Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 87, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 January 1918 — MEETING OF COMMON COUNCIL [ARTICLE]

MEETING OF COMMON COUNCIL

Talk of Erecting a Coal Dump at the Monon Tracks. At the regular meeting of the city council Monday evening all members were present but not much business was done outside of allowing the regular grist of claims. The question of purchasing ground and erecting coal sheds—or a coal dump, rather —at the Monon tracks, was referred to the water and light committee and superintendent of the light plant. It is understood that an effort will be made to interest Jasper county and St. Joseph college, the two largest consumers of soft coal other than the city; in the project, the idea being to erect an elevated dump and individual bins where

cars of coal can be dumped into the respective bins and thereby save the expense of shoveling, the bins to be built up high enough to permit the loading of wagons or trucks by dumping direct from bin to wagon. Also to erect an elevated dump at the light plant for dumping the wagons in the same manner there. The city uses from forty to fifty cars of coal a year. If the other parties can be induced to go in on the project it is thought that the initial expense would not be burdensome to either and the saving in labor would soon wipe this out. Scales could also be put in tfor weighing the cars and the shortage, which now amounts to several tons on each car, caused by coal being stolen in transit, could be determined and the railroads be held for the amount. As it now is this loss falls on the consignee.