The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-11-27
COUNTY ROADS.

Mr.. EDITOR. I see we are getting lots of road
doctors and would like to know what exceptions they
will take to this:
We have better roads now than in the days of heavy
freighting for we have more people to work roads and
they are doing it. 1 think you will find a law stat
ing that no district shall'run in debt to exceed five per
cent of it's assessed valuation and that you will also
find that the biggest half of the Hills districts are
beyond that limit now. What are the commissioners
going to do? If you want better roads I think you
should 20 to the state instead of the county, Cause
more days work to constitute a poll tax and put the
road fund into a general fund, SO it can be worked out
when needed the worst. Petition the commissioners
for a Job as road supervisor and get out and show US
We would all like to have bully roads to travel on
over these mountsins, but don't know how to get
them without sufficient means for the purpose. We
don't like our medicine, but the directions say take
it," JARED.
If we had been for years taking a certain mecicine to bring
relief and it didn't do it, we should throw this medicine to the
four winds and the directions with it. The present system
ofkeeping in repair our roadsis not a success in certain sections
notably west and north of Rapid City. The people living in
shess actions have as good right to have decent roads as in
other sections Of the country where conditions are different
and where it requires little or no work to kept a road in fairly
good condition. As Mr.. Jared as well as many others sug-
Esst, what we want is a fund that NAV be used at any time and
for any district that needs it. What Mr.. Jared wants is what
We all vant, better roads. We do not agree with the gentle
naa. however, as 20 the the best way of getting them. He
suggests more days work should be put in. We do not think
the county gets its moneys worth in this way. Any man who
sat all familiar with condition knows the work put in by the
great majority Of those who work ot their tax, is not worth
oae-third OK the amount 1t is supposed to represent. What we
would like to see is what Ernest Barthold, With others have
been advocating for years, and that is that ever man who votes.
must show a receipt in full for his road tax BEFORE HE CAN
VOTE. And We want that receipt paid for, not in work that 10
worth thirty cents on the dollar. but in money that is worth a
hundred cents. Then we can hire an honest days labor and
pay for 10 in cash. By doing this we would get ase many a
dollsr that we don't get now, because many of our voters are
not tax payers and acme Of them probably never will be.
Thsse are the things to go TO the legislature with, At pres,
ems though, we waat better roads. we want them now. If we
stick closely Go the letter of the law there is no relief, so Mr..
Jared says. h also says some of our districts are in debt more
than the law allows already. Evidently someone else did
not pay strict assantion 10 the statute. 10 it any worse to re-
pair roads now than it ~as to build them then?
The plan suggested by "A wayfarsr' a few weeks ago is
the best remedy to be applied at present, we believe, and acting
upon these s~rggestssrs we are arranging to get up petitions,
which will ask the commissioners TO combine bridge and road
funds and to pay cash for road work which will be by contract.
Any suggestion will be gladly received aad cheerfully pub.
lished.
ON REQUEST of State Auditor Halliday. Attorney Genera.
Hall has rendered an opinion that the compensation provided
for the members of the state board of agriculture, under pro
visions Of Chapter PIC, laws of 1893, cannot be paid to them
This bill like many others which pass different legislatures
provides that certain sums shall be paid for a certain purpose
but fails to in any way appropriate the money for the paymen
of the sums, and the constitution prevents the payment Of any
money by the state, except for purposes for which it has beer
specifically appropriated. This will probably be another test
case for the court to pass upou before it is fually settled.