Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 October 1897 — Digging the Trenches. [ARTICLE]

Digging the Trenches.

Tuesday’s Daily. The work of digging the trenches for the waterworks pipes began this afternoon, on Front street, working north from Liberal corner. The plan being used is to break the line of the trench with a specially made plow hauled by three big teams, and then followed with an ordinary plow, also drawn by the three teams, and the shoveler’s then throw out the dirt loosened by the plows. There are about 10 shovelers at work now, but their number will probably be much increased. The shovelers get pay at the rate of SI .50 a day for ten hours work.