Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1907-01-09
SUGGEST. CHANGES m LAWS:

SuccEST.ChAncESIn LAWS
Resolutions Covering Desired Changes
In Ditch Laws introduced and
Ditch Meeting Continued.
The adjourned meeting for discuss
ing the ditch and road questions was
held at the courthouse last Saturday.
About twenty-five farmers were present.
The meeting was called to order in the
forenoon by Geo. H. Bitterness, who
presided at the previous meeting. P.
J. Haley was elected chairman and O.
A. Graveyard secretary. The road
question was taken up and was dis
cussed for some time without any def
mite conclusion being reached, and an
adjournment was taken for dinner.
In the afternoon the samequestionwas
taken up, special attention being paid
to the so-called township system, tho
number of other issues were incident
ally discussed. Finally Mr.. Gran
gard offered a resolution as follows:
"Be it resolved, that it is the sense of
this meeting that the township system
of road work should be adopted.
THAT the money collected by the
county treasurer for road work in each
town should be turned over to the
township treasurer to be expended
under the direction of the supervisors
and overseer.
''That the supervisors be empowered
to appoint one or more road overseers
to have charge of the road work.
''That the farmers be privileged to
work for an amount equal to their road
taxes, provided the work done is sat-
isfactory to the overseer
A spirited discussion took place over
the proposition, especially over the
last clause therein. It seemed to be
the unanimous opinion that the selec-
ton of one overseer by the supervisors
would lead to the selection of better
men than is the case now, and that
with one overseer the work would be
more satisfactory and cost less as less
machinery would be needed. But the
majority were opposed to the contract
system and wanted to give the farmers
the preference when it came to doing
the work. A motion to strike out the
clause giving them that privilege was
defeated, at er which the resolutions
were adopted.
The meeting then took up the ditch
question. Geo. Il. Bitterness, chair
man OF the committee appointed at the
former meeting, read the following re-
port of preliminary recommend ations
adopted by the committee:
The committee appointed by this BODY as
sembled at its former meeting held on the
9th day Of December, 1906, to reduce the
suggestions made at such meeting in regard
to changing the present drainage law into
recommendations, do hereby respectfully
make partial report of their work in re-
gard to same. The committee, following
such suggestions as were made at said meet
ing, recommends:
LIST. That section 1916 of the Revised
Laws of 1905 be changed so that the town
board shall be authorized to assess benefits
to lands actually benefited by the ditch in
the drainage of highways or otherwise, al
tho the ditch does not actually pass over
such premises. ais;
end. That section 10, Chapter $50, OF the
General Laws Of 1905, be changed so as to
m AXE the minimum bond to be given by the
engineer, 100000, and to authorize the
board of county commissioners to fix the
amount of bond in excess thereof as may
be required in such ditch, and that the gen.
eral ditch bond should be at least $4,000
in place of 100000.
3rd. That Section 10 of said Chapter 23O
be changed by inserting after the word ditch
in the eighteenth line on page 1884, the fol-
lowing, land in addition thereto an addi-
tional amount for incidental expenses not to
exceed three per cent of the original contract
price of construction of such ditch"
4th. That the engineer shall have author
ity to make small changes in the course of
the m ain ditch either at the solicita alton OF
some individual or individuals at the cost
and expense of such Individual or individuals
or whenever such engineer deems it advis able
and without the written consent of the land
owner over which the change will run and
make additional plans and specifications
thereof and file same with the county audi
tor.
9Th. That Section of said Chapter $50
be changed so that the viewers shall have
authority to assess all lands that will be
benefited indirectly by the establishment of
the m ain ditch.
9th. That no assessment of benefit and
interest thereon should be paid until the
ditch is completed and accepted, and there
after not until the time for payment of the
regular real estate taxes.
7th. That Section 10 of said Chapter $50
should be changed so that the county COM
missioners at the time of the hearing of the
viewers report should have authority to cor
rect the viewers report as to assessments
made either by reducing adding to such
assessments and also to strike out or add to
owners of real estate omitted and to assess
such property. This to be done upon reason.
able notice to be given to such owners.
Sth. That Section 3 and Section s of
Chapter $50 be reduced to one Section and
that that part of Section pertaining to the
notice to be given by the auditor and the
first hearing of the board on the petition
should be stricken out the same being all
that part of Seton 8 found between the lines
eight and twenty-nine. both partially in
cluded, of said section, and that such hear
ing is to be had after the engineers survey
and the report of the viewers
9th. That in judicial bitches the clerk of
court should do all the work that the audi
tors now do in the letting of the work and
so forth, and to file statements In counties