Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 April 1894 — THE IROQUOIS DITCH. [ARTICLE]

THE IROQUOIS DITCH.

WILL PROBABLY BE DISMISSED. There is now a pretty fair prospect that the Iroquois ditch trouble will be amicably settled by the dismissal of the whole proceedings next Monday. A meeting of Citizens to organize to oppose the ditch was held at the court house, Saturday afternoon. At this meeting a propostion for a compromise was submitted by Mr. S. P. Thompson, attorney for the ditch, through E. P. Hammond, attorney for the remonstrants. Mr. Thompson’s proposition was that, in behalf of the petitioners he would dismiss the proceedings, providing suitable arrangements were made for paying the costs so far accrued. The arrangement was to exempt Mr. Thompson himself, as one of the petitioners, from any liability as such, for his share of the costs, and in return he would make no charge for attorney’s fees. To carry out this proposition to dismiss would require the consent of a large majority of the petitioners, if _we are correctly informed, and in order to secure such consent upon the part of the petitioners, it was decided to make an attempt to raise a sum of money from parties who are assessed, to help pay the costs. Committees were appointed to canvass for such subscriptions, in Marion, Barkley, Union, Gillam, Newton and Hanging Grove townships. The papers pledge the signers to pay an amount not exceeding four per cent, of their ditch assessment to be used in affecting this compromise, or if that fails, in fighting the ditch. These committees will meet to report success, to-day. It seems to us that this compromise proposition is a very fair and equitable one, and one that offers an easy and practical method for solving this troublesome problem; and it is much to be preferred to fighting the matter through the courts. The amount of costs for which the petitioners will be liable, in case the ditch is dismissed is abouts4,oQo. It it probable that if the soliciting committees obtain a half or two thirds of this sum, that the petitioners will agree to dismiss, and make up the balance themselves. The number of rhe petitioners is 64. The number of persons assessed for the ditch is upwards of 1000.