Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1907-01-24
THE Meeting Of
Supervisors

The meeting booked for this city on
February for the purpose of organic
ing the township supervisors, at which
State Highway Commissioner Hunter
will be present. is being looked for
ward to with good deal of interest
not only by the supervisors, but also by
all those intere, ed in good roads and
the methods to be employed to obtain
them.
There never was time when more
enlightenment was needed. The alleg-
ed unconstitutionality of the proviso
of the act Of assembly of April IL,
1905, will form a subject of discussion
and the townships whose petitions to
change the system of taxation have
been turned down by the court will be
glad to hear the views of such an emin-
ent authority as the State highway
commissioner
The State highway commissioner
will also be asked to throw little
light on the status of affairs relating
to the two sections of State highway
constructed in this county, which are
still incomplete after the lapse of a
year or more. The whole matter is in
explicable both to the county and the
two townships in which the roads were
reconstructed. The first and most i'm
portaut stretch of highway lies in
Mahoniug township, between the bor-
ough line and Valley township. This
was partially constructed in 1904. The
contractors did some additional work
Old the highway during the fall of 1905
but left it in condition that did
not meet the approval of either the
county or the township. The county
paid $500 and Mahoning township
made small payment, but both re-
fused to pay their full allotment until
the road was made to conform to the
specifications. To inquire into the
state of affairs, State Highway Com
missioner Hunter visited our county
and after inspecting the road is alleg-
ed to have agreed that the highway is
not finished according to specifica-
tions.
1t was thought that the result of all
this would be that the road would be
speedily finished Ill way to meet ap.
proval, but, although some work was
done in 1905, during last summer the
contractors did not appear on the
ground.
The section of highway between the
valley township line and Wise's hotel
at Mausdale constructed during the
summer of 1905, is also alleged to fall
short of specifications. 1t was thought
the contractors would reappear last
summer and complete the work, but
like the contractors ON tile other prop
ositiou, they seemed utterly unconcern-
ed iu the matter.
Neither Montour county nor Valley
township has paid one cent for the
second section of the highway. Mean
while, it is true, the townships have
fairy good road, where a very poor
road existed before, at the outlay of
| only nominal sum in one case and
the expenditure of no money at all in
| the other.
What puzzles the most is to under
stand the secret of the contractors in
difference have they been paid for
their work? This is one of the points
that the local road makers will seek to
be enlightened on. All will be glad to
learn why the State submits to such
dillydallying and whether or not it in
tends to bring the contractors to time.
Meanwhile the county as we'll as the
townships are firm in their resolution
not to make any payment on the high
way until the work is completed ac-
cording to specifications.