The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1912-01-17

Oy CnOSe interested.
l do not claim any special merit
for this paper, except that it gives in
formation on this new road law to the
public, in a way that makes it easy
for them to understand.
Frank A. Nimcocks,
Secretary Blue Grass Road
l have had considerable correspond
ence with the attorney general and
with his special counsel, Hon. N. j.
Lee, concerning the new drag law.
have been asked a great many ques-
tons about the law, and have in
turn written the attorney general
several times, asking various ques-
lions that l believed would naturally
come up and where there was any
question in my mind, or where l felt
there might be a question in the
minds of the trustees, l have asked
the questions of the attorney general
and received his decision on the same.
Before begin this statement, how
ever, want to say that in looking
over this law carefully, l believe that
it is the best law of the kind ever
passed. In most every way l believe
it is practical, but common sence will
need to be used in carrying out the
provisions. I believe the time has
come when all public officials super
visors and trustees, in the main, are
satisfied to give the public the worth
of it's money collected for road pur-
poses. There are exceptions to this
rule, but believe as a general pro-
position that the trustees and super
service. l believe they mean to be
honest and fair with their neighbors.
l know, and so do you,, that oft times
these men neglect their duties, some
times on account of other pressing
business and sometimes they do not
seem to care. However, the good
roads proposition is improving year
by year and believe Wapello county
next year will improve over the work
of the past year and in some of the
townships during the past season, we
have had splendid work done. 1t does
no special good to anyone to roast the
supervisors or trustees. We should
encourage them to do their duty. If
they absolutely fail to do their duty,
instead of continually roasting them.
we should simply say, and it is only
fair, "either do your duty as the law
directs, or resign" Do not accept
these positions unless you expect to
give them some attention. l am in
hopes that every board of trustees in
Wapello county at least will comply
with this law and if they make an
effort to make this law success, il
will be a success. If they begin find"
ing fault at the start by saying that it
cannot be carried out, they can make
it a failure; but it is to the interest
of every resident of Wapello county
that this law be carried out, and be-
lieve it will.
The following questions have been
taken up and answered to my salts
faction and l give them to you here
with and will be glad to make any Of
them more full, if it seems necessary:
Q.-Are road drags to be furnished
by the townships?
Ayes.
Q.-What funds must be used in
paying for these drags?
A.-These drags are to be paid for
out of the township road fund and no
part of the dragging fund created by
the one mill levy may be used for this
or any other purpose, except dragging,
On event the one mill levy is not
sufficient to keep the roads dragged
as contracted for, can other township
funds be used?
Ayes. When the dragging fund
is exhausted, the trustees may use
other township funds for this purpose.
Q-May the salary and expenses of
the superintendent of dragging be
maid out of the township road fund?
Ayes. There is no objection to
the trustees paying the superintend-
ent's salary out of the regular town
ship road fund.
O.-April 1 being often too late to
start dragging the roads, would ask
if the trustees could not make their
contracts with the superintendent
earlier in the year?