The record-union., 1894-05-08
IT WAS ROAD And BRIDGE DAY.
Supervisors Stood Up by a Host Of
Petitioners.
The Arno and Hicksville Road Matter
to be Finally Disposed OF
Next Month.

The long-contested matter of the offl-
cial closing OF a portion OF the OLD roau
leading from the railroad south OF tne
Costumes River to the village OF HICKS
ville-or, rather, what once was village
Ia the old stage coach days-was again
before the Supervisors yesterday. 1hat
portion of the road, about nali-mlle
LONG. was to have been abandoned several
years ago in favor of new road from
Arno Station to Hicksville, the right of
wav for which was decided by Mrs. Alice
M, yalensin to the county, but for some
reason the various Boards OF Supervisors
had failed to officially declare the old road
closed.
The new road has been improved by
grading, the building of bridges, ETC.,
STILL owing to the Opposltlon OF lew
persons, Mrs. Nalensin-tnrougn whose
property both roads run-has been un-
able to procure definite action IN the
matter.
To disinterested persons there is no ap-
parent good reason why the old road
should not be closed. The whole issue
seems to have been precIpltated oy neigh-
borhood differences. The new ROAD was
was granted by the Supervisors after the
usual hearing; the road was declared
opened. and some $500 expended IN I'M
proving it. and after all this had been
done a remonstrance signed by lew
persons representing very small por-
ton of the land in the district was
granted and since then the Supervisors
have dilly-dallied with the matter from
wear to year. and Mrs. Valensln has been
unable to have an order made declaring
the old road closed.
At last months session of the Super
yisors Mrs. Valensin notified the board
that she would fence up the old road,
ioin her fields and cultivate the ground.
She did place a fence across the road, but
it was removed by order OF Supervisor
Jenkins, Road Commissioner of that dis
trict.
All the Supervisors we're present yes
terday at the opening of the May session,
also quite large attendance OF cllzens
from the vicinity of Arno.
]. Fl. MeKune, attorney for the oppo-
nents of the new road, asked that the
hearing of the matter be postponed for
one month, as Grove l.. johnson, who is
associated with him as counsel, IS neces-
sarily absent. The Supreme Court is in
session, and it was impossible Tor hlm 10
go on with the case.
Mrs. Valensin appeared in her own be-
half and called the attention OF the board
to the fact that when she gave notice, at
the last session, that she was about to
close the old road, no objection was made
thereto. She constructed a fence across
the road. but Supervisor Jenkins had re-
moved il. She had done everything pos
sible in the matter, and all she asked now
was that she be placed in peaceable pos
session of her property.
A petition was presented in behalf of
the abandonment Of the old road. signed
by several of the leading taxpayers OF the
district The petition recites briefly the
history of the case, and earnestly requests
the board to carry out the agreement
originally made with Mrs. Valensin.
Among the signers are MessrS. Cantrell,
McInerney, AIcGuirk, Riley and others.
Chairman Morrison said the matter had
been bobbing up before the Supervisors
ever since he had been member of the
board, and he hoped it would be settled
now and for good.
Supervisor Todd moved that the board
make an order declaring that the old road
be abandoned, and the motion was sec
onded by Mr.. Curtis.
Supervisor Jenkins spoke in opposi-
ton to the motion, and Supervisor Todd
in its favor. The latter said the facts were
familiar to all members of the board.
Mrs, Valensin had decided the new road
to the county with the understanding
that the old road would be abandoned.
She had fulfilled her part of the contract
and is entitled to her rights.
Further remarks were made by Mrs.
Valensin and some of the parties on the
other side of the question: during which
question of veracity arose between Super
visor Jenkins and Mrs. Valensin, the
former denying that he had made certain
statements attributed to him.
Judge McKune contended that the
board was not in a position to take inn
Jiato the a
that Supervisor Todd's statement that the
board had the power to abandon the old
road was correct. That could not be done
without certain proceedings be taken.
He hoped the board would not take any
action that would involve further COM
plications. The matter was not properly
before it at that time. The only person
interested he claimed, was Mrs. Valen-
sin, who had built up rival hamlet at
Arno. In his opinion it would be an act
of injustice to the residents of Hicksville
to discriminate against them in the man
ner proposed. Judge McKune talked at
great length IN the same strain, conclud-
ing with the hope that nothing be done
without granting all parties full hearing.
District Attorney Ryan, being present
at this juncture, informed the board that
it could declare the old road closed by
proceeding in accordance with the stat
utes.
Mrs. johnson asked the board to con-
tinue the matter until Friday, if it could
not do so until next month, as they de-
sired to have their counsel present.
While the District Attorney was en-
gagged in looking up the law in the matter,
Judge McKune aud Mrs. Valensin en-
gagged in a lively cross-fire regarding
some of the proceedings in the matter had
a few years ago, in which the latter
showed herself to be very ready debater.
a remonstrance was then read against
the petition for the abandonment of the
old road, most of the signers of which.
Mrs. Valensin declared, do not reside in
the neighborhood.
Chairman Morrison remarked that Ii
the matter was properly before the board
he was in favor of disposing of it at once;
if not. he wanted it sci for a time when it
could be legally acted upon.
Judge McKune said that to order the
old road abandoned without formal pro-
ceedings would be too serious a matter
for the board to act on.
In response to question by the Chair
man, District Attorney Ryan said he be-
lieved that, the way the matter stands,
the abandonment of the old road would