Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1882-05-25

sued for a special road improvement,
a mandamus was allowed compelling
the commissioners to make a county
levy to pay the bonds, and 50, we fear,
it will be in this case.
bitches. however is not the only
work OF imrrovement needed in this
section OF the State, Roads are needed
full rs greatly. When both road and
ditch can be made at one time and by
one proceeding it is desirable to do so.
But as roads are Of benefit co-exten-
sive with the county and can and
should be constructed and improved
by a general levy, ditches are special
and can, strictly and within law. be
constructed only by special assess
ments in proportion to benefits, and the
ditch law is a very poor one under
which to make or improve roads.
The legislature has fully empowered
the county commissioners to improve
the roads and to do so from the gen
eral fund. 1t is only for them to act
tearlessly in the discharge Of the du-
ties enjoined upon them by law and
the people will sustain them. There
is never any serious complaint to the
payment of taxes when the people see
that the money paid by them is legiti-
mately applied to their benefit and to
the improvement Of their property.
The Revised Statutes of Ohio con-
tain the following sections:
SECTION 1919. When any one or more of the
principal highways CT any county have been so
damaged destroyed by freshet, land-slloes, wear
or water-courses any other casualty or by neglect
or inattenton to render the same unht Tor travel
and hinder free and necessary transportation, and
the commissioners of such county are satisfied that
the ordinary levies authorized by law Tor such pur
poses will be inadequate to provide money necessary
to repair such damages or to remove % oSSuGoSs soS
rendered necessary by such cause, tney may, an
nualy thereafter, levy tax at their June session,
Of any sum not exceeding five mills on the dollar,
upon all taxable property OF the county, :. be e1-
pended as may seem to them most advantageous to
the interest of the county, for the construction re-
construction or repair of such road or roads.
SEC 1920 To anticipate the receipts which may
come into the county treasury by virtue OF such tax
the commissioners may borrow from time 10 Time
such sums of money as shall not exceed In the ag
gregate fourhs Of the tax levied in such year. and
shall be paid with lawful interest, at the county
treasury, out of the taxes so levied.
SEC. 1921. Allmoney assessed and collected under
the provisions of section forty-nine hundred and
nineteen, which remains in the hands Of the county
treasurer unexpended and unappropriated for
period of six months after the annual september
settlement for the fiscal year during which the tax
was collected shall be paid to the treasurer OF the
township or municipal corporation from which the
same was collected, and shall be expended on the
public roads, under the direction OF the trustees OF
the proper township municipal corporation, in
such manner as nay seem to them most advantageous
the construction, reconstruction or repair OF roaos
and in building or repairing bridges.
It will be seen that there is abun
dant authority given, and action is all
that is necessary to be invoked to i'm
prove the Bryan, Kalida and Adrian
pixies and other main highways of the
county, and thus place Henry among
the foremost agricultural counties OF
the State, and make Napoleon one of
the main and best trading points in
Northwestern Ohio.