Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 232, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 October 1911 — ASSESSMENTS REDUCED AVERAGE OF 10 PER CENT. [ARTICLE]

ASSESSMENTS REDUCED AVERAGE OF 10 PER CENT.

Special Jsdge Made Redaetha •* Majority es Lands North of Wver —Pond Ditch PmctfeaHa. . ...1., . ■ I ■' Although thtf practicability of the Marble ditch as a public utility had previously beea rnled upon by Special Judge Marvinols finding as recorded in the docket of the Jasper Circuit Court again bbvers this point. The “Finding $ public utility of ditch, etc., that thri? benefits exceed the cost of construc&ft; that ceriain assessments for befibfits be modified; finding against all fSmonstrators except as shown by modification of benefits assessed; hOo*i|ig of cause continued until Oct. 7th.” The court also made record of the death of lilMEtt Spitler, substituting the name of Rebecca C. Spitler, his widow. The special finding reviews all lands owned by remonstrators and either confirms or reduces the assessments. In the main there is a 10 per cent reduction, the lands of the following being affected. Reeves lands, William E. Finney and Fanette Pinney, Fred Haman, A. E. BroWn, Andrew Crawford, Margaret Crawford, same as guardian: of Henry Miller, Ida LePka, A. W. Blanchard,' John Aylsworth, Catharine Ritter, Nettie Applegate, F. Wilhems and Smith, Fred Heimberg, Daniel Wood, Caroline Kreeger, John Brown, Neal Brown, William B. Brown, Thos. and Wm. Netherly, G. W. Lawrence, Jr., Jerome Dinwiddle, Walter S. Nichols, J. B. and H. B. Nichols, Spitler & Berg, Johp Pierc'd, David Dudley, Richard Sayler, Wm. Fisher, Harriett Bryant, Matthew J. Drown, Ada Phipps, George Phipps, Tillotson & Firebaugh, Wm. Lippett, John Coleman, Henry O. Pogue, C. V. Traugh, Wm. F. Cook, Warren Springer, Oscar Rebie, Henry Brady, Michael Denzine, Almira Brodie, Wm. F. and Geo. C. Cook, McWilliams Land Co.y Catharine Kohler, Wm.. and Lizzie Fanslow, Julia and Anna Arndt, Annie Anderson, Chas, and Paul Newchafer, Thos. Collison, Daniel EL Kelley, Bunn & Miller, E. E. Franklin, Spitler, Henry H. Scatterday and the Northern Indiana Land Co. ’

William H. Boyle was granted reduction from $195 to 360. Victoria J. Wells was granted a reduction in Art only. Edward Weson in part - John-Finn a reduction of about 30 per cent. Benjamin J. Gifford was granted a reduction on bortion of lands assessed and on the Chicago & Wabash Valley railroad company from 3498.20 to 3400. The Pittsburg, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railway Co. from 3500.15 to 3300. The assessments of the Lake Agricultural Co. were confirmed. The assessments of lot owners in Shelby were generally confirmed. An assessments of 33.38 on a piece of land owned by Max Ahlgrim was removed and another of 70 cents confirmed. •

Jacob Loesgh.was allowed >2O damages. ’ Jerry Sherwood's assessment was in part only. The attorneys for the remonstrators made motion for a new trial. Thia will probably be argued Saturday, when the court will reconvene. If the new trial is hot allowed, 'as it will probably not be, the Browns and Pinney and‘a few others threaten to appeal. The court will probably appoint a superintendent of construction Saturday. He asked that the names ot qualified men be suggested to him so that he could investigate them. The report of the engineer and commissioners shows that the benefits to be derived from the construction will be >426,908.44. The estimated cost of construction is >328,29111. The changes in the assessments are not sufficient to defeat the project There has already been paid out in preliminary expenses for the ditch >6,985.49. and other expenses that have not been paid will probably ran. the preliminary cbsts up to >IO,OOO. That the construction of the ditch will be of marvelous benefit to the lands assessed Is confidently expected and it is probable that much land that now has practically no productive value owing io the fact that it is wet so much of the time, will be worth >IOO or more an acre when the improvement is completed. It is a forward step in drainage that will reclaim the northern end of Jasper county and the southern epd of Lake and Porter counties, if the Improvement Is eventually carried on to Momence, 111., there will be a still greater advantage to all lands in the Kankakee valley. "V; The contract for the big ditch will