Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 241, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 October 1915 — KANKAKEE PROJECT UPHELD AT LAPORTE [ARTICLE]

KANKAKEE PROJECT UPHELD AT LAPORTE

Ditch to Cost '5460,000 Sustained By Judge—3,2oo Land Owners Assessed For the Ditch. LaPorte, Ind., Oct. B.—Efforts of property owners assessed for the $500,000 Dixon W. Place drainage ditch in Laporte, St. Joseph, Marshall and Starke counties to knock out the project failed today when Judge James H. Gallaher in the .Laporte circuit court ruled that the remonstrances were void. A motion by those opposing the ditch to dismiss the petition was overruled. Edward O. Craft, of Laporte county, one of the ditch commissioners, resigned and Judge -Gallaher appointed Robert H. Guyer, of St. Joseph county in his place. The report of the commissioners filed several months ago, was referred back to them to make certain changes. The promoters of the project are confident the new report will be accepted by the court and the big ditch will be ordered established. Some of the affected land owners are endeavoring to force the state to pay back money obtained from the sale of Kankakee swamp land originally deeded by the government to the state, the money having been placed in the school fund. The report show stoat 3,200 land owners will be assessed for the ditch. It is estimated the cost will be $460,000 and the benefits $660-000. The Plan is to deepen and widen the Kankakee river and reclaim thousands of acres of land.