When Bengt Johansson bought Brotorpet in 1906, he discovered that his representative had sold the farm's rights to eel fishing, an industry that could support an entire family for SEK 50.
At a village meeting the same year, the shareholders in Ålshult’s canal refused him to buy back the farm’s shares. Then the new farm owner hastily decided to build his own canal. Something that was considered outrageous and laughable in the area.
But all said and done, the canal began to be dug. After 25 m, a problem appeared, an extra bridge had to be built on the side of the county road between Ryd and Urshult, which was also done and successfully completed. The canal was completed in 1908. Of the 1100 running meters, 200 are paved, the width is 200 cm (between the stone walls), the depth is 149 cm, the height of the stone walls 110 cm and the stone vintage was 400 kbm.
The cost was SEK 5,000, for which in 1908 you could buy a farm of about 100 acres or a whole cattle herd with about 40 dairy cows.
But now Bengt Johansson would be able to catch eels on his own land…
Then he was reported by a whistleblower and antagonist and sued before the Växjö district court, because he diverted water from Lake Trässhultasjön without permission. There was never any eel fishing for the canal builder, who however apparently continued his life as usual. Brotorpet’s canal is a building monument, which is worth a star on Almundsryd’s sightseeing map