Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 53, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 February 1904 — County Falls For Ditch Assessments [ARTICLE]

County Falls For Ditch Assessments

Jndge Rabb, Thursday afternoon finished hearing the arguments, and made his decision in the case of Albert J. Bellows, as trustee of Carpenter township, vs the Board of County Commissioners. It seems that when the GallagLr ditch, in Carpenter Jordan tpa., was oopstruof|Av township was h benefits to ding gravel roads maintqH|Vy th~ oounty, and other publio^roads. These assessments were paid by Trustee Bellows and his predecessor, John Laoiborn. Mr Bellows however, took the view that the oounty should re-imbnise the township for the amounts as paid. Tbe law was not very clear on the points raised, nor had they ever been deoided by the higher state courts. A friendly suit was therefore brought of township against county, on an agreed statement of faots, and Judge Rabb, was called to try it. The decision waß in favor of the township, the judge holding that the county mu»t pay baok to the township tbe sums paid on these assessments.

If his deoision proves to Oe good law, it is certain to oost the county a good deal, hereafter. On the big Iroquois ditoh, for instance, which will assess many thousands of dollars against townships for road benefits, wbioh must ultimately come out of the oounty. A new announcement in this issue, is made by the tr ends of John F Pettit, of Walker tp , for county commissioner for the First district Mr Pet it is a well known and substantial citizen of Walker township and has already had c msidera le experience in public business such as township trustee, and other township positions. He will make an excellent commissioner, and from present appearances will have no opposition for the nomination

Several weeks ago the House voted almost nnmost unanimously against the proposition to allow mileage for thespeaial session, and Congressman O. B. Landis was ope of the most outspoken in bis opposition to the so-called steal Yet in its last weeks issue a Demooratio paper generally so well in formed as the Fowler Review boldly obarges that Mr. Landis voted for the “steal” and thereby "spiked his guns,” on his fight against the oab and haok abase in Washington. Bat Mr. Landis was really one of the most outskoken opponents of the extra mileage. He was right on the mileage proposition as well as on every other that has come, and as he will be on every one that ever willoome Up, while he is a member of odngreee—in either house. See tbst f9B Harper Surrey et Sohleman’s.