The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-08-09
Filing Of Protest Over Green Bay
Drainage Project viii Have q
Tendency to Hold Back
the Project.
ENGINEERS ARE THERE
Representation Of Six Biggest Ny
drauIic Firms In the Country
Will Bid on the
Project.

August 18th is the day set for open
ing the bids for the construction Of
the proposed Green Bay levee and
drainage district. Monday represent
atfves OF six Of the greatest hydrau-
lie contractors in the United States
were In Fort Madison and went over
the proposed district in Green Bay for
the purpose Of preparing their bids.
1t is the desire OF the power COM
pany and OF thirty or forty farmers
living in Green Bay, who signed the
contract regarding the district. to hur-
ry the work on in the district as rap
idly as possible in order that the levee
along Skunk river should be complet-
ed early enough next spring to pre-
vent their lands from being over
flowed by that river" stated rep
resentative Of the power company.
according to the Fort Madison Demo
crat. CAS- the district is SO desirable
and its construction will protect and
reclaim so much land, and is being
built on such advantageous terms to
the farmers. 1T was supposed that no
one would interpose any delay in ob-
tanning the greatly desired result. All
the landowners within the proposed
district. with the exception of three
or four, had signed the contract,
which was filed with the auditor. pro-
viding for the establishment of the
district. Recently. however these
three property owners, Horace E. Hy-
tr Of Los Angeles, California; Mary
Sheppard Tholen, of Tropico, Cali
fornia. and Mrs. Addie F. johnson. Of
this city. have filed an appeal from
the amount of damages allowed them.
An appeal from the amount Of dam
ages would not delay the establish
ment of the district as bond for
the damages could be given and work
could proceed at once. An appeal
from the establishment OF the dis
trict. however, will delay the work
until after the appeal has been de-
cided in favor of the district. The
first term at which the appeal could
be tried would be the September
term of the district court. It prob
ably could not be reached then until
October. 1t would be tried as an
equity case to the court without a
jury. Further proceedings would be
stopped until after the decision Of
Of the appeal and If an appeal was
taken from the decision OF the dis
proceedings would be stopped until
might not be for a year. The district
is Of such tremendous importance to
Fort Madison and the farmers of
Green Bay that it is unfortunate that
this delay has been occasioned. Those
interested in the district state that
they have no fear Of the final decis-
ion OF the appeal and feel sure that
the establishment of the district
would be sustained by the court; that
the only effect Of the appeal would be
the unnecessary delay.
Under the contract with the farm
ers the power company pays all the
costs Of the construction OF the en-
tire improvement except certain right
Of way, the cost Of which amounts
to about $4,000 and also is to pay all
costs of maintenance and operation
Of the district except the annual as
sessment Of five (5c) cents per acre
upon the lands Of the farmers. This
is advantageous to the farmers In