The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1910-04-07
is UP To THE TOWNS
County Has No Money In Its Road and
Bridge Fund to Meet State APP
preparation of $4,000.
Unless Action is Taken by Town
Boards Appropriation Will Be
Lost to the County.

SOuAoJ OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES appears
quest that the supervisors of the
several towns meet with the COM
missioners at their next meeting, on
Wednesday, May 4, to consider road
matters. The situation is just this:
The state highway commission has
apportioned $500 to Mile Laos
county for the Improvement of state
roads within the county. The county
board may designate any road or
specified portion thereof as a state
road, and construct or improve the
same in accordance with the regula-
tions of the highway commission rela-
tive to state roads. The law requires
that the state shall pay not more than
one-third the cost of constructing or
improving any highway. In order to
get the $4,000 from the state the
county would be obliged to expend
$1,000. This the county cannot do
for it has no available funds. In fact
the county road and bridge fund is
overdrawn to the extent of six or
seven thousand dollars. If the
appropriation is not to be lost to the
county the towns must act. The plan
is to have the supervisors of the towns
designate roads that they wish to
have improved; the county COM
missioners will then adopt a resolu-
ton designating the same as state
highways; for every two dollars ex-
pended on a road so designated the
state will expend one dollar. For
instance: The town supervisors of
Princeton request the commissioners
to designate the road from Henry
Holthus' residence to the village
limits as state highway; the COM
missioners act upon the request and
so designate that piece of road; the
supervisors then appropriate $1,000
for the improvement of that road-to
turnpike and surface it with gravel
or crushed rock; then $500 of the state
i appropriation can go to that road.
The state highway commission can
not deal with the towns direct, but it
can Indirectly through the county
commissioners. Of course, the i'm
provements made must be of perma-
nent character and in accordance with
the general plans and specifications
laid down by the state highway COM
mission.
If the towns refuse to act the state
appropriation will be lost to the
county, for, as already stated, the
county commissioners have no means
to defray two-thirds of the cost of
constructing or improving any road.
Under the law the commissioners can
levy tax of only two mills for road
and bridge purposes; the total valu-
alton Of the county is S2,293, 258, and
a tax Of two mills would produce a
} revenue of 1856, provided all the
; taxes we're paid. It will require all
} the revenue that can be raised this
year and next to meet outstanding
; obligations.
We understand the town of Kathio
is prepared to take good share of
the state appropriation. Several
other lake towns will also make an
effort to secure share of the $500.
The towns in the southern and central
part of the county will be given an
opportunity to also share in the state
appropriation. But, it must be re-
membered that for every 500 of state
aid the town must expend $500, and
the improvements must be of perma-
nent character and in accordance with
the regulations of the state highway
commission.
Let the towns interested be repre-
sented, by their supervisors, at the
meeting of the county commissioners
on May 4. The state appropriation
must be utilized even if it all goes to
one or two towns.
Ladies' Aid Society Entertained.
Yesterday afternoon the Methodist