Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 November 1893 — The Wakarusa Ditch Muddle. [ARTICLE]

The Wakarusa Ditch Muddle.

The joint boards of Jasper and White counties resumed the Wakarusa Ditch hearing Monday afternoon. After a day's discussion the Boards decided that all proceedings by the viewers, Porter and Van Meter, were illegal, on account of the latter’s relationship to several affected land owners. This decision, was in line with Judge Elliott’s opinion, as noted last week.

The attorneys for the remonstrants asked als o that the whole proceed ings be thrown out, from beginning to end, on the grounds that, under the Timmons law, the boards were not authorized to actin joint sessions but that proceedings should be had separately in each county. In support of this position, they presented an ex-parte opinion by Judge Elliott, or of the law firm of which he is the head. Tuesday noon the boards adjourned until next Tuesday, when this point will come up for farther consideration.

We look to see the two boards get into a dead-lock on the point. The White county favoring the motion to dismiss and the Jasper county board opposing it Tn any case it looks like the ditch was in a bad way; for even if it is not dismissed in toto, nothing further can be done until new viewers are appointed, and this, it is Jsaid, the White county board will not agree to do.

A considerable number of the petitioners for the ditch are willing to have it wholly dismissed provided they can be relieved of liability for the costs that have been incurred, and a paper to that effect has been extensively signed and will probably be presented at the next meeting. The costs so far are reliably estimated at from $3,500 lo $4,000. The petitioners are about 30 in number. Ten different makes of Sewing machines, At Steward’s. Try a sack of our White Lilly flour W. R. Nowels & Son. Call on C. B Steward, agent for lots in Columbia Addition; 140 lots at prices from $25 to $l3O. * Tobacco, cigars," pipes &cal Vicks. See the nice line of fall millinery at Mrs. Lecklidcrs. Thirteen-stop, full walnut case organ, $35. C. B. Steward. Warner <fc Shead, at the new grocery store, would like a share of your trade. They will treat you right. Call and see the nice new line of Installment goods, just arrived at Clarence Lecklider’s. Everything fresh and new and first class, and at lowest living prices, at Warner <t Shead’s the new goocery store.