the
assessment in order to save the
job"
Hendricks KenWorthy. Portland
Cement Association promoter and
Ninth ward Democratic Sub-chair-
man, is a thorn IN the side of the
asphalt material promoters because
Of his constant presence at city hall.
Kenworthy, long a strenuous party
worker, was active in the last cleo
ton and has been consulted N the
capacity of politician on selection
of personnel for several city jobs.
Personal Friends
Eight Of the forty inspectors in
the engineering department are resi-
dents of the Ninth ward, but none
we're recommended for that post di-
rectly by Kenworthy, according to
E. Kirk Mckinney, works board
chairman and ex-city chairman in
the last campaign Kenworthy was
active on behalf Of several job-hun-
CRY Democrats in his ward, but did
not recommend precinct workers for
any specific jobs in the inspection
department which finally passes on
city paving improvements, McKin-
ney said.
"Kenworthy and I have been per-
sonal and political friends for years,
but We do not discuss matters per-
tanning to the Portland Cement AS
ISOLATION. When I went on the
board of works I told him that the
only way our friendship could con-
tinue was for us never to discuss
concrete paving matters, and we
haven't" Mckinney declared.
i've been approached a dozen
times by persons interested in see
ing more asphalt streets laid here,
ard because I'm not favoring them
they charge that I've allied with
the cement interests" Mckinney
said.
THE asphalt interests never have
obtained contracts merely because
they bid low on the jobs. The ce-
ment association maintains its own
engineering staff and inspectS streets
in an effort to build better pave
ments." Mckinney asserted.
Covers Large Territory
Chief Inspector William Hon said
he had known KenwOrthy twenty
five years out that the concrete pro-
moter had never interfered in any
way with his department.
I'm not going tC get mixed up in
any sphalt-concrete war and II
should hear of any inspector par
ticipating IN the fight would take
it up with the board at once" Hon
declared.
Mayor Reginald H. Sullivan point
ed out that the Ninth ward covers
a large territory and that all Ninth
ward appointments we're not recon-
mended by KenV Orthy.
THE ward was divided into three
divisions, In the last city election and
KenUOrthv mad charge of one of