The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1911-03-02
GOOD ROADS
BILL NOW LAW
HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT BILL is
PASSED.
ROAD TAX PAYABLE In CASH
SOME OF THE. IMPORTANT PROvI.
SIONS OF THE NEW LAW.

Below we print the more important
provisions of the new good roads bill
just enacted into law by the iegisla-
ture:
The office of the road overseer Is
discontinued. The duty OF keeping up
roads is placed upon the town boards,
the members of which are paid $500
a day for their time.
Poll tax, payable in cash. is fixed at
$500 a year.
All road taxes shall be paid in
money.
The county commissioners shall levy
a county road tax, independent of the
township road tax, and may levy as
high as five mills on the dollar.
All road construction work which
will cost more than $500 shall be done
under supervision OF county commits
s%ioners, who shall advertise for bids
and let out the job by contract.
All construction work in any one
place or stretch Of road requiring an
expenditure of less than $500 shall be
done under supervision of the town
board, who shall advertise for bids.
Each county commissioner ON re-
quest OF the town boards in his dis
trict shall examine the condition of
roads on which an expenditure of more
than $500 is required and report to the
county commissioners with is recon-
m%endations.
Whenever two-thirds of those who
own adjacent land shall petition for
macademizing or gravel balasting a
road, the county commissioners shall
levy a special road tax for that pur-
pose.
Upon petition Of ten per mi of the
electors of the county, the county COM
missioners shall order an election upon
the question of levying a greater
amount than five mills road tax for
the fiscal year or for a term Of years,
not exceeding three years, to be voted
on at the next general election.
Whenever any traction engine is be.
ing propelled upon a public road, the
whistle thereof shall not be blown and
the operator shall exercise reasonable
care and caution in the management
Of the same so as to avoid any acct
dent that might occur from fright
upon the part of any horse or other
draft or domestic animal.
Upon application to the board of SUI
peryisors Or county commissioners of
any county by any person for permits
sion to construct a cattle way across
or under any public road it may grant
the same upon condition that such way
shall be constructed in all particulars
as directed by the said board and shall
not interfere with public travel.
The township supervisors shall have
all the main Travelled roads, including
mail routes, in their township dragged
with any road or split log drag at such
time as in their judgment is most
beneficial, and they shall contract
therefor at their March meeting. In
choice of persons to do the work or
making contracts to do such work,
preference shall be given, other things
being equal, to the occupants OF the
land abutting IT,. Dad or adjacent
thereto, at the point where the work
is to be done.
Where state lands abutting or ad-
Joining public highways and where
townships or counties have built or
improved the highways to state land,
the commissioner Of school and pub
lie lands and the state engineer, are
authorized to contract with respon-
siDle parties, for the purpose of con-
tinuing improved highways so far as
the state lands are abutting or adj
joining on one or both sides of the
road, the state shall pay its portion of
road improvements.
This act shall take effect and be in
force after July I, 1911, provided, that
it's operation shall be suspended in any
county where ten per cent Of the free
holders shall petition the county com
m~issioners and file petition with the
county auditor on or before July I,
1911, to submit the question whether
or not this act shall be adopted for
the management OF the highways in
said county to a vote Of the people at
the general election to be held IN No
vember. 1912. In cas- such petition is
thus duly filed the county commits
~si0ners of such county shall submit
such question to the legal voters OF
La