Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 December 1907 — The Other Side of the Lower Iroquois Drainage Project. [ARTICLE]

The Other Side of the Lower Iroquois Drainage Project.

Last week there 1 appeared in the Republican over the signatures of Joe Halligan, Granville Moody and Ben Harris, 8r , an article concerning the proposed Lower Iro. quois Improvement, known as the Cary Lr—Garr~ et al Ditch proceedings. This article was unfair in that it misrepresented the cost and ~ nature of the improvement. The improvement as contemplated and shown by the profile on file in the clerk’s office is twelve miles long with a. total fall of twenty-one feet, it' shortens the distance (be Vrater will travel fromAbirty-six miles to twelve miles, instead of coeting $2,000 *as represented iu said article it will cost less than SIOO,000. This can be ascertained by computations from, the report now on file. ■' Two jAlgft_jll£dgei_M§ L at work*_ one in the upper Iroquois, and one in the old Wakarnsha, now known as-the Howe Ditch, both of these dredges straightening and deepening the upper channels so as to pour the water upon the lands of the petitioners for the Carr Ditch in greater quantities and faster than ever before. It is absolutely necessary that the lands along the Iroquois have some relief. In law and jnstioe all lands which find their outlet in the Iroquois should contribute, however little it may be, to the cost of procuring the outlet. In all probabilities the lands in the ontlying districts for this improvement would not be assessed over ten cents an acre, and probably even a smaller earn than that.

To defeat the present effort to improve the lower Iroquois can have only one of two resalts: First, it will only add additional expense and prolong the matter as the petitioners and all lands along the lower Iroquois must have relief and they will only pay up the costa ana start over again. Or, seoond, it will resnlt in damage suits being brought by the petitioners and owners of land along the lower Iroqois against the owners of land along the upper Iroquois for throwing their water down in increased quantities and faster and refusing to permit the lower Iroquois to have any relief. Respectfully submitted, Carey L. Carr, et al, Petitioners.