The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-02-07

commissioners ol thelr uulitS Win" '"'
present road law imposes upon them
The committee regret 10 say however,
that upon inquiry into this subject thcey
must lind much complaint that commits
sioncrs OF highway IN large proportion
of instances are not giving that attention 10
their duties which the law requires OF
! them. and the result is that there has not
been that progress in road making in the
state which was contemplated there would
be by the Trainer, Of the present law.
Its a >elfeyident fact that good roads
cannot be- accomplished without an eApcn-
diture of money. Ii the people expect
GOOD roads they must also expect sum.
cient expenditure Of money therefor In
| stead Of attempting 20 meet the intention
of the law IN improving the condition OF
the public roads, commissioners OF high
ways, il would seem in many instances, are
tryinr 70 cyadc the intention Of the law by
raising and eNpcnding the least possible
amount, upon the public roads Of the town
and are seeking to obtain appreciation for
their official acts by showing how little
money they have expended within the
year.
This upon general principles must be
regarded simply a. neglect OF duty. 30
long ~ means are provided by law and
placed al the disposal Of commissioners OF
HIGHWAYS there can be no claim 20 y prop
or performance % their duties except upon
showing that the roads Of the town are in
a GOOD condition, AZ lcast 20 the extent OF
III" means 1T their disposal.
There Is no branch Of the duties OF com.
miSsiOncrs Of highways which seems to
have been ~ muck neglected ~ that of
keeping proper record, showing definite
ly the location of the public roads OF the
town, which neglect has frequently led TO
expensive and pcrpleNing litigation, as
shown by the records Of our courts OF jus
tiCe.
Before the passage OF Our present road
law the General complaint was that the
commits -ioncrs Of highways were not pro
vided with n clerk 10 write up their pro
ceedino5 and keep their records. The
present road law has made full provision
in this regard, whereby the board are pro
vided with a clerk who Is required as be-
fore mentioned 10 keep record OF all the
official acts and proceedings OF the board
In a well bound book provided for that
purpose, and 1t il the duty Of the board to
sec that such duty Of their clerk il pro
perry performed, 80 Tat there shall I've a
complete record Of their official acts,
whereby viii appear complete record OF
al the public roads OF the town. In keep
Ing these records required by Law care
should be exercised 10 keep them in a
a manner a. the law provides 80 a. 10
avoid confusion.
The law provides, FIRST, for Il woll bound
book in which shall be recorded all the Of
fetal acts and proceedings of the board
The entries in this book will show in add.
ton TO matters in general coming before
the hoard the acts and proceedings Of the
board in relation 10 laying out, altering
widening and vacating highways.
The law provides, secondly, for a book to
oe kept by the town clerk in which shall
be recorded al agreements and releases Of
damages In establishing, altering, widen,
ing or yaca,ing roads, and the order OF the
commissioners, together with the plat OF
the surveyor, in each casa.
These ara two books separate and apart
from other records Of tho town in which
no other matter should appear than that
provided ~ aforesaid. SoiWith Standing
this positive requirement OF the law M TO
the mode Of keeping these two separate
records, il Is found that towns 70 great eX.
tent have been in the habit Of mixing the
matter Of such records with their general
town records, thus leading 10 great confus
ion and uncertainty for want OF proper
observance Of the requirements OF the law,
but worse than this il the indifference pre-.
vsiling on tho part Of highway commits
sioners ~ quite an extent Of Keeping no
record ut all, from which follows vexatiops
1;,t I.tAra al lid En-.
Whether the present road law is just and
perfect in Gil respects the committee do
NO, undertake 70 say, but one thing Is Ger,
tain that the efficiency OF tho law can new.
er be properly tested or determined unless
there be faithful performance Of duties
on the part Of all public officers coming
within IL, provisions rs the same are there
IN prescribed.
The committee recommend the adoption
Of the accompanying resolution:
Resolcs5, That this convention urge up.
on commissioners Of highways Of the var
ious towns Of this state that In caSes where
any road in their town shall be found not
10 have any recopi showing it, location, or
shall in any way be not sufficiently de.
SCribed that they proceed without delay
~ the law requires, and have such road or
roads re surveyed and properly described
and entered Of record in the town road rec
ord OF the town. And /, is further urged
upon commissioners of highways TINT they
faithfully observe the duty imposed upon
them By the road law in keeping record
OF al their proceedings n al meetings Of
their board, 20 thu end that there may BE-
in every town of the state full and com
plc,o record of all the roads Of the town,
and that there shall also be "a complete
record OF all proceedings Of the commits
sioners of Highways N every meeting Of
the board, 10 the end, that v"Yations and
expensive litigation may ", avoided by
having AZ hand record evidence of every
thing necessary in regard 10 the location Of
roads and the Transaction Of all business hy
tue commissioners Of highway
MATHEW WARNER, Chairman.
New Zealand >ong,tre>>.