Jasper County Democrat, Volume 8, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 February 1906 — EVERY PRECINCT [ARTICLE]

EVERY PRECINCT

Carried For Improving Range Line Road. ALMOST 3 TO I FOR IMPROVEMENT A Small Vote Cast In Special Election Tuesday, But the Sentiment Wes Nearly Unanimous. The special election Tuesday on the proposition of a joint improvement of the gap in the Range Line gravel road in Jordan tp., by Carpenter, Jordan and Marion townships was not as largely attended as expected and only 848 votes were cast in the three townships. Of this number 621 were for the improvement and 217 against. Following is the official vote by precincts, both the county commissioners and the board of canvasers meeting here Thursday and canvasing the vote: For Against Maj. Marion, No. 1 81 45 36 No. 2100 53 47 No. 379 24 55 Jordan 59 6 53 Carpenter, West4s 16 29 “ East 95 34 61 " South 79 16 63 Totals63l 217 414 Many, perhaps most, of those who voted for the improvement, did so not because they liked the principle of the plan, but because it seemed about the only solution of a vexed problem. Here was a small part of the main traveled road between the two best towns in Jasper county that a part of the year at least was practically impassable and took longer to drive the few miles that was unimproved than it does all the rest of the way. This condition had continued for fifteen years—both the north and south ends of the road having been graveled about that length of time and the condition promised to continue indefinitely unless the plan proposed carried. For this reason they voted for the improvement, and if the work is honestly done and a good road made where a very bad one has existed for so long, we do not believe there will be many who will regret the election having carried, for the improvement will not only inure to the benefit of the section of the country through which it passes, but to Rensselaer and Remington and thus to the surrounding country, for the better these towns become the better it is for the farmer and the landowner. Of the votes cast against the improvement, no doubt many were cast by people who opposed the principle involved and not because they objected to the few dollars it would cost them. But the people have said by a decided majority that they want the road, now let it be pushed along as rapidly as possible and the contract let and the work be completed at the earliest possible date. The improvement is to be of stone, the only real road material.