The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1896-12-18
Official Proceedings of the Board of
Supervisors of Shiawassee County.
Printed By authority.

OCTOBER SESSION. (Continued.)
George T. Mason, county drain COM
missioner submitted the following report:
To the Honorable the Board of Superuis-
0rs:
In accordance with the provisions of
section o, of chapter 2, of act No. 227
of the session laws of 1895 as amended,
have the honor herewith to submit my
annual report as county drain commits
sioner, covering the period from Oct. 1,
1896, to Oct. /, 1885,
The following named drains were left
unfinished at the date of my last report:
The Atherton, Buck, Burns & Antrim,
Caledonia & Venice, Drake, Gall, North
Creek, Pickrell Lake, Quay, South
Looking Glass, Todd, Griffus, Wolf
Creek, Chapman, State Road, Christian,
Eaton Alder Creek, Hurrell, Jorden.
Powers and Porter Creek.
The following named drains have
been finished by me during the year:
the Buck, Drake. Gall, Pickrell Lake,
Todd, Griffus, Wolf Creek, State Road,
Christian, Eaton and Powers
The following named drains have
been begun by me and only partly com
pleted: The 7Atherton, Burns and An
trim, Caledonia and Venice, Quay,
South Looking Glass, Chapman, Alder
Greek, Hurrell, Jorden, Porter Creek,
Mishtegaic Creek, Obtassin, Webb
Greek, Travis, Thomas, Huckleberry,
GLADDEN., Copas and Onyon Creek.
The North Creek drain that runs
from the township of Hazleton into
Saginaw county, have had to abandon
on the account of the commissioner of
Saginaw county neglecting to act.
The work during the year in clean
ing out old drains and constructing new
ones is 1917 rods or 81 miles, 1877 rods.
The work of drainage has been greatly
hindered during the summer on account
of the heavy rains we have had.
Many of our drains are located in old
creek bottoms, spring beds, with flat
adjoining lands, which makes it easy to
overflow the banks, and very difficult |
to hold the water with dams. The |
most of the men have done the best |
they could, but | have had some
trouble with a few of the men, who |
have taken work so low that, under the |
most favorable circumstances, there |
would have been little or no profit to
them.
There is % miles, 208 rods of drains |
sold that are not completed, and miles,
200 rods of drain surveyed and leveled
that has not been sold.
We have had two suits in the probate
court during this year. One on the
Webb Greek and one on the Chapman
drain. Special commissioners were APP
pointed in each case, who viewed the
premises and heard the testimony of
the parties who were in favor and who
were opposed to the drain, and in each
case the right of way was taken.
. There have been three appeals made
to the township boards from my assess
ments during the year. One on the
Jorden drain; in this case the township
board sustained my assessment. One on
the Quay drain; in this case appellant
withdrew the appeal before the day of
hearing. One on the Webb Creek drain,
in which case the law was not complied
with and the township board had no
jurisdiction to act and the case was
dismissed.
We have had one case in the circuit
court. This was the Chapman drain and
ID. G. II. & M. r. r. case in regard to
the payment for culvert across said
railroad. Judge Wisner, of Flint, was
called to hear the case and decided that
we must pay for the culvert.
have four applications in my Office
for drains that no action has been taken
on for want of time.
The total amount of drain tax re-
ported to be raised for the year 1896 is
S13, O7S. 20 of which
Antrim has --------S1194 90
Burns /" ------ 240 90
Bennington has SO O5
Caledonia .---- 1887 %
Fairfield .-- 706 43
Hazleton " .---------- 489 25
Middlebury {" ---- IL OF
Owosso !" -----. 800 80
Perry ------------- 1924 90
Rush "..-.---- 800 90
Sb;awassee 1873 oOl