Jasper County Democrat, Volume 18, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 April 1915 — Many Petitioners Will Not Vote for Subsidy in Newton Tp. [ARTICLE]

Many Petitioners Will Not Vote for Subsidy in Newton Tp.

A prominent farmer of Newton tp., informed The Democrat Monday that seven of those who signed the petition for a subsidy election in

Newton tp., had experienced a change of heart, after considering the matter more carefully, and will vote against the subsidy when the election is held. And there are more to follow, he stated. At a previous subsidy election held in Newton, a few years ago, there were fewer votes cast in favor of the proposition than there were signers to the petition, and it will be so again, this farmer states. He also said . that but very few people of Newton tp., knew on just what line the proposed road was to run—if built—and requested The Democrat to enlighten them. The blue-print of the proposed road, which must be followed, shows that the road comes into Rensselaer over College avenue, running north to the south side of the Monon tracks. It leaves the corporation line of Rensselaer at the west side of the center of section 19, ancf thence runs directly west through the center of sections 24, 23, 22, 21, 20 and 19, the last four sections being wholly in Newton tp. It passes nearly through the center of the Jasper county poor farm, and crosses but two north and south highways in Newton tp., one at the northeast corner of Elizur Sage’s farm and one at O. C. Halstead’s. It parallels the highway near Benton Kelley’s for about a half mile. It will thus be seen that a great many of the residents of Newton tp. would have to go farther to get * car on the proposed line to come to Rensselaer than they would to come to town in the first place. The only farm improvements that the road comes within one-fourth mile of, are those on the I. N. Makeever farm and those of O. C. Halstead. All others are from one-fourth to one-half mile or more distant from the proposed road at any point, so that the “conveniences” mentioned are not plainly decernable. The opinion seems to be growing that the proposition will be voted down there by a decisive majority.