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he targets of this at least the sitting ngress, are (n no position im. To be labeled as would be the kiss of death ions.parison is not so clear.' me to the Watergate November 1973, Jaworskl ble staff that knew what needed, and Indeed had les that it was entitled tod the House investigation i demonstrated. Not only veral other committee Reps. Lee Hamilton, D.-sr Flowers, D.-Ala., have Is right on track. But ; are doubtful, wonderingw* in me nay let-n than the old Y”d find dependable /or?“We wanted to get hotel business...” be solid reasons to such a conjugal Grounds for a licitation of the oes this change of ually help the “Y” jy divorcing itself accustomed ties, own star, making iphs, fashioning its i, to become the HCC, a creature of I locked into, in the the vagaries of our ment of Education.Rev. ALDENG.SHOWALTERson St.By Duncan BlrdsellJournal-Standard City EditorNature has gained a toehold in the acreage which once served as the dropoff for most of Freeport’s refuse. 'A scraggly alfalfa field catches the eye in the broad sweep of onetime river bottom land on the far side of the Pecatnnica from downtown’s northoast fringe.Beneath Ihe scattered alfalfa stands and patches of hardy weeds lies buried the refuse which Freeport generated for more than 20 years — household garbage, outworn appliances, discarded toys, industrial scraps, tires ~ the whole spectrum of junk.The city landfill off North Van Burcn Road closed in October 1971. It took until June 1975 to complete the job of covering the dump with earth and dirt to meet state standards.Recently when the summer sun waned and the heat dissipated 1 took the dusty, dirt road back to the former dumping ground.On the fringes remain evidence that here was the designated n spot for discards.Looking toward ihe heart of the old landfill, only Ihe gentle hummocks and somewhat spartan growth leads one to believe a dozen feet of debris lay under fool.Fortunately, I found Jerome lluenefeld sitting ouiside his weathered house, clad in bib overalls and reading the evening paper.Almost 77, the gracious Huenefeld got up and insisted I occupy the padded chair with arm rests while he moved to a dinette-type, unpadded chair.lluenefeld owns Ihe 22-plus acres which comprised the bulk of the landfill.SHU employed, Grandpa'’ Huencfeld drives one of the city's garbage trucks and easily qualifies as Ihe oldest city employe. He started in 1961 on a steady basis.The modest return to productively for the land brings no great enthusiasm from lluenefeld. but one senses he didn’t expect loo much.1116 first year the hay was lair. It didn't amount to anything this year,” lluenefeld said. This fill stuff, when itdries, there's big cracks.The covered landfill was orlginallly seeded with alfalfa and clover by the Huenefelds in the spring of 1974.A son, Bob, has cut and baled the hay for the past three summers, getting a single crop each year from the un- * fertilized land.“It hasn't got any belter,’’ said Dob lluenefeld, when asked about yields over ■ the span. No effort has been taken to figure exact yields.The hay goes to reed the two horses the senior Huenefeld keeps around Ihe place.Jerome Huenefeld Is skeptical whether the land could be plowed.“Some places it would be all right, but the stuff is not covered well in places. You'd pull up this or that with a plow.”Indeed, a closer look at the surface reveals lire hunks poking out in Isolated: spots.In one area Huenefeld tried a garden, ^ but found conditions too dry.The best crops on the land preceded the landfill.Huenefeld recalls he then grew sweet corn for ihe former Keene Canning Co., which was a couple good stones' throws across the river.”U was as good land as you find, but for when the water came in. I made good money on sweet com, Huenefeld said,Today tho old landfill carries a different mood for Huenefeld. There Is quiet, rather than trucks and cars coming in almost any time of day or night.With the higher elevation, he senses he summers arc not quite as hot However, he misses ihe shade of a big oak iree near his home. The iree was killed by fill, he believesOptimistically, Huenefeld expects the present city landfill on South Walnut Road wil) make a faster conversion to another use. once it iS filled. Maybe there's some family pride since his son, Bob, is the head machine operator.They’re doing belter down there, he said. Here you could throw in anything They’ve got better machinery now and they seem to have learnt from workina here.” °
Newspaper Details
Freeport Journal Standard
Freeport, Illinois, US
Sat, Jul 23, 1977
Page 5
Full Page
Clipped by
Amanda T.
IA, USA 30 Sep 2017
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