Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 November 1908 — KETMAN DITCH REPORT FILED. [ARTICLE]

KETMAN DITCH REPORT FILED.

Ten Days Given by Law for Filing of Remonstrance. On Tuesday George Douglas, commissioner of the Ketman ditch, filed his final report. The report shows "the number of cubic pards in eaqh station in the main ditch and alftta branches, and the amount of assessment on each 40 acres of land hsaefltted, and the epst of the proposed work. Under the law, persons who believe they are assessed too much have ton days in which to file a remonstrance. If a remonstrance is filed, and on the evidence the court does not reduce the assessment, the remonstrator is compelled to pay .costs. It is generally conceded that the ditch will be constructed. The majttcr of fixing assessments has been carefully gone over and an effort made to make each man’s assessment fair and porportionate to his benefits. It has been suggested that where a man feels that his assessment is unfairly high, that instead of going to the expense of filing a remonstrance add taking a chance of having oourt costs to pay, that Buch persons should see the Judge about the master and if his contention is a good one, that no doubt a small reduction will be allowed on the suggestion of the court, and with the consent of the attorneys for the petitioners. Judge W. C. Pentecost, the special judge appointed to hear this case, resigned Tuesday, giving as his reason that some of the litigants opposed to the ditch were opposed to him hearing the case. In view of this resignation, the case naturally goes to Judge F. J. Vurplllat, who will proceed to hear it. It is possible for the matter to be settled at this term of court, unless there should be more remonstrators than are| expected.

The proposed Ketman ditch is over 28 miles in length and affects lands in four counties, Pulaski, Starke, Jasper and White. All Its route, until within four miles of the river, follows the bed of the old Monon ditch, and deepens and widens it. The four mile cut off to the river will be a new ditch. In addition to the main ditch there are seven branches aggregat- * ing about 25 miles. The attorneys for the ditch are John M. Spangler and Caleb W. Barker of Winamac, and Oscar B. Smith of Knox. - The estimated cost of the ditch is s32s,ooo.—Winamac Republican.