The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1909-07-22
SOME NEW ROAD LAWS.
Many Changes Went Into Effect In
Iowa, July q.

One Of the new laws which went into
effect on July and one that is of much
interest and Importance to the rural
communities, is the new highway law.
Under its provisions all roads must be
dragged, and people are prohibited from
using them under certain conditions.
We published this new law some weeks
ago, but have been requested by several
of our patrons to again print it. The
law in full is as follows:
"The township trustees shall have all
the main travelled roads, including mail
routes, in their townships dragged at
such times as in their judgment most
beneficial, and they shall contract at
their April meeting to have given
piece Of road dragged at a rate not to
exceed fifty cents per mile for each
mile travelled in dragging. In choice Of
persons to do the work or in making
contracts to do such work, preference
should be. given, other things being
equal, to the occupants of the land
abutting the road or adjacent thereto
at the point where the work is to be
done, but if more than one occupant
the trustees may decide to which pre-
ference shall be given. So far as pos.
sible such dragging shall be done fol-
lowing rain storms whom the earth on
the road surface is in the consistency
Of mortar or in condition to accomplish
the best results. Nothing herein con-
tanned shall prohibit township trustees
from causing other than main travelled
roads in the township to be dragged.
No compensation shall be paid to
any persons for dragging roads I'M
less the same be authorized by the
township trustees and in the manner
directed by them and other work than
dragging may be done when it can &C
complish better results. Not less than
40 per cent of the road tax collected
under the road levy made by the town
ship trustees on land AUDITING the road
or adjacent thereto, shall be worked on
said road, if needed on the same.
"It shall be the duty of the city coun-
Gil of cities and incorporated towns to
cause tn main travelled roads within
the corporate limits leading into the
city or town to be dragged and so far
as practical and possible, the provisions
Of this act shall be applicable.
"The trustees may at any time, when
their contract with the parties for
dragging the road has not been properly
complied with, or when the work is not
done in satisfactory manner, cancel
said contract with the party or parties.
ut shall be unlawful for any person
or persons to leave after grading loose
earth, weeds or sod in the highways
in such manner as to interfere with
safe travel.
sit shall be unlawful for any person
or persons to drive, ride or cause to be
driven vehicle of any description in
or upon the south half of an east and
west highway after the same has beer
dragged and before such portion of the
highway shall have dried sufficiently to
pack under horses feet or frozen hare
enough to carry, provided that nothing
in this section shall apply in those in
stances where it is impossible to drive
with safety on the west or north side Of
the road.
"Any person violating any of the
provisions of this act shall be guilty O
misdemeanor and shall on conviction
thereof be fined not less than one dollar
for the first offense and for each offense
thereafter shall be fined sum not less
than five dollars and all fines collected
by prosecutions under this act shall be
paid into the road fund of the township
where the offense was committed or
damage done to the road