Jasper County Democrat, Volume 1, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 March 1899 — Still Coming Home to Roost. [ARTICLE]

Still Coming Home to Roost.

During the latter part of the recent political campaign in this county, The Democrat showed up the Keener tp. gravel road matter and was roundly denounced by the republican papers and ringsters as a liar, anarchist and possibly a Spaniard. The figures contained in that statement were taken from the county records and were absolutely correct, and now, like all other statements made by The Democrat for which it was roundly denounced, like the tax cases, stationery steal, balances due on court house, $4,000 loan, and many other utterancee, this also is being brought to the notice of the public and shows that it was the other fellow who lied. The contract was let for this sixteen miles of gravel road two years ago last Wednesday, for $31,500. Bonds were issued for $31,858. In the statement published in this paper last October $13,209.27 had been paid on account of this 16 miles of road and less than 2 miles was oompleted. Since that time probably $2,000 to $2,500 more has been paid, and we were reliably informed

by a resident of that locality Thursday that about 3 miles was now completed. The bond of the contractor, it will be remembered, “mysteriously disappeared.” The people of Keener’ ~ have paid (including the present) two installments of taxes on these bonds, $2 on each SIOO valuation and yet have no road. Copies of the statement published in The Democrat were sent to the benighted township of Keener for distribution previous to election, but like the contractor’s bond, they were mysteriously delayed until after election, when they “arrived” at the destination and were received by the addresses all right. The Keener people nearly all vote ’er straight, and we presume even now are thanking God they are permitted to vote the republican ticket and pay for a gravel road which does not exist. The commissioners have at last decided that something must be done about this gravel road matter, and the case was up before them Thursday, when a number of people from Keener were here, in eluding the contractor. A new contract was made with Mr. McGinnis by which he agrees to allow the commissioners to appoint a superintendent over him who is to give bond for the faithful performance of his duties, expend all moneys paid him by the board in the payment of material and labor and push the construction of the road to completion as rapidly as. possible. We are informed that one of the bondsmen remarked that it was probable that they (the bondsmen) would have to pay about $5,000 oat of their own pockets to complete the road. If everything was moving along so smoothly in this matter, as stated by the republican papers and ringsters here daring the campaign, why was this move made? The weather has been such a greater part of the time since the election as to make it impossible for the contractor to do much, and it would seem that he should have been allowed plenty of time to complete she work, instead of practically tin owing him over and putting a new man in his place. The Democrat is led to believe—if it accepts the ante-election gospel truths (?) of its contemporaries—that a great injustice is being done the contractor, and the commissioners should be severely ! censured for deposing him.