Jasper County Democrat, Volume 18, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 June 1915 — SUBSIDY ELECTION GALLED [ARTICLE]

SUBSIDY ELECTION GALLED

To Vote Donation to So-Called Lafayette & Northwestern Ry. $61,000 ASKED FOB HERE And Marion Township, and Commissioners Set Election for Wednesday, July 14—Other Proceedings of County Commissioners. Rensselaer and Marion township for about the “steenth” time in the past 20 years, is to have another railroad subsidy election, and there is not any biughter prospects of the proposed road being built —-in fact, you couldn’t now build a railroad to a gold mine with the unsettled conditions of the country due to the European war and the rumors of war—and the proposed road is of less importance and less convenience to Rensselaer and Jasper county than any of the many paper railroads that have preceded it. However, a petition was filed and the commissioners, as they were probably required tdydo under the law, ordered the election, and Wednesday, July 14, is to determine whether Rensselaer will again be foolish enough to vote $61,000 to a bunch of promotors who promise so little for the money they ask. The proceedings of the commissioners on this and other matters for the second and last day of their June session follow: The petition filed at the April session of the board for an election in Marion tp., and Rensselaer, to vote 2 per cent aid for the proposed Lafayette & Northwestern Railroad Co., w r as dismissed, and a petition filed containing 86 names, asking that an election be held to vote a subsidy for the same company of $60,764.26, which is 2 per cent based on the 1014 assessment. The petition was accompanied by a bond for $-300, signed by C. G. Spitler as principal and Lowder & Lancaster Guarantee Accounting Co., as surety. The law now requires that petitioners for such a subsidy election be resident freeholders and voters, and that a bond be filed with the petition covering the expense of the election should the subsidy fail'to carry. In the event it carries, the expense of the election is to be deducted from the amount raised by the levy asked for. In this case, like all other subsidy elections held here, the expenses will likely be put on the taxpayers of the county and paid out of the county fund, although the supreme court has recently ruled that such expense should be paid by the township holding the election and not by the county, as there is no real probability of the road ever being built. As there were several on the petition who are not freeholders, M. Leopold, acting as attorney for F. E. Babcock and other taxpayers on the former petition, filed an answer of general denial to the petition in order to be “in court.” The commissioners fixed on Wednesday, July 14, as the date for holding such election.

Contract was let to the Vincennes! Bridge Co. at $459 for a new bridgej in Walker tp.; to F. M. Williams at’ $2,169 for a new bridge in Carpenter tp.; also to the same party at ■ $5,353 for a new joint bridge over the Iroquois diver ditch in Jordan; tp. Newton county is to pay one-j half of this amount, and her county j commissioners and county attorney attended the letting; to W. V. Porter' at $735 for a new bridge in Walker I tp. Plans and specifications were ordered prepared for the following new! bridges and notice ordered for let- ■ ting at the Jtily session: one in Car-' penter tp.; one in Barkley tp.; one' in Wheatfield; one in Union tp.; one; in Milroy tp., and one .in Hanging I Grove tp. Contractor Frank Teach was allowed $5,445.79 on the Frank Hill stone road in Jordan tp. Contractor allowed $723.20 on the John Eck stone road in Carpenter tp. Chris Roush w r as appointed superintendent of construction of the Chris Roust stone road in Carpenter tp., and Jasper Guy and p. r. Blue

: were allowed an attorney fee of slot : on said road. Lewis S. Alter stone road in Car- ; pen ter tp.; notice heretofore ordered not having been given, the auditor is directed to give notice of letting, on;July .-'6.. ■" ’ ! The M. J. Delehanty and Julius; Hine stone road matters were continued for supplementary reports. James P. Deselms stone road petition; hi. B. Price appointed engineer and Frank Alter and Joe Thomas viewers, to meet June 15. Ed Oliver ditch; auditor directed to notify said Oliver to appear before board on July 6 and show cause why petition should not be dismissed at cost of petitioners. Final report was filed by W. F. Osborne in the William B. McNeil ditch. Same was approved and cause dropped. Final report also filed by W. F. Osborne in the William McAleer ditch. Report was approved and the $53.50 on hand was ordered prorated back, and cause continued for receipts. John Bowie, appointed justice of peace for Wheatfield tp., at the March session, failing to quality, the board appoints Albert VanDoozer as J. P, for said township. Contracts were awarded for poor farm supplies to Roth Bros, for meats, at S4O, for the ensuing three months, and to John Eger for groceries for the same period, at $165. Both were on specifications filed. Notice ordered for letting contract for coal for use of poor farm and county heating plant on July 6.