Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 38, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 September 1905 — Jordan’s Big Road Case Decided. [ARTICLE]

Jordan’s Big Road Case Decided.

The big road case from Jordan township-was on trial inthe circuit court from Wednesday: noon until 5.30, Friday- evening, and the j ury had agreed on a verdict at 10.30, the same evening. < It wasprpposed to-a new ■east and west road in Jordan beginning s&; the. Raymond school house corner, a mile -west ofthe Newton township line, and running due east fivfe miles and ending at thp Range Line road, between! Rensselaer and Rpmiflgton. lt is ■. argued for this road that it would complete a great east and west highway, which is already continuous dear through White aid Newton ooflnties,and the t rest of Reaper county, and no onoknpws hopr mneh farthereast jin Indiana nor -hojy much farther Wept in IH|uos. It is also farther ajgued that though there are already near parallel east and -west roads, there are so many “jogs” in them that no through east and west traffic goes over them. Against the road it was urged that it would ran for half its length paralied with east and west roads only a quarter of a mile distant, and for the other half, parallel with such roads, only half, a mile distant. Also that most of the property owners through whose lands jt would pass, live on the roads already existing, and that the proposed road would cut their farms up badly. The first set of viewers found the road of public utility, and re) commended that it be established. The second set, or reviewers, While they reported the road would be of public utility, reported against itfi being established on account - of ite beiing along the line of anexistin new ditch for some distances at its west end. At the trial in the -circuit court much of the time was devoted to evidence showing the damage the road would do to the laud owners. The jury in their verdict, found that the road would be of public utility, and that it should be established and 60 feet in width They also gave damages to the following remonstrators. Win W. Washburn .. $75 Frank M. Welsh „ 125 George M. Meyers 275 Henry Welsh 126 Louis Simonin ... 200 George Heusler 100 A. C. Scott 100 Eleanor M. Adams 126 Total $1,126 These damages must be paid by the petitioners, some 25 or 30 in number, if the road is opened; un less the county commissidhers, as they have pow-er to do under the law, should conclude the road was of sufficient public utility, to decide them to pay these damages, or a part thereof. It is very doubtful if the petitioners will be found willing to raise the entire sum.