The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-09-11
CHANGE IN THE
DITCH LAW.
Township Ditch Supervisors to
Be Elected Next Spring.
PROVISIONS OF THE NEW LAW.
Each Township IL To Have Ditch super.
visor, who shall Serve For
aTerm OF Four
Years.

bitches the sum of 81, S,OS59O to make and
maintain county bitches, and as there
are thousands Of acres Of swamp land
within her borders the ditch question
will be one of growing interest to own
ers of swamp land and tax payers as
well.
Stark county's experience with bitches
has been rather expensive. owing to the
fact that in a number of cases where
bitches were a necessity apparently.
farmers through whose land the bitches
ran, and whose land apparently was
benefited, demanded big damages, and
when they were not granted, brought
suit and put the county to great ex-
pense.
However, the richest land in the
county, primarily that given to the cul-
ture of celery has been reclaimed
swamps, and the digging Of bitches will
add greatly to the agricultural wealth
of the county.
The legislature last winter made some
changes In the state ditch law, and pro-
vided for the election of ditch SUPER
visors in townships where they are
necessity. The law was passed too late
to be effective at the last spring elec-
tion, but next spring they will have to
be elected.
The new law provides for the election
of township ditch supervisor, who
shall serve for a term of three years,
and until his successor is elected and
qualified. 'In case, vacancy occurs
in his Office" the law reads, "by resig-
nation or otherwise, the township trus-
tees shall fill the vacancy by appoint
ment, until the next annual election"
The law further provides that before
entering upon his duties he shall talie
an oath of office, shall give bond with
sureties approved by the trustees, In
such sum as they determine, payable to
them and conditioned for the faithful
performance of his duties as such ditch
supervisor, and such bond shall be re-
corded by the township clerk, and filed
with him, and be carefully preserved"
Section 3 Of said act provides that
at shall be the duty of the township
ditch supervisor to divide all township
bitches into working sections assessed
by the lot and land owners, corporate
roads, railroads, township and county,
for the deepening and widening there
of: end to divide all county bitches in
to working sections proportionate to
the assessment upon lot and land own
erS, corporate Icduo, AohooeSt eS""
ship and county, for the construction,
or for the deepening and widening of
the same"
Section o Of said act provides further
that "the township trustees Of any
township 70 which this act applies are
hereby authorized and empowered to
levy a tax upon all the taxable prop
erty of said township not to exceed five
tenths of a mill upon each dollar valu-
ation, to be known as the township ditch
fund, for the purpose of carrying out the
provisions Of said act.
Section o Of the act provides thai
''the township supervisor shall be al
lowed $3.50 per diem, for the time ac'
tually engaged in performing the duties
of his office, said compensation to bt
paid by the township trustees, out o.
the township ditch fund, upon presen
tntion of ar itemized account, verified
upon oath by the township ditch super
visor. The supervisor shall be allowed
one assistant when actually engaged II
measuring a ditch or ditchs. Said as
sistant shall receive 81 per day for tn
time actually employed and shall b.
paid by the trustees out Of the town
ship ditch fund, upon the certificate o
the ditch supervisor"
Attorney General Sheets has he'll
that the township trustees may appoin
township ditch supervisors to serve un
til the next election of township ON
GERS, which will be next spring. ~