Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 37, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 February 1905 — THE COUNTY COUNCIL [ARTICLE]

THE COUNTY COUNCIL

The County Council at rpeoial meeting Monday, appropriated $4,301.61 for the county cottage at the state soldies’ home, the former appropriation of $3,000 having lapsed, and also being insufficient to ereot a suitable build iog Other appropriations were SI,OOO for new oridgea over Curtis Creek, in Nr-wton tp., made necessary by a dredge ditch; S3OO fora bridge in Carpenter tp., and $155.50 for bridge over Gallagher ditch in Jordan. Nearly 30 smaller appropriations. all under SIOO, were made for various purposes.

Make Fuel From Marsh Soil The Dennis Carbon Fuel company is the name cf the corporation just formed, which ioterids to make fuel out of the marsh dirt of Laport, Josper, Porter, Starke and other counties bordering ou the Kankakee river. The marsh dirt or other humus soil, will bejmixed-.with chemicals and a small amouut cf solidified petroleum, eaoh ton to be c imposed of 1,800 pounds of other ingredients-

The inventor of the process is Prof. J. M. Dennis, of Richmond, who is also the inventor of an artifical rubber, of which the base is crude petroleum. The company is composed of Parks W MartiD, W. 8. Johnston, W. H. Alford, J.M. Dennis and Gr, W, Ladly, residents of Richmond and Indianapolis, It is expeoted that the new fuel will be on sale in about six weeks at a price about one half of anthracite. A test of the new fuel, made in half cylinders two inches lone, two inchas wide and oae anl a half inches thick, burns much #■ ' like the beet cannel coal, with a gieat bent and haves but little ash, while producing little smoke. It ie said that there are 210 square miles of this marsh fuel material in the Kankakee valley