Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 April 1891 — A Gigantic Enterprise. [ARTICLE]

A Gigantic Enterprise.

Inauguration of the Greatest Scheme of Public Improvement Ever Attempt* ed in Jasper Couuty. Quite a goodly number of representative citizens met last Saturday Afternoon, in the court house, to consider the new drainage law, and especially with reference to its application to the drainage of the Iroquois and Pinkammk valleys, above Rensselaer. S. P. Thompson was made chairman of the meeting and W. R. Rowels, secretary. The provisions of the law and the method of procedure under them were succinctly explained by the chairman. Messsrs. Dunn and Lincoln, two competent engineers from Illinois, were present and made brief remarks; explaining the successful manner in which large drainage enterprises have been carried out in that state, under a very similar system. It was decided to make an effort to inaugurate the preliminary works of this gigantic but most Jmporlant enterprise, and a committee of eight persons were appointed to canvass for subscriptions and to talk the matter up, in the respective localities. The chairman expressed the opinion that about $2,000 would need to be pledged for preliminary expenses, &c., an(J*that the cost of the whole drainage enterprise would beslo9,ooo. The following are the names of the committee referred to: D. W. Hopkins, Newton Ip. I. F. Alter, Union tp. L. Shortridge, Keener tp. C. Croeger, Walker tp. Geo. H. Brown Jr., Barkley tp. C. Coppess, Gillam tp. Ed. Parkison, Hanging Grove tp. J. W. Cowden, Marion tp. S. P. Thompson, Rensselaer.

Another meeting will be held on Saturday, April 11, at the same place, when the above named committeemen will report results of their canvass.

It was decided to direct Messrs. Lincoln, Thrawls and J. E. Alter, to complete the survey of the Iroquois and Pmkamink, done in. part a year ago. The great extent and importance of this enterprise may be further understood by the facts that the Ujj&in ditches with their laterals will be over 100 miles in aggregate length. The main ditch of the Iroquois will be 30 miles long and of the Pinkamink about the same. A very large portion of the work will be done with steam dredges, and considerable of it can be done in no other way. The number of acres drained will be about 100,000. About one fourth of this S now utterly worthless for any purpose, but will be excellent land when the draining is done. Of this entirely submerged land, there are 8000 acres in a single tract, called Haddick’s Mill Pond, lying in Gillam, Barkley and Walker Tps. This tract has never been surveyed.