South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-11-25

4 five and oEe-half miles long, petit
I toned for by IL farmers Of Laporte
and st. Joseph counties.
At the same time Miles, the cOun-
/ ty surveyor of Laporte county, was
allowed and paid SSSO.54, and Her
man Empke. Laporte drainage com
missioner, $480. Total payments
for July, 1917, $3,166.32. Total cost
to date $1O,945.23. and no ditch.
The end is not yet.
Some Comprehensive Plans.
No report has been filed or pre-
! pared for filing. 1t is matter Of
( common knowledge, in fact the
statement is made by the commits
siOners themselves, that they have
not yet agreed upon the length and
extent of the ditch, the lands that
will be assessed, or the amount of
the assessments; all that is in the
future.
1t is well understood that the
general plan of the commissioners
is TO report a ditch extending from
practically the city limits of South
Bend west TO the Porter county line
=
eral cleaning out of bitches that
empty into the Kankakee; as, the
Kline ditch and Grape Vine, and
Potato creek in St. Joseph county,
and an assessment of practically all
lands in st. Joseph county, Marshall
and Starke, taking in the Yellow
river, and Laporte county that lie
in the Kankakee watershed. To
such a size has this five and one
half mile ditch grown. How many
more hundred days time will be
put in by these drainage commits
siOners? How much more auto hire
they viii charge no one can fore
tell More than three and one-halt
years have elapsed. $11, 900 expenses
has been paid by Laporte county
and no drainage.
The two LapOrte commissioners,
Empke and Miles, were examined as
witnesses in a ditch case at Val
paraisO in a case of which ii was
brought out that they proposed to
start this Place ditch at the Crums-
town bridge in st. Joseph cOuney,
and, following the present Kanka-
.
ter county line but II miles beyond
into Porter county, also that there
would be numerous laterals, and,
that the total length of the main
ditch and branches would be at
least 100 miles.
Commissioners Fall Out.
The Il miles into Porter county,
Will lap onto a ditch now being con-
stTucted from the east Porter coun-
~ line. west into Lake county along
the Kankakee, known as the Marble
ditch, which is now in process of
construction, and for which persons
have been assessed, who are doubt
less being assessed for the benefit
of the proposed Place ditch.
Regarding the automobile, il is
a matter Of common talk and gen.
eral understanding that the St. Jo-
seph county commissioner, and one
of the Laporte county commission
ers had a serious falling out over
the use of an automobile; each in
sisted that his automobile be used
by the commissioners; the Laports
county commissioner offered to
compromise by using their respec-
tive automobiles alternate weeks
but the St. Joseph county commits
siOner refused on the ground that
ne would not ride in a Ford" his
automobile being a Fierce Arrow
or some other brand.
The result is that the St Joseph
county commissioner draws down
SIS per day for a Fierce Arrow"
while the Laporte county commits
sioner draws down a corresponding
amount for the use of his Ford"
The II farmers who signed the
petition for a five and one-half mile
ditch filed a bond when the pro-
ceedings were instituted. obligating
themselves TO pay all costs and ex-
| penses if the ditch was not estab-
| lished. These men are primarily
| liable for the $1,000 already ex-
pended; and, in case the ditch
! should not be established when the
/ commissioner report is finally
heard, they will have this amount
| 10 pay, together with any further
amounts which may be paid out in
the future.
One of the commissioners in the
proceeding has made the statement
| that the probable cost Of the work
contemplated would he in the
! neigbhorhood Of 100000, at al
events the commissioners would
recommend assessments for benefits
TO approximately that amount. This
commissioner further stated that
owing 10 the fact that the Marble
ditch was not yet completed ami
probably would not be for a year.
they would not make their report 10
the Laporte circuit court for about
a year yet, for the reason that as
they proposed 70 deepen and widen
the Marble ditch now being con-
structed for a distance OF about II
miles, they have been advised that
they could not legally do this until
after the Marble ditch had been
completed and accepted.
Whether this will give an oppor-
tunity for the commissioners to
charge up more per diem, and auto
mobile hire, can be determined, or
rather the fact whether they do
make such charges when their bills
come in for the final report, ar least