Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 78, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 March 1909 — TO REMOVE ROCK. [ARTICLE]

TO REMOVE ROCK.

Ledge On Gangloff Farm To Be Taken Out.

WILL BENEFIT LANDS ABOVE LEO6E

By Preventing Water Backing UpCost Is 05 Cents Per Cubic Yard, And There Is 5,251 Yards to Remove—Will Probably Be Enough Surplus In Iroquois Ditch Fund To Pay for Removal of Rock.

The matter of removing the rock from the Iroquois ditch on the Gang,loff farm east of town which has been hanging Are for the past year or more, has at last been disposed of by the county commissioners at their session this week contracting with Sternberg & Sons, the ditch contractors, at 95 cents per yard, the rock to be removed by November first, next. According to the estimate of the engineer there is 5,251 yards of this rock to be removed to bring the bed of the ditch down to the specifications, extending a distance of about 1,000 feet and for most part being 2 to 2 % feet thick. The rock lays in ledges and at one point is 6 feet thick. The original specifications did not show any rock near this point, it starting in, according to specifications, near the Padgett bridge, and there was a question as to whether the contractors could be compelled to remove it or not. The general opinion seemed to be that they could not, and it was the unanimous opinion of .everbody that the ledge should be taken out. It is believed there will be a surplus sufficient to pay for this work in the original ditch fund. The cost will be about $5,000. Of course it is impossible to back the dredge up to take out this rock on account of the four big bridges that would have to be removed and replaced, so it is the intention to dam the water back, we understand, and blast and pick out the rock by hand. Its removal ought to be of considerable benefit to the upper part of the ditch and the lands that are drained thereby.