Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-10-05
GREAT CHANGES
IN ROAD LAW

4li lO11D LIZ W
BY an act of assembly approved
April -, 1905, radical and import
ant change has been made in the mat
ter of caring for roads in all town
ships of the second class in this COM
monwealth. AS every township in
Montour county is a township of the
second class, the act is especially in
terestlng to our citizens. Instead of
electing two supervisors at the next
February election, .hree will be chos-
EN-. one for one year, aud one for two
years and one for three years.
They will meet for organization on
the first Monday in March after their
election. and will elect one of their
number as chairman, and one as sec
retary. They will also choose a trea-
surer, who shall not be of their num-
ber. 1t will be their duty to immedi-
ately levy a road tax.
This body of supervisors shall take
no active part, personally, in the care
of the roads of their respective town
ships. Their duties are to organize,
levy the tax, divide the townships up
into road districts, with not less than
five miles of road to each district.
They shall employ a roadmaster for
each of these districts, whose duty it
shall be to work upon the road him.
self, and see that the roads in his dis
specifications furnished him by the
three supervisors. This roadmaster
must give bond if required to do so by
the supervisors, aud is at all times
subject to removal by the supervisors
of the township.
The control of the roadmasters. the
employment OF Iaborers, the purchase
of scrapers, plows, stone crushers. roll
ers. and other road machines are in
the hands of the three supervisors, who
shall meet once a month for the tran
saction of business, being allowed
necessary expenses. They shall not be
interested in any work done, purchases
made, or contracts relating to roads
aud bridges, nor are they allowed tc
furnish anv materials therefor.
Under this same act, it is provided
that upon petition of at least twenty.
five taxpayers in any township, al
election shalt be authorized by tht
court of quarter sessions, to be held al
the ensuing February election, to pass
upon the question of whether the road
tax in that particular township shall
be worked out as heretofore, or shall
be paid in cash AS an inducement tC
pay the road tax in cash, it is provided
that in every township which shall bt
favorable to paying the tax in cal
the three supervisors shall make {
sWo orn statement to the highway com
missioner before the fifteenth day OF
March in each year, showing the
amount of tax assessed, rs we'll as the
amount collected. Upon receipt of suCl
statement, the said highway commits
sioner is required to draw a warrant
upon the state treasury in favor of the
said township for the payment of ff
teen per cent. of the amount so col.
lected for the use of the township fur
nishing such statement.
1t will thus be seen that every pos
sible safeguard is thrown around the
care of the public roads, and that the
system laid down in this act ought tC
he productive of much good. Thought.
full and progressive citizens in the
country districts have always deplored
the wasteful methods Of road repair
ing and road construction under the
old system Too many men regarded
it as quite proper to do a great deal OF
soldering" when nOminally work
ing ont their road tax. In very many
cases a large amount of tax was used
up under the old system with very lit
tie results to show for the same.
Under the law as it now stands, il
will require very few energetic and
competent roadmasters in each town.
ship, with funds at their command. tC
keep the roads in much better condi.
tion than heretofore. Rightly admin
istered any township that elects tc
pay its road tax in money can by this
method make every dollar Of the tax.
payers money worth 81. 10 to the town
ship. and, moreover, definite system
Of road specification can easily be put
into practice and carried out from
year to year in manner not hereto
fore possible.
If the best citizens in the various
townships will sacrifice the time to
serve under this new law until the
system is fairly inaugurated. and un-
til successful elections are held all
over the county to make the road tax
a money tax, great results will be ac-
complished in a few years in Montour
county, in the way of good roads. This
is a subject worthy of the earnest aud
thoughtful consideration of every resi-
dent of the rural districts in the en-
tire state of Pennsylvania.
Catarrh and Hay Fever.
Liquid Cream Balm is becoming
nnite as nnnnlar In manY lncalities as