Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-31
THE ROADS TO RUIN
Seem to Pass Through Districts Run
by County Supervisors.
AMAN WITH UNLIMITED POWER.
1t Is Observed He Fixes Highways That
Advance His Interests.
DEBTS OF UNKNOWN RESPONSIBILITY

A reader asks THE DISPATCH what are
the powers of township auditors; whether
they have any control of the road super
visors; whether a road supervisor can fix
the tax rate as high as he pleases, and also
contract for more material or labor than
payment provided for in the tax duplicate;
and finally, if such debt exists, incurred
by the predecessor of a road supervisor in
office, whether portion of the tax levied
must not be applied to the reduction of the
Indebtedness.
The writer says that in view of the vast
interest taken at present in the road ques-
tion and kindred topics, the matter is of
vital interest.
1t appears there have lawsuits grown out
of the action of supervisors at times. and
sometimes he has been brought to book for
exceeding his bounds, but in general sort
of a way he is about the biggest man in the
township and sometimes does pretty much
as he pleases. His discretionary power is
large, and he may "salivate" the taxpayers
pretty strongly in his estimate Of the amount
of tax he sees fit TO levy.
A Theory Not Always Condition.
1t is the theory that debts incurred by a
supervisor must be paid and occasionally
an effort is made to hold back money de-
rived from fresh levied taxes for that pur-
pose, but, as taxable has the option to work
out his taxes, it is an uncertain source of
reven ue in some districts and certain one
in others. Near the city where men can
make more money in their ordinary avo-
cations than the 81 25 or 81 so allowed for
road working, money is paid in preference
to labor by the taxables and in the back
districts all the work done on the roads
amounts to com parativelv little.
There are isolated instances in this county
where supervisors have used part OF the
road tax levy to pay debts. The general
policy, however, is not to incur them, but
let the roads in measure take care of them
selves. In some districts near the city the
office of supervisor has been little mint, as
alleged, supervisors hiring cheap Italian
labor and getting large margin between
the price paid for it and that allowed such
labor by the township. 1t has also been
shown in law suit that supervisor found
it convenient to open up fine stone quarry
on his farm and make the township pay
therefor, the strategy consisting in selling
the material excavated to the township Tor
making fills.
Auditors Who Don't Know How.
As to auditors, the law contemplates them
as body designated by the term, though
lawyer who ''has been there" states that the
work sometimes done by such bodies is of
the most crude kind possible to pass, as
often the accounts to be audited would puz-
zle an expert bookkeeper, and township
auditors are not. as e rule, chosen on ac-
count of any especial fitness in this direc-
ton.
must meet on the second Monday in
April each year, and that two will
constitute a quorum. On the date men,
toned they are required to audit the ac-
counts of the supervisors, township treasurer
and of such other township officers as may
be referred to them. The report Of audit
must be filed with the township clerk, and
! if there be none such it shall remain with
the senior auditor for general inspection.
Township auditors have power to compel
the attendance of witnesses and production
of books and papers and to administer oaths
the same as county auditors. They are al
lowed 81 dav pay for necessary work. An
appeal from their findings lies to the Com
mon Pleas Courts upon appellants giving
sufficient security Tor the payment of costs.
SliuiuS VI supervisors
Road supervisors must account to the
auditors annually under 81 to $50 penalty to
be collected before Justice of the Peace
from whom an appeal lies to the next Court
of Quarter Sessions. Townships may In
crease or diminish the number of supervi-
sors Dv vote.
There is one fatal weakness in the road
supervisorship system as frequently de-
yeloped in townships near the city For
instance, the populous part of the township is
very likely to combine and elect men whose
interests lie in that part and in consequence
the highways in the populous part are i'm
proved at the expense of people who do not
get return for tax paid and a supervisor
having very large discretion it is somewhat
difficult to straighten him if he be sinuously
inclined.
A case was disposed of before Judges
Collier and Slagle the other day that may
shed some light on this feature of the case.
Bryant Coleman, of CHARTERS township,
sought to restrain Supervisor George Evans,
of CHARTERS township, from leveling and
improving Prospect avenue from the rail-
way bridge to Mckee street. Ingram station,
and asked for an injunction to stop the
work. The supervisor was backed by P. +.
Smith, j. j. Mccormick, Walter Morris
and Robert Frew.
AS Powerful as Hercules.
On behalf of the supervisor it was con-
tended that he had power to cut off
humps and fill holes, as he was doing,
and thus render travel safe. Judge
Slagle coincided with this view, and
Judge Collier observed that if dan
gerous places we're allowed to exist
where the danger might be remedied, and
supervisors were brought before him in
Quarter Sessions for neglect of the very
work here complained of, he should surely
punish them. Accordingly the injunction
was dissolved.
Judge Golfers remark is notice to five
out of six supervisors that they might be
yanked into court and punished. for there is
scarce one of them that is not presiding
over roads where dangerous places exist. not
to mention the large number of small
bridges with chinks in them, not only large
enough to allow horses foot to pass
through, but also a No. boot
The love of Office must be very strong that
spurs man to accept supervisorship in the
average country district, for if he were to
make the highways as good as they should
be he would be deafened by howl of rage.
The whole subject suggests the neces-
ssity of supervisory power that does
not depend for perpetuation on the favor of
a country constituency. Why, one Of the
wealthiest farmers in this county objected
to the improvement of a road running in
front of his farm on the ground that il the
road were made good the assessors would
raise his valuation.