The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1902-06-27

through the kindness of the Repre-
sentative from this county and our Sen
ator from this district, who explained
these matters to their respective legis-
lative bodies, the money was appro-
priated and we have been paid. We
think it is not improper to say here
that so long as that iniquitous thing,
the Lewistown Reservoir Tor Indian
Lake as they now label it) is sought to
be maintained by the State of Ohio
over our farms, whenever damages oc-
cur to us as the result OF negligence on
the part OF the officers Of the State, as
10 these cases, we shall, II in our power,
compel the State to pay US what is
Justly and honestly due us.
Now, as to the merits of these claims,
we propose II there is any man in Logan
county who will take the pains to per-
sonally investigate them and all OF
them, that IL he finds single one not
founded upon what Is right and just we
will all pay back into the State treasury
the amounts that have been paid TO us.
Many of the criticisms made OF us, or
rather Of our claims, were by men who
are utterly irresponsible and some who
were acting, perhaps, as boOtblacks
for the time being OF others who had
selfish ends to be gratifed. Some crit
icisms were made by some men who
profess to tell the truth, and do some
times. Among the criticisms 1t was
said that these proceedings were for
the benefit OF would-be political boss
, In Logan county, as you will see by a
q letter addressed TO the President OF
the Senate while the act to appropriate
our money was pending, an exact copy
Of which letter Is as follows:
"Bellefontaine, Ohio, May ., 1902.
Hon. Frank b. Archer, Columbus, O.
| "Dear Senator:-Please see that the
item OF s5, 400 for damages along the
Miami River below Lewistown Reser-
voir, which Is now included In the APP
preparation bill, that has been passed by
the Lower House, Is stricken out, be-
fore II becomes law.
"The appropriation Is entirely un-
just, uncalled for, and almost malicious.
The bill was introduced at the instance
of and for the personal benefit OF cer-
tain would be political boss OF Logan
county, and the money will go TO him in
very large proportion, II not entirely,
instead OF the farmers whose lands
were alleged TO have been damaged and
upon which the State has expended
thousands of dollars In redeeming the
swamp and wet lands by dredging the
river and making the lands worth
thousands Of dollars, which before the
States action were worthless.
clipping to hear from you ut once,
and that you will take an active part in
saving this unjust appropriation,
| 81 remain, yours very truly,
~. c. HOVER,
Sec. Republican Executive Com, Lo'
gan County, Ohio"
In answer to that criticism we want
to say that the lawyers who conducted
these cases for us we sought and EN-
ployed, they did not sock us; we were
all of mature age when the contracts o
employment were made and we think
we were of sound minds; we were salts
fed at the time with the contracts and
} we are satisfied now; we know we could
not have been served better or more
faithfully.
Another criticism was that the claim:
were larger than the amounts actually
allowed. We know enough Of law te
} say we will never file q petition foi
damages and ask for just the amount
we are absolutely certain we can prove
we know that the court, or the commits
: sion or the jury in the trial of suct
! cases has power to and must make find
ings according to the law and the evi
, dence and that these findings shall no
, exceed the amounts claimed while the,
: may be for less and that the court ol
, commission or jury shall never be gov
, erned or influenced, except as STATED
! above, by the amounts asked. And peo
, pie who should know inform us that W,
, received in our claims much large
| per cent. of the amount asked than i
> usual in ordinary cases.
. Among other criticisms it was salt
. that we asked finally for more than tn,
3 claims called for when originally filed
The answer to that is the statement
we made in the trial of the cases; whel
D the claims were originally filed we ask
, ed fer what we thought was proper ant
D right and this was done immediatel.
r after the breaking of this waste-wei
D and in the majority of the cases befor
: the waters had gone away from ou
Q lands and in all of the cases before W
Q had any correct idea as to the amour
Q of damages we really sustained; wha
Q we asked in our original claims wa
o what we thought was all that we wer
r damaged; we learned afterwards tina
8 what we really suffered was not onl
:, the damage we comprehended at tn
# time the claims were filed but yer
n much that we did not realize then, an
= a great deal that extended even int
r succeeding years.
s We do not desire in this statement t
n censure any one who has criticized u:
It slandered us or libeled us, but we max
II this statement because we think ther
Is are some good people in the county
who would perhaps like to know tn
e facts. and while we find no fault wit
It the people to whom we here refer, the
>, have done wrong, they have been di
c honest and we protest against such col
'e duct and protesting determine that th
d people shall know the truth; some haS