Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 September 1890 — REMOVAL OF THE MOMENCE ROCK. [ARTICLE]

REMOVAL OF THE MOMENCE ROCK.

Two Bids too High and the Third Not Large Enough, but the Deficiency Will be Met, ‘ The commission appointed under the act of the General Assembly to superintend the removal of the ledge of rock from the Kankakee river at Momence, 111., met last Monday at Indianapolis, to open the bids for the work. Three proposal had been received, the Kimball & Cobb Stoi c Company, of Chicago, offering to do it for a total cost of $101,691, Thomas Rock, of Chicago, submitted a bid for $88,132 and Emil Sirois of Shelby,> Ind. for $34,000. The bids of the Chicago parties were at once rejected on the grounds that they were in excess of the legislative appropriation and the attention of the commission was directed to the Sirois bid. It was clear that work could not be done for the money, and this fact caused an inquiry into the circumstances of the bid. Vice-president Shelby, of the Grand Rapids & Indiana railroad, and Charles W. Cass, of landholers in" the vicinity of the proposed improvement, were present, and through them it was learned that if Sirois’s bid was accepted, the people who were to be benefited by removing the ledge would add whatever was necessary to the State’s appropriation. It was conceded that the work would cost.in the neighborhood of $50,000, but the rock would be worth something, and the interested parties would back Sirois, and seek to repay .themselves as far as possible by selling the rock. The commission soon became satisfied with the responsibility of the bidder, and attention was then turned to what supposed to be a very complicated question. This was the claim that the Chicago & Easterh Illinois Railroad Company has set up to a part of the Island, which it has sought to enforce by a suit in court. The railroadcompany has a lease on a part of the island, and under the terms of a letter written-them by <Mr. Cass-, !i, Haims that the taking clown of the i..: i at the upper end of the island will destroy the value of the river for boating, and hence injure the place, as a picnic resort. Mr. Cass explained the matters connected with the railroad company at length, and argued that it had no rights under the lease that would be jeopardized by the removal of the rock. It was intimated that • the company made 1 about 820,000 a year, and that it was trying to play upon the fears of the parties interested, -an<| thus prevent the work from being done. How far these matters would affect the progress of the work was the question which the commission thought advisable to consider,-and..Attorney-, general Michener was called in. lie listened to the statement of Mr. Cass and then .held a private consultation with the members of the commission. After a half hour’s consideration of the subject the following rrsolution was drawn up ai)d adopted by the board;

Whereas, Theijiid "of Emil Sirois to remove the rock from Kankakoe river for"’3o 7-10 cents per cubic yard or $34,800, comes within the amount appropriated for that purpose. Resolved, That Mr. Sirois be notifiied that the commission accept said bid, upon condition that he file a bond in the penal sum of $50,000’. with good and sufficient security, and enter into said contract as may be required by the commission concerning said work and the question which are likely to arise in connection therewith, the performance thereof to be secured by the bond aforesaid. The said Sirois will be allowed until Nov. 1, 1890. to enter into said bond and contract. The foregoing was submitted to Messrs Cass and Shelby, who declared that it was satisfactory, and adjournment till Friday, the 19th, was had. Sirois will prepare his bond and have it ready for approval at the that time. Engineer W. M. Whitton, who has acted for the commission, expressed the opinion that the work would now be done, and said that the stone taken from the river would in time meet with ready sale. It is used to some extent for building, and could be utilized for roads, but the* sale will be slow, as there is only a local demand for it and it cannot be shipped profitably to vmcago. He says that a patent stone-crusher has been established some miles distant, and he doubts not that one witl in time be established for the purpose of crushing the stoue taken from the river under the present contract.