Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 37, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 April 1905 — Iroquois Ditch Near its Death. [ARTICLE]

Iroquois Ditch Near its Death.

The preaent costly project for a big ditch in the Iroquois river is evidently on the sure road to final defeat, like its predecessor of 10 or 15 years age. The oaae was before Judge Palmer at Delphi Thursday, and on Friday change of venue to Carroll county. B. J. Gifford and the Monon railroad company are now the only active remonstraters against the ditoh. Mr .{Gifford is assessed about S7OOO and wants a rednotion. The railroad oompany wants about $2,5G0 for the damages and expense the ditch will cause them, in the way of a new bridge over the Iroquois river east of town. It now developes that Mr. Giflord is willing to compromise on the basis that he allowed $ 2,50?) for the benefits, his private ditohes have done to the highways, thus virtually reduoing his assessment to abput $5,000. The railroad is also understood to be willing to make some reduction in their claim. However Judge Thompson as attorney for the petitioners has resolutely opposed all suggestions of compromise and without which there is a general opinion among the lawyers that the whole im-* provement will be [defeated, and the means whereby it can be done seem right at the remonstraters hands.

It developed at the bearing at Delphi that the bond given by the petitioners to guarantee the county for the reembursment of money advanced for preliminary expense is only in the sum of $1,050, where as the oounty has already advanced over $3,000 and will have to advanoe a great deal more, The bond matter was brought up before Judge Palmer, onj motion of the railroad oompany. He ruled against the company’s right to demand a new bond, as not being a taxpayer within the meaning of the law; but at the L same time he plainly intimated that if any qualified taxpayer did demand an increased bond sufficient to protect the county, he should grant the demand and stop all proceedings until the bond was furnished. Now it is not believed that in the present state of many of the petitioners’ minds suoh a bond can be furnished and that an order for it will mean the defeat of the ditoh. And unless Mr, Gifford’s seemingly very reasonable demand is agreed to the motion for a new cost bond from the petitioners will.be made.