Jasper County Democrat, Volume 8, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 August 1905 — THE BIG IROQUOIS DITCH. [ARTICLE]

THE BIG IROQUOIS DITCH.

Friday Date for Letting Contract For the Improvement. LARGE NUMBER OF CONTRACTORS ON THE GROUND EARLY. Main Ditch, Pinkamink, Gifford and Davisson Laterals Sold to Stewart & Son, of Kokomo.

Yesterday at 1 o’clock was the time set for the letting of contract for the construction of the great Iroquois ditch, which is to mark an epoch in the history of Jasper county, and is one of the greatest drainage enterprises ever attempted in the county. It has been hanging fire for many years, but it is now hoped that all the difficulties have been overcome and this great improvement which it is expected will drain thousands of acres of land and furnish outlet for many thousands more will be speedily constructed. A large number of contractors were on the ground all week, from four or five different states, and when the engineer offered the work at public outcry the bidders were as follows:

As the bidding was quite long drawn out we give only the two last bids, all the other bidders but Sternberg & Son of Winamac, and H. H. Stewart & Son, of Kokomo, dropping out early in the game. Stewart, rock, 87.25 cents per yard ; earth above rock 9.50 cents per yard; main ditch 6 cents; Pinkamink and Gifford laterals, 6.70 cents; Davisson lateral 820 cents. Sternberg was the same, except 77.50 cents on rock. This is all much less than the estimates. The estimates were sl.lO on rock; 25 cents on dirt above rock; 7 cents on main ditch, and the laterals about 9 cents. (We have not the figures at hand in the laterals.) The other laterals had not been let at time of going to press. Of course The Democrat went to press too early to state which contractors will be awarded the work, as there are many preliminaries to begone through with before final contracts are signed up. The engineer furnished the following information to prospective contractors, to aid them in bidding, which will be of interest to Democrat readers. As a “section” is 100 feet, it is easy for the reader to figure the length of the main ditch and laterals: 1. All bids will be by the yard, and the computation in the record shall settle the yardage. 2. No part of any ditch will be

let until bids are received for all. The ditch is an unit, and all or none will be sold. 3. The main will be sold before any arm, and each arm sold in succession, going up stream. 4. The working sections will be fixed as the work is offered, traveling up stream. The stone work is reported below station 970; the earth work from 0 to 970. 5. Before any bids are accepted they may be revised by lessening the price and increasing the quantity by adding other working sections. 6. The lowest bid, if made good by a certified check or cash equal to 5 per cent., will also become the best bid. This is to secure a contract 7. The contract consists of agreement to do the work and a ’ bond double the amount of the bid to be executed within six days. 8. Each contract will be conditioned to commence work within thirty days from the time means are provided by sale of bonds or assessments, and to complete the lower section in one year from the time means to pay are provided. 9. Contracts for upper sections must be completed in order, none exceeding 18 months. 10. The earth work to be commenced at the upper end; rock work at the lower end of the working sections of main ditch. 11. Read the notice, the suggestions of the committee, and these observations, and make due inquiry before bidding. No upper section can be received until the outlet is constructed.

STATEMENT OF POINTS. The rock work extends from 971 to 1102. The railroad crosses near Parr at 313. Burke’s bridge is at 614. Alter’s mill dam is at 472. The widths are as follows, commencing at its source: 6 ft. from 0 to 274—Kurrie, 8 “ “ 274 “ 372—Swaim. 10 “ “ 372 “ 437—Lakin. 12 “ “ 437 “ 546—Davis’n. 16 “ “ 546 “ 661—Gifford 25 “ “ 661 *“ 878—Pink’i’k. 30 “ “ 878 “ 1027, g’y cut’ff, 35 “ “ 1027 “ 1102—mouth.