Jasper County Democrat, Volume 8, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 October 1905 — LOWER STILL. [ARTICLE]

LOWER STILL.

Iroquois Ditch Sold $3,000 Less Than First Sale. ALLEGED COMBINE OF BIDDERS W« b Broken by Local Men Who Oot Onto Their Scheme—Stewarts dot None of Ditch. Through the action of Judge Thompson and Granville Moody, who got onto the scheme of the bidders in the Iroquois ditch letting, in pooling and trying to hold up the price for making the improvement, the combine was broken and the entire work was sold for about $3,0*00 less than at the first sale of August 4. Had it not been for this, the work would have sold at a great deal more than at the former sale. Practically all of the main ditch, including the rock work, was sold to C. H. Sternberg & Son, late of Winamac, but now of South Bend. They ara said to be hustlers and will push the improvement through to completion. As before, Stewart of Kokomo and Sternberg were the bidders who hung out to the finish on the rock work and main part of the main ditch. The rock section went at 80 cents for the rock and 11£ cents for dirt over the rock, which is 20 cents less than the estimate on (7J cents less than August sale) and 13£ cents less than estimate on dirt above rock (2 cents more than August sale). This section is nearly onehalf the entire ditch in point of

cost. Work is to be begun within two months and is to be completed in one year. The rock go to the improvement, and if sold at 3 cents per yard, as formerly talked of, will reduoe the cost just that much. The main dredge work to the Davisson lateral was sold next and was bid off by Sternberg at 6.24 (.24 more than August sale) Stewart’s low bid on this was 6 25. Sternberg & Son also get that part of the main ditch to the Monon railroad, near Parr, at 5.36. (Three sections were made of the main ditch at this sale where it was all in one at the August sale), and A. V. Farmer gets that part from the source to the railroad at 5.99. Sternberg also gets the Pinkamink lateral at 8.95 (2.25 more than August sate), and the Gifford lateral at 9 cents (1 30 more than August sale).’ The Yeoman, Kurrie and Thornton laterals were sold to same parties as before at estimate for the first and third and 2 cents less for Kurrie lateral. The Davisson lateral was sold to 8. T. Comer for 625 (August sale 8.2). After the combine was broken the bidding was quite spirited, but it was slow work getting it down below the agreed price. Contracts and bonds are being entered into and it is thought that the majesty of the law, as interpreted by the county moguls, has been vindicated. It is hoped so, at least, and that the big improvement may go through without any further hitch. The entire sale is about $3,000 less than at the August sale. For the information of those interested we publish the estimates and figures of both the August and September sales below, except that the main is given as price on lower section at latter sale, when, as set out above, it was sold this time in three sections.

Main, all earth, estimate in cents 7, August sale 6 Sept. 6.24 Main, all rock, 110. ♦♦ » 874 “ 80 Earth on rock,, “ “ 25, “ “ 94 “ 11| Pinkamink, “ “ 9, “ “ 6.7 “ 8.95 Clifford, “ “ 9, “ “ 6.7 “ 9 Davißson, “ “ 9, “ “ 8.2 “ 6.25 Kurrie, " 9, “ “9 “7 Hopkins, “ “ Tile, “ “ateatm. “atestm.