Rensselaer Republican, Volume 28, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 October 1895 — What Mr. Gifford Would Have Done. [ARTICLE]

What Mr. Gifford Would Have Done.

Editor Rensselaer Republican: —l read with pleasure and approbation your article upon the subject of reforming the boundary lines of the Civil Townships in Jasper county. And while lam much obliged for the compliment touching myself would say that I would decline the honor in giving my name to the township 31-5,1 own very little land and have done very little work in this township. As you suggest there is no longer any reason for the irregularity of township lines. Good roads can now be cheaply made on any proposed line. : '■ ~ - - In dividing a county into Townships regularity of boundajy lines should be sought—and as far as possible uniformity in the size of such Townships. Experience has taught that it is preferable to have a township mare rather than less, than six miles square. I would therefore move to amend your plan as follows: Take a strip 1$ miles wide off the west end ofyour proposed Milroy and add it to Jordan—then draw a line north to the Kankakee river from the north line of this Township—through the six. And let there be two townships made out of each, miles on this line, to-wit: Two out of Newton, Marion and Hanging Grove each six miles north an t south, nine miles east and west. Same of Union, Barkley and Gillam. Same of Bald Knob, Walker and Gifford. Same of Keener, Wheatfield and Kankakee. Except in these last two townships the northern boundary will be modified slightly by the county line. This wil* make eleven good, large townships, with regular boundary lines and nearly uniform in size, and practically all 6x9 miles square except Jordan and Milroy and tbise 6x7£. In your proposition you have Milroy and Carpenter 6x9 miles. I would propose 1o make them all that size nearly as possible. This amendment will produce greater uniformity in size, be more economic in tbe way of township expenses, and look well on the maps. This arrangement better serves the drainage interest of the county by permitting each township to find its general outlet within its boundary lines. And you will have plenty of old names to go around and need not bother about new ones. Certainly some change is greatly desired. And I would respectfully submit the above for the consideration of the people of Jasper county. - Very Truly, Benj. Gifford. Kankakee, Id., Sept. 30,1895.

E»itor’s NoTSr We very gladly give room to Mr. Gifford’s letter on this important subject of a reformation of our present very irregular township lint s. And to assist our readers to a clear understanding of his proposition we republiah, herewith, the county map showing the township )oundaries os proposed last week. As to the merits of Mr. Gifford’s iroposition, it is one th\t needs full consideration. In some respects, which he enumerates, such a division as he suggests would certainly have great advantages. But the greatest difficulty in the wsy of the adoption of his plan, as it appears to us, would be that the change from the present division is so radical that it would be difficult to get the people to favor it. We invite our reaiers to express through The Republican their views on this question of reforming the township* in general and incidentally their ideas as to Mr. Gifford’s proposed amendment.