Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 232, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 September 1919 — JASPER COUNTY MAKES PROGRESS [ARTICLE]

JASPER COUNTY MAKES PROGRESS

THIS COUNTY TAKES PLACE AMONG FOREMOST IN THE STATE. Jasper county is rapidly rising to the top of the column in, the list of the counties in the state in the matter of agricultural production. It has risen in the last twenty-five years frqm a place near the bottom of the list until now it stands third. This wonderful‘progress has been made on account of the- industrious citizenship and efficient public spirited county officials. -- Our farmers have toiled incessantly to improve their farms. They have felled the trees, cleared the land of stumps and rocks and have constructed open and tile ditches. They have increased the quantity and quality of their live stock. Splendid farm residences have been erected. Large barns, implement buildings and garages have been built. Farms have been fenced, in most cases with hog-tight fances. In conjunction with the work of our wide-a-Vake, progn4|Mve farmers has come the work of communities. Great public “ Mbrovements have been made. of our beautiful and splendidly equipped court house has enhanced in value every.,, acre .of land in . the county. This elegant structure makes a splendid impression upon our visitors, as well as Upon our prospective citizen. This improvement at the time of its erection was bitterly and the officers who were in charge were severely criticized. Time has proved their wisdom and ad-verse-criticism has changed to praise and 'thankfulness. ~ The first, election held in this county to decide Whether the first gravel road should be built or not was fought bitterly. The election caried by a very small margin. That was the foundation and the beginning of the splendid system of improved roads. Mile after mile of gravel or stone roads have-.been added. They have been built under every law upon the statutes. Many miles have been constructed by enterprising township trustees assisted by his fellow township men who have donated a portion of their work. Thousands upon thousands of "dollars have been spent yearly by the county in keeping these roads repaired. Townships which have until recently had but little or no miles in this system have cheerfully paid their yearly assessments to maintain these improved roads. Thousands of dollars have been spent in draining this county. Notable among these improvements are the construction of the Iroquois ditch and the enlarging and straightening of the Kankakee river. The number of acres reclaimed and made valuable by this last improvement in the northern part of ‘the county is very large and the land reclaimed is very valuable. The construction of the Olive* ditch, which is now under way, will be of great benefit and will make productive many thousands- of acres of land. Well informed citizens and tax payers say that the construction of the proposed Ryan ditch will be a most excellent investment for the tax payers affected. The improvement in the schools in this county has kept pace with the advancement along other lines. A few consolidated rural schools are now in operation. One is now being constructed. Splendid high schools' have been» established at Tefft, DeMotte, Wheatfield and Fair Oaks. Modern buildings have been ferecte* at these places. 'v The individual, the communities and the county as a whole have more than kept pace with the progress ofjEhe time. Some disappointment has been expressed by representative citizens and tax payers at the action of the county council in 'killing all of the petitions presented to it by the county commissioners for the petitioners under the county unit law. 1 Many of our best men and largest tax payers say that in the roads presented to the council there were a —number"' “that — should have —been acted upon favorably. These’men say that the acted in good faith under a law passed by the Indiana genej-al assembly, the members of which were the representatives of the people. This law provided for action by the county commissioners and the county council. The commissioners went over the proposed roads as the Jaw provided. They were unanimous in recommending a dumber of the roads. There were no remonstrances filed, but the county council failed to go over these roads and inspect them, as the people, by their representatives in the legislature, had provided in the wording of the law, which reads as follows-! “And I such county council shall then view I the premises and examine -the petition fijed and determine whether or not the improvement contemplated and recommended by the commissioners would be of public utility; and if the council, by a majority vote, shall decide that it would be of public utility to Improve the highway or any part thereof, as prayed • V ; V -• • t '

for in the petition, then the board of commissioners may proceed under the provisions of this act.” There are a number of connecting links which well informed men of county say that there is every reaand doing so under the provisions of this county unit law. It is reported that a number of the county councilmen are opposed to the law. Officials are, representatives of the people and as such are bound by the laws. The construction of the roads under the county unit law should be decided upon the one point, that of “public utility.” Complaint was made that Marion ang Carpenter townships were not included in the petitions before the council. That is true, 'but these two townships have had the suppprt in the upkeep for years from townships which have not had improved roads. Milroy township has paid as much to keep up these roads as her potitinna called for expenditures on her roads proposed to lie improved under the county unit law. And this is more true of many other townships in the county. With the coming of, the automobile and the auto truck, roads are no longer matters of township concern. They become more extensive in their usefulness and, therefore, should be built and maintained by a larger unit than the township. - Thp government, recognizing the value of good roads, is assisting the states and they in turn, are planning large state systems. Carpenter township will receive more miles of improved roads under the proposed state highway law than any other township in the county. Have the other townships objected to this? Yet the dollar of property in Milroy township will have to pay the same tax to construct this road in Carpenter township as the dollar of- property in Carpenter township. t The last Indiana legislature passed a splendid state highway law. This law stands in the same relation to the counties as the county unit law stands to the townships. , In as far as the county council to seek out and sanction the 1 construction of these roads or parts of roads Which would have been of “public utility;” they have failed to to be representative of a people .who have stood for progress and 1m- ! provement and have placed Jasper county in the forefront of the counties of the state. ..... :.. - ■k ' •■■■■■* V-