Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 October 1900 — The Keener Tp. Gravel Road. [ARTICLE]

The Keener Tp. Gravel Road.

Nothing has been done thus far in the notorious Keener tp., gravel road rottenness more than has appeared in The Democrat. The Otis petition, filed in July, asking the commissioners to do something in the matter of completing that part—four miles —of the road, and to advertise for bids for its completion, using the $9,500 received from the sale of bonds for its construction, and which the petitioners theorize must still be in the county treasury, ns the law expressly says that_the funds must be kept separately for each road, and none of the Otis road had been built—but which have, as a matter of fact, been squandered or illegally paid out with the balance of the construction funds of these roads —is familiar to our readers. Probably to gain a little time, this petition was continued over to the August term, then the board ordered aavertisment for bids for re-letting of contract, bids to be opened on Saturday, Sept. 8. Inquiry at the Auditor’s office a few days latter elicted the information that no bids had been filed, and the only record we find of the commissioners transactions on that day is the allowance of $56.25 quarterly salary to each of the members of the board. The only record made in the matter at the October term, is that it is “continued,’’ no bids having been filed. It is rumored in Keener tp., we are informed, that the commissioners have fixed matters up with Nelson Morris, the millionaire Chicago packer, who is the heaviest taxpayer in the township, whereby he will drop the lawsuit begun in the circuit court here several months ago to enjoin the commissioners from levying and the auditor from placing on the tax duplicate or the treasurer from collecting any further taxes on the Keener tp., gravel roads, which complaint was published in The Democrat at the time suit was filed. The rumor in Keener, says our informant, is that one-half of Mr. Morris’ gravel road taxes are to be rebated to him by the commissioners in consideration of his dropping the the lawsuit. If any such arrangement has been made we have not seen anything of record regarding it, but even had the promises been given it is not likely that the matter would be made public until after the election. For some reason, however, nothing seems to be doing in the Morris injunction case, and it goes over until the next term of court, which is after the fall elec-

tions. Mr. Morris has millions behind him and therefore could push the suit to a finish if he desired, while the little fellow, the poor taxpayer, could only howl, as he would not be able to fight the board of commissioners through court., for they have the county treasury at their back to aid them, hence the necessity of shutting off Mr. Morris. This Keener tp., gravel road matter, outside of the building of the new court house, is probably the rottenest price of business ever carried out in Jasper county. We understand that the roadway was cut down from 12 feet, in width, called for in the specifications, to 10 feet and from 14 or lfi inches in depth to nbout 10 inches, and still all the funds were made way with and four miles of rond is still uncompleted. We believe that considerable money has been paid out of the county funds —in addition to the regnlnr construction funds—on this road for various purposes, contrary to law, and now if it is proposed to rebate taxes of some of the heavy taxpayers in Keener at the expense of the whole county, it is time to rebel. If for no other purpose, an investigation of the county records should be made to uncover this Keener gravel road Rwindle, and, mark our words, if such investigation is made, it will reveal a condition of affairs almost beyond belief.