Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 April 1889 — MOMENCE ROCK. [ARTICLE]

MOMENCE ROCK.

Preparations of the Conimbtsion tpr Beginning Work on the Kankakee Improvement. Elsewhere in this issue is an extract from the Indianapolis News, the purport of which is that . i • i ' . '1 ~ "V jg tlip: todge ii iI he Kankakee at Momence, on account of want of money. The following from the Indianapolis Journal of last Saturnay is a later and we believe more accurate, statement of the matter as it now stands: Jas 6 B. Kimball,of Kendallville, Isaac D. Dunn, of.Tefft, and J.IL. Campbell, of Crawfordsville the commissidi)ers appennted by the Governor to superintend the work of removing Momence rock-in the Kankakee river, under the legislative act of last session, were in consultation with the engineer, W. X. Whitton, of South Bend, at the. State-house yesterday. “We are making cross sections of the wofli,” said Col. Campbell, “for the purpose of determining the amount of stone to be taken out find what it will cost. It is difficult to illustrate the work to be done, but the rock to be taken-but is 4 part of the limestone ledge which runs through that section.,, aud ita highest point shows about seven fojjt above the natural bed of the river. Below this ridgp there are some obstructions, and above it the rock extends along upthe river about a quarter of a mile,

gradually sloping off to the bed of the river. It is on this quarter of a mile we are now working, and our cross sections, when" completed, will show the depth of the water and the rock to be taken out in each of them. The river forks below the ledge, and each one of the forks is dammed at present so that the back water conceals the rocks in rhe river below the ledge, but the channel between the ledge and the rocks is comparatively clear. One of these forks is dry in the summer season and weshall probably take out the dam and turn the course of the river into that one before completing our work. The plan has no reference to navigation, and is confined to the improvement of above the ledge at, Momence. We expect to go on and get ready for work, so far as measurements, estimates and other preliminary data are concerned. When it comes to advertising for bids and letting the work, we shall, of course be guided by the financial condition of the state and the prospect of realizing the appropriation made for our enterprise.”