Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 56, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 March 1899 — A Stone Crusher Here. [ARTICLE]

A Stone Crusher Here.

Let Us Have One, By All Means. Petitions are already being circulated for SIO,OOO to $12,000 worth of new crushed stone streets in Rensselaer, and in the near future many more will be wanted. Now is the time to determine whether this rock has to be bought at the added cost of railroad freights; and whether the men who dig it out and crush it are men who live here and spend their wages here, or are residents of some other town, Now is also the time to determine whether this rock is to be taken out in a place where Its removal in itself, will do no good to anybody, or whether it will be taken out in Rensselaer where its removal will be of inestimable value to the sewerage of the town, and to the drainage of the country tributary to the town. Interested parties have tried to discourage the idea of a stone crushing plant in Rensselaer by talking of the great cost, but there is nothing in this bug-a-boo. A citizen who knows just what he is talking about, says that a good crusher, mounted on wheels, with elevator and screens; and of a capacity 50 or 60 yards a day, can be bought for $1,600. A good steam drill for about S2OO more. As for power, there are plenty of traction engines, to be had at a reasonable rental, at any time. At the most a good plant, sufficient for all our purposes will not cost to exceed to $2,000. Surely this amount can be raised without any trouble; and we again suggest that the property owners along the streets proposed to be improved, hold back the mattter until a crusher can be established here. They will save lots of money for themselves, and greatly benefit the community in general, by so doing.