Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1910-09-09

plaicng and keeping continuously
two OF them under the wheels.
! Minnesota has the following pro-
vision:
Every owner, engineer or other
person in charge Of a traction engine
propelled along the road, before
passing over culvert or bridge,
shall place an extra plank thereon
for the protection of same. and neg
lect to so do, shall render him liable
to one-half Of the expense to repair
said bridge, not to exceed fifty dol
lars
Under the law of Montana II Is
provided as follows:
"'0wners of such machines must
lay down planks not less than one
foot wide; three inches In thickness
and of sufficient length on the floors
of all bridges and culverts situate on
the public highways, while crossing
the same, for the wheels OF the
same to run on, II the load they are
hauling exceeds six tons In weight;
and shut off the steam and come to
a halt at distance of one hundred
yards from the place of halting on
said highway. on meeting any person
or persons on horses or mules, or
vehicles TO which said animals are
attached
"The state of Pennsylvania has no
law making specific provision with
reference to traction engines, but
section 20 of act eco. laws of 1905.
contains the following provision
"Any person who shall, by the
use OF rough-locks or drag-locks
upon wagon wheels. or by any other
method, or in any other manner, will
fully or maliciously destroy or dam
age any improved highway In this
commonwealth, shall be deemed
guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon
arrest and conviction therefor, shall
pay q fine of ten dollars for each
and every offense; which fine shall
be recoverable as In similar cases,
upon complaint OF any person before
a justice of the peace, and the fine
so recovered shall be paid to the
supervisors OF the township wherein
the offense was committed, for the
use of the road fund of said town
ship.
while this provision does not
mention traction engines, yet II is
stated In such broad manner that
II might probably be construed so as
to include traction engines, although
am not aware Of any such construc-
tion having been placed upon II.
The above covers all OF the in
formation available In this office at
present touching this question, and
trust that II may answer your pur-
poses
Yours respectfully.
-. T.. PENNYBACKER.
Acting Director"
In addition to the above Senator
II. d. Norton. OF this city. mention
ed few days ago a recent decision
that had been rendered In the courts
OF one OF the states 10 the effect that
the county courts had the power un-
der the law defining the duties OF
such bodies to prohibit the passage
OF such vehicles over the highways, II
In the judgment OF such court, the
roads were injured thereby. This
brings the matter squarely before
the county court. but II may be pos
sible that II viii be necessary to
await the action OF the next legisla-
ture on this subject representa-
tive OF the Courier saw William
Spaulding as 20 the purpose OF his
firm and the probable course that
would be taken. He said that they
could not haul lumber distance OF
fifteen or twenty miles with horses
for the reason that such teams could
not be procured for the purpose and
therefore II II was decided that the
traction engine could not use the
highways and bridges, lumber could
no longer be brought to Grants Pass.
COMMERCIAL CLUB WILL
MEET MONDAY. SEPT. ~