The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1890-01-24
A Good Showing.
-FOUR YEARS WORK AS COUNTY DIR

FOUR YEARS WORK AS COUNTY DRAIN
COMMISSIONERS.
Believing that the people of Shiawasset
county would like to know something about
the work done i'm the past four years b,
Geo. Il. Mason, a representative of TuE
TINES recently spent part of day at his
home looking over his records, etc. To say
that MS records are in good shape, accurate
and neat, Is only to tell what is true to the
letter.
We do not think there is more response
Die Office in the county or one recurring
more skill to perform the duties correctly.
The work Is both intricate and perplexing,
often being necessary to go through with
long, slow court proceedings to gain the de-
sired end, thus requiring q man with clear
head and good deal of patience to do the
work according to the law and with equity
to- all concerned. The commissioner must
labor to have all jobs well and economically
| done and must see that the assessment of
benefits is justly made. the roll accurately
made out and certified to the town clerk.
| and thousand and one requirements of the
law met to make his work stand the test of
proceedings i'm any court.
To begin with, care must he exercised i'm
granting petitions presented to have drains
lald as now and then one comes in simply
TO satisfy some personal or neighborhood
quarrel; the necessity for the drain and the
good to result from it must be apparent to
the commissioner. Again, petitions are
presented for work which will be largely
beneficial to the health of the community,
but perchance, of no special value to the
land through which it will pass, and of
course strong objections will be made be-
cause few cents or dollars will be added
10 hat tow
doubly difficult and the labor is sometimes
needlessly doubled and the expense CORE
spOndingly increased. With these difficult
ties and many others besettng him, the
commissioner does not have the most pleas
ant work imaginable.
That Shiawassee county has been exceed
ingly fortunate in having for its commits
sioner man of known honesty, firmness
and ability-a man who believes in doing
the best he can for all C ncerned regardless
OF personal pOpularty--is matter of con-
graduation. That Mr.. Mason has been an
exceptionally good commissioner no one can
questiOn-his work speaks for itself.
Beginning with no experience whatever.
under an entirely new and complicated
law, with no forms of the past as guide,
he has carried his work along so well that
in every suit which has been brought to
stop his work or enjoin the collection of
taxes, the county has not once been the
loser.
From the records of this officer we have
gathered the following facts, which we
think will be OF interest to our readers:
Mr.. Mason began his duties January 1,
1856, laying that year fifteen drains at q
cost of 81 ,O15.S9; in 1887, 10 at a cost of
$S,915. 90; i'm 1883, - at a cost of 81, $1,000
in 1899, lS at cost of $12, 375. 90; making a
total of 50 drains costing $50, S30.S9. In a
few cases the first assessment did not cover
the actual expenses and re-aSsessmentS were
made to the amount of $500 II, or a total
expenditure of $40, 100.
The total length of these drains is 1877
miles. Webb Creek drain, running through |
Venice and Vernon townships, was the
most expensive drain laid. costing $3, 800.
The average expense per rod of the COM
missioner for all the drains has been
so cents, which would have been |
less if there had been no litiga-
ton. TO pay for this work Mr.. Mason has
drawn 1,450 orders, running from 81 to
5000. He also issued about $50 joint orders
with county commissioners. For tile on
the Lodge drain i'm Vernon and Burns 5000
in orders were issued; for the Smith drain
in Perry, 1923.
No work has been done i'm the townships
of Hazelton, SciOta, Woodruff or Shawas-
see. In Rush and Fairfield more drains have
been laid than in any other two townships. |
For two years there has been at least
six months work ahead all the time and
Mr.. Mason turns over to his successor, Mr..
Higgins, between seven and eight thousand
dollars worth of work already laid out.
70 carry Oh this work has required vast
amount of correspondence, over a thousand
letters have been received, filed and answer
ed.
The rec .rds fill three large books of 1880
pages. closely written and exact copies of
the papers pertaining to each drain. The
average number of pages per drain is about
"a, the longest one IA pages.