Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-01-14
PLENTY OF SAND IN THIS LAW.

R. II. Sheffield, OF Eldora, 80 years
old, has for sale gravel pit at Clifford
in Hardin county. which lies adjacent
to the c. & y. W. and NJ. & ST. L.
railroads. He advertises mil
lion yards of road ballasttng
gravel for sale but owing to his ex-
IRENE age he wants the purchaser to
do the loading. Mr.. Sheffield and
owners Of other gravel pits in Iowa
should arm themselves with a copy of
the new law as to gravel pits enacted
by the last legislature which makes it
mandatory that boards Of supervisors
shall purchase gravel pits so that no
portion OF the county road system shall
be more than six miles distant from
pit and which provides removal from
office as the penalty for board which
available. The new statute reads:
The board Of supervisors of any
county is hereby authorized and en-
powered within the limits OF such
county and without the limits of any
city or town, to procure, purchase or
condemn. enter upon and take any
lands, not to exceed five acres in any
one place, for the purpose OF obtaining
gravel or other suitable material with
which TO improve the roads and high
ways Of such county including suf-
f1cient roadway TO such land by the
most reasonable route, and 10 pay for
the same out Of the county road funds.
-. ahaJ ~ G,&,. - ~
Of supervisors Of each county, where
such material can be found within the
county as herein provided. to procure.
purchase or condemn such tracts so
that no part of the county shall be
more than six miles distant from land
where such material can be obtained
for highway purposes, provided, how
ever, that the board OF supervisors
shall not be required to purchase such
land, but may procure the road mater
ial at any place within or without the
county when the combined cost Of
obtaining and hauling the same is not
greater than the cost would be by con-
demnation proceedings under this act
Tn case the board OF supervisors Of
any county shall fail. neglect or refuse
to perform the duty imposed upon them
by this act. the members thereof shall
be subject to removal from office for
failure to perform their duty as pro-
vided by chapter IS Of the acts OF the
Thirty third General Assembly as
amended"
Hardin county. which is ahead Of
most counties IN road improvement
under the direction OF Engineer Gard
ner. has already provided itself with
a gravel pit in every township but one
including two acres Of Mr.. Sheffie1d's
gravel land and is thus about the first
county to comply with the gravel law.
It is going to take some time for the
public and its officials to understand
III that was done by the last legisla-
fure toward permanent road building
IA Iowa. What was done should be
heartily endorsed by every good roads
booster to the end that what was
omitted may yet be enacted. The laws
rassec at the last session provided for
Q complete segregation Of the main
Travelled roads into connected system
Of state roads. A complete engineer
ine mar was created with Dean
AGarston and State Engineer MacDon-
ald at the head and ninety-nine county
aong1neers on the job with seven di-
Vf0too engineers in the field and =
fomDlste drafting force at head