The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-03-27
From Tuesdays Daily.


From Tuesdays Daily.
In preparing for this discussion to-
day, I had in mind the fact that
laws. in their entirety, cannot be re-
membered by anyone; th9t In wading
through the mass of words in which
laws are clothed. II is sometimes
quite difficult to discard the sur
plusage and Il fix in ones mind the
essential features-the cardinal points
So, with this In mind and in
view OF the questions which have
lately been submitted to me, l have
endeavored to discard the surplusage
for you and to give you concise
statement of the essential working
features of this law, having in mind
the special needs of township OIL
GERS, who must administer and work
under this law.
This applies only TO the law as il
works out In counties like ours and
coming under the some class is
ours under the provisions of the
law. My remarks deal with the so
called Dunn law, which is a codifi-
cation of most of the road law of
our state with certain new features.
The Elweli road law is left for
other discussion.
II seems that Mr.. Dunn did not
shfo rrbxa h.
pared his pet measure Whether
these laws were featured by these
gentlemen in the hope that they
might thereby pave a road to the
Governors chair, is left for you to
determine. They haven't landed there
up to the present time. One thing
is certain. The new features OF the
law are a tremendous stride in ad.
vance and much good to the com
munity will result IL we enter into
them with vigor.
The law relates to roads, bridges
and cartways, unless otherwise speci
fed.
Under this, as well as the old law
roads are classified under three
heads:
First State roads
Second. County roads
Third. Town reads
The classification should have
been under four heads, thus:
Fourth. State rural highways.
These are established and con,
structed under the ElweIi law, and
were therefore not included In Mr.
Dunn's law. Nevertheless, they should
not be lost sight Of.
/ First. State roads are those des
ignated as state roads.
Second. County roads are those
established or improved by county
boards, or acquired by user.
Third. Town roads are those es
tablished by order of town boards.
The words "road" or highway
used in this law include bridges on
road or highway to be improved.
The only authorities who lay oui
and establish or yacate road are
the, 1) town board and the (2)
county board. or the CD district
court.
State roads become such merel,
by designation as such OF a count,
or town road. or both, Heretofore
established
State ro9s may be changed OF
abandoned as such, by joint actor
of county commissioners and high
way commission.
Boundary line roads may be de
clared State Roads on joint applica
ton OF county boards of interested
counties.
The first. fact to be determined b,
the officers when road-building, i'm
provements or maintenance is con
templated. is whether the road In
question is known as state. count,
or town road, or a state rural high
way. This Is SO because towns are
required only 70 construct improve
and maintain county and town roads
These also are the only two classes
or roads which the township Officers
may cause to be dragged. Township
officers have no supervision over
state roads whatever. except thai
Section so of the Dunn law makes
it the duty Of the town board so IA
as funds are available to keep al
(public). highways within the towr
In a passable condition By remova
of snow therefrom. Road overseer Il
empowered TO hire teams and men TO
this purpose. frst Obtaining consen
or town boara Also. snow fences ma.
be erectsdzby town boards to protec
the roads from snow.
Furthermore. Section so, makes !
the special duty OF the road over
seer to Immediately repair any fpub
Elic) road IN the town which becomes
-obstructed or unsafe from any cause
He renders his account for this 4
the town board.
| Bridges and culverts must be SIS
teen feet wide and when any bridge.
in construction or repair is raise.
three feet or more above the ieve
of the bank on either side OF an.
river. stseam. gully, or rayine, 4 an'