The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-03-13

Tor dotiar OF NatudlsCn., Inc Soohes
board last year levied two and one
half mills which will amount to al.
most $4,000 The amount of county
road work to be done, and the kind
TO be done both on state and county
roads Is left to the judgment OF the
county board who have control over
these matters, subject of course to
the general rules and regulations OF
the state highway commission. Hence
the county board may elect TO only
do grading of roads first, or, 1t may
elect to grade and gravel at the same
time according TO the local conditions
and 10 the best needs OF the district
In which road work Is to be done.
The Town Roads.
"The town road and bridge fund
for the whole state for the year
1914 amounts to s2.sss, s6s26 as COM
pared with $3.50. 1881 the previous
year and s1,25S.642.34 in 1908 so the
tax levy last year by the townships
I'm the state IL almost double what
It was Ave years ago. which is an
indication of the good roads move
ment throughout the state. The town
boards have the general care OF all
town roads, and also OF all county
roads within their town. The town
board must procure machinery, i'm
I plements, tools, stone, gravel and
other material required for the con-
structlon and repairing OF roads. The
town board must, at the annual
town meeting. give complete ac-
count OF all tax levied and collected,
and q statement OF work done and
moneys expended together with an
estimate OF the amount required for
work to be done the ensuing year. In
order to do good effective work II is
absolutely necessary that the town
have sufficient tools and equipment
for such purposes, and the tools re-
quired depend a good deal upon the
kind of road work to be done. For
ordinary grading, do not believe an
elevated grader is necessary, but each
township should have a heavy eight
horse grader for the larger and
heavier work, and alighter or four
horse grader for lighter work depend.
ing upon the cuts and fills that are
required. Besides this, drag wheelers,
scrapes, shovels and picks should be
provided SO that the work can be
done In the best and cheapest way.
Town Road overseer.
Under the Dunn law the much
abuse pathmaster is discontinued,
instead all town road work Is now
done under the direct charge of a
town road overseer This town road
overseer shall be a competent road
builder, and shall have charge Of the
construction OF all town roads and
maintenance Of the town and county
roads In the town. This overseer Is
appointed by the town board, and his
maximum salary is placed at $500 a
day for the time actually employed
in the performance Of his duties. He
shall appoint as many assistants as
necessary subject to the approval of
the town board Town as well as
county boards are authorized to pur.
chase from their road and bridge
fund whatever machinery Is necessary
to carry on the work. Where drags
are purchased to be used on town
maintenance the purchase price Of
these drags must be deducted from
the dragging fund. The overseer
term OF Office Is at the pleasure of
the town board. 1t is intended by the
law though not expressly implied.
that the road overseer shall work
under the general supervision of the
district engineer both in construc.
ton and maintenance and the over.
seer has at all times the right to
call upon the district engineer for as
sistance and advice. .
Maintenance Of Roads.
Heretofore little and no attention
has been paid to this very import.
ant feature. The question OF main.
tenance should be considered as a
part Of construction, the two fare In.
seperable. One of the very best pro-
visions Of the Dunn law Is section 16
which requires that twenty per cent
of the annual allotment made TO any
county must be used only for mainte.
nance on state roads and bridges.
The work OF maintenance should be-
gin as soon as road Is constructed,
and should be constantly kept up
Neglect In the up-keep of road Is
like letting your taxes go delinquent
when you have the money in the
bank with which to pay the taxes
or. like neglecting to single your
house when the roof leaks. A careful
prosperous farmer and business man
does not allow his properties to de
preciate for lack OF proper care. Why
then should a township. county OF
. state allow It's improved highways
which have been constructed at such
great cost and sacrifice, and which
. mean so much to the prosperity and
. welfare of our people go to pieces
|. for lack OF attention. Some Of the
finest, best equipped. and most