Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 191, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 August 1916 — Judge Barce Renders Decision In Big Ditch Case. [ARTICLE]

Judge Barce Renders Decision In Big Ditch Case.

Elmore Barce, who has been sitting as special judge on the Newton county bench in the Williams ditch case, rendered his decision Monday. The $96,000 ditch is an important system of drainage and drains practically all the country in and around Schneider and west of Momence. The landowners remonstrated, alleging that their assessments were too hugh. After hearing the evidence and going over the land via boat and foot, Judge Barce found that the assessment area was too narrow; that the Williams ditch was practically an outlet for the Marble ditch, which is now under construction; that to avoid too great a burden on the landowners at the lower end of the river next the Illinois state line, the viewers should take in the land along the Marble ditch. Also lands should be taken in along lateral ditches flowing into the Kankakee for some distance up the river. The od report was set aside and the petition was referred back to a new set of drainage commissioners for a new report.