The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-09-19
DRAGGING COUNTRY ROADS.


Roads are best dragged Immediate
~ after rain. Not only are they
more amendahle to treatment then
but the dragging covers them with a
protective coating which enable them
70 shed water in succeeding rains.
Durlng the exceptionally dry weather
OF the past summer but little road
Dragging was done in Iowa. Now
that the fall rains are here the work
should be pushed vigorously. Under
the new law the county board of SUI.
peryisors and the county engineer
are charged with the duty of having
all county roads dragged. The board
may adopt any method and paw any
price for getting it done, but the conn
ty roads MUST be dragged in such
way as to maintain them continuously
In the best condition practicable.
Here is the statute.
The county board of supervisors
and the engineer are charged with the
DUTY OF repairing and dragging the
county road system as is required to
keep same in proper condition, and
shall adopt such methods as are nee
essary to maintain continuously, in
the best condition practicable, the en-
tire mileage of this system
Township trustees are commanded
by the new law to designate what
township roads shall be dragged. to
appoint superintendent OF dragging
for each township and pay him any
sum necessary to secure his services.
also to pay any price for dragging that
rs necessary to get the work done.
The trustees must levy l mill for road
dragging alone and must use this
money for dragging, but any township
clerk who pays for dragging without
the road superintendent o. X. on the
bill will be personally liable on his
bond for the amount
Here is the law as to the duty of
township trustees to drag the roads:
AT every February meeting, or as
soon thereafter as possible, the town
ship trustees OF said township shall
select from Its township road system
the road to be dragged for the year.
to be known as dragged roads, and
shall employ superintendent of the
township road system, who shall give
bond for the faithful performance of
his duties in such sum as the town
ship trustees may direct
Said superintendent shall have the
general supervision of all dragging
and repair work on the township road
system. whose term of office and
compensation shall be at the discre
ton of the township trustees. he
shall see that the approaches to all
the bridges on the said roads are
maintained in such NAME. as to pre-.
sent smooth and uniform surfaces;
keep the openings to all culverts and
bitches free from weeds. brush ana
other material that will in any man
ner prevent the free discharge of sur
face water He shall have charge OF /
all draggable roads of the township
road system and make contracts for
dragging, and shall see that all drag
gable roads Of the township road /.
system are properly dragged at such
times as are necessary to maintain
such roads in a smooth condition. at !
sncb prices as is reasonable and nee |
essarv to secure such contracts.
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For this purpose there shall be ex-
pended. under the direction OF the /
township trustees. through the road |
superintendent, upon the township 1
road system not less than the / mill I
drag tax now authorized by law
The township trustees shall not +
allow any bills for dragging, main /
tenance. or repair work, nor shall +
warrants in payment therefor be
Drawn by the township g upon {
'unds of the township road system I'M
IL tented bills therefor shall have
,een certified to by the township ROAD
A violation of this /
section shall render the township
,lerk liable on his bond for the
amount of said warrant
1t vill be noted that there are no
ifs" or "ands'' or butts" about the
natter. The requirement is manda-
ory and there is no escape from the
slain provisions of the law. Lee
county road officials would do
veil to get busy and do their whole
luty in the premises. The roads
lust be dragged.
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