Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1897-10-08

lOEm duU uuuoI O1uCAAA Oaatus Au0So
subalterns are again directed and con-
trolled by the higher officials, the in
spectors, directors and "chaussee bau.
raethe, or councillors Of road construo-
ton, many Of whom wear royal deco
rations on their breasts. But even the
mere laborers are usually hired by the
year, and their pay and the duration Of
their services are made strictly depend
emit on their behavior.
Again. one main reason why the
building of roads in Germany ia carried
out honestly is the virtual absence Of
temptation to do otherwise, for not only
are the laws in this respect very strict
land the legislation on the building
and maintenance of public highways
dates back centuries and is very volu-
minous and explicit, so that intention
al fraud committed, such. for example,
as the use Of material Of minor grade or
the substitution Of one material for an.
other or the omission Of a certain part
of the work (substructure, etc. }. is made
punishable like any other fraud-viz,
by Jail from three mouths mp and q dne
exceeding in value by far the possible
gain effected by dishonest practices-but
there is a further fact rendering illegal
tricks next to impossible. and that, il
the careful and strict supervision Of the
buildiDg process by the royal officials. q
supervision 90 minute that it virtually
extends from day to day, hour to hour,
and at every point where construction il
going on. IT,. e.
And since this supervision is not the
task Of one man alone, but is carried on
stage by stage by a regular scale Of
oath bound officials (and as to honesty
aud strict enforcement of duty the Prus-
slams and other German officials may be
backed against the worldly, it will be
seen that even the most cunning and
unscrupulous contractor would have q
very hard job indeed to have slovenly
or dishonest work pass the series Of ar
gus eyed examiners.
There are three kinds Of highways
the provincial, the kreis and the &c.
meindewege. The former two are those
whose building and maintenance rest
on the shoulders Of the provincial or
district representative bodies. All the
rest are communal or private roads.
Among the latter the larger part are
built and kept up on shares. In assessing
taxes for roads one principle adhered to
throughout il TO lay these in exact pro-
portion to the greater or lesser benefit
accruing, adjacent property paying the
largest share.
For rural communes especially the
burden Of maintaining and keeping
clean their roads is, in mans localities,
a heavy one. And These obligations are
not confined either to their own COM
munal roads, for the law oompels the
rural and municipal communes to
render. in many and frequent cases
prompt unpaid help. Thus, for instance,
as to keeping the highest grade Of pub
lie highway. the SO called kunststras-
sen" (artistio roads) always in proper
shape. tho royal commissioners are en-
powered to call at any time for the aid
Of adjoining communes lin manual Ia
Dor, tools, vehicles, materially in put
ting these roads instantly back into
good order whenever snow accumula-
tions, freshets. long rains or similar ac-
cidents Of nature have temporarily rem
dered traffic on them difficult OF impos-
sible. -, -..<.
Special regulations Of other kinds
exist, anyway, as to The traffic upon
and maintenance Of these 'kunststras-
sem" For instance, it Is forbidden 70
use them for vehicles with protruding
wheel nails. defective wheels, screws
spokes or otherwise objectionable gear.
The horseshoes with which the animals
passing these roads Are shod must bo OF
. particular kind ..v ..,,.,... %, .sssS.a
AS the maintenance of The roads 70
fixed BY specific laws and regulations.
%, too. are the conditions Of construct
ing new roads Thus, the conditions to
which oommunes are subject In such .
case are infinitely prescribed. One Of
the most curious and significant para.
graphs issthe first That provides that
ali districts not over ~ German miles
e English miles) to right or left Of
the line Of the projected road must
permit tie taking Of stone, gravel, clay,
sand, earth, turf and any other ma
terial except wood and must allow
the temporary use Of their soil, fields,
etc., for work necessary in roadbuild-
ing free Of any cost Or reoompense
whatever. 9s