Jasper County Democrat, Volume 8, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 September 1905 — ENGINEER LEWIS REMOVED [ARTICLE]

ENGINEER LEWIS REMOVED

Surveyor Price Appointed in His Stead by the Commissioners. CONTINUED NORSE PUT IN THE IROQUOIS OITCH MATTER. Anything To Contrary Judge Thompson, Seems To Be the Slogan.—To Be Re-Sold September 29.

The September term of com missionere’ court adjourned Thursday afternoon. Practically all of Wednesday and Thursday was taken up in whip-sawing the Irovuois ditch, and finally the following order was made in this to be great improvement which the people effected thereby are anxiously and impatiently waiting for: •‘W. L. Lewis, engineer, having performed the duties for which be was appointed and filed a report of his proceedings therein, is discharged and directed to file an itemized account of his per deim and expenses with the auditor. And the board now fixes upon Friday, the 29th day of September, 1905, as the day upon which the contracts for the construction of the ditch shall be let. And the hoard now designate and appoint Myrt B. Price, surveyor of Jasper county, engineer to attend and conduct the sale of said improvement and file contracts and report thereon, as provided by law, and to superintend the construction of the improvement; and he is directed to file bond as such engineer in the sum of £5,000. And the auditor is directed to cause a certified copy of this order to be delivered to W. L. Lewis." So far as The Democrat is able to learn none of the petitioners, who have this ditch to pay for, were asking for the removal of Mr. Lewis, and it was generally -believed and understood by the petitioners and by the engineer himself that he was appointed to not only conduct the sale but to superintend the construction of the ditch. He went to the expense of securing a $5,000 bond in a surety compapy. bad studied the work and is familiar with its details, and it seems to us that it is mighty bad policy—for the ditch owners —to make any change now, at least until the sale is made The commissioners claim, and the record, it seems, was so made up, that Lewis was only appointed to conduct the sale of August 4th and report thereon. Lewis is not feeling good over being kicked out and it is difficult to say what the outcome of this new move will be. Judging from the remarks made by the landowners along the line of this improvement, who have the cost thereof to pay, they will not stand for much more “horse-play” and throwing of in the way of the construction of this

ditch by disinterested parties. Their patience is about exhausted in this matter. Other of the more important proceedings of the term were: Liquor licenses were granted to Michael Bernicken and J. W. MoGlinn, of Wheatfield and Conrad Kellner, Henry Hildebrand and August Rosenbaum of Rensselaer The various county officers reported fees collected for the quarter ending August 31 as follows; Sheriff, $345.67; Recorder, $406.95; Clerk, $181.45; Auditor, $32. The report of the retiring poor farm superintendent showed 19 inmates. Nelse Sampson had died since last report and Chas. Mike Keiser is reported to have ran away. The receipts for the quarter are given as $907.97 and the expenses at $766.62, making a net surplus of $141.35. The contracts for supplies for the poor farm were let as follows: John Eger, groceries, $118.57; dry goods, clothing and shoes to Geo. E. Murray at $6.47, $3.40 and $13.40, respectively; meats, to Moody & Roth -50 pounds of beef steak at 12£c; 50 lbs. beef roast at 10c; 100 pounds of boiling beef at 7c. Joe Nissius et al ditch; contractor’s petition for extension of time to complete ditch is denied. J. A. Knowlton et al petition for system of stone roads in Marion tp., and Rensselaer; additional time asked for by viewers and engineer to prepare report, which was granted and time extended to Oct. 1. Robt. Parker et al petition for gravel road improvement in Marion, Jordan and Carpenter townships (Rgane Line road); continned to October term. Ed Arndt et al petition for highway in Wheatfield tp., Rial B. Harris, Lucius Strong and Sylvester Gray appointed viewers, to meet Sept. 22. James N. Leatherman was appointed to act as agent for the county in the dedication of the new cottage at the Lafayette soldiers’ home.