The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1915-05-04
MAINTENANCE
Of The UnimprOVed Roads
Of The State
Provisions OF The Law On
The Subject
BY G. r. RudisIl State Director The
Ohio Good Roads Federation.

Ohio Good Roads Federation.
There are approximately 10000 |
miles of unimproved roads in the state.
These are other than inter.county and |
main market roads. They mark the |
township lines or traverse the coun- |
ties here and there, but finally lead to |
the direct roads in the inter-county |
system. The state has wisely exercised |
its authority in the betterment of
roads by providing that the inter-coun-
ty highway system enacted include the |
main travelled routes that lead to the |
populous centers, cities, villages and
the like TO the counties and separate
townships the state has left the i'm
provement of the greater portion of
road mileage in the commonwealth
This is wise, for the state improving
the main highways which carry ap
proXimately twenty-five per cent of
our commerce and travel, is affording
an outlet for the remaining network
of lesser roads
But to insure this system of roads
proper treatment, and put it in a con-
dition TO be Travelled nine to twelve
months of the year, and at small
! expense, the state has enacted what is
called the Act to Provide for the
Dragging of the Public Roads OF the
by the Ohio Good Roads Federation
was passed ON April II, 1913, and went
into effect January ], 1911.
The salient features of this law are:
At the first meeting in January of the
township trustees in any county, one
i of their number shall be designated
as dragging superintendent; he shall
be paid compensation not to exceed
fifty dollars year; he shall divide
the graveled and earth roads of the
township into dragging districts;
these must be designated by separate
numbers and not more than six miles
of roads shall be put in any one dis
trict. The same must be recorded
with the township clerk; the superin-
tendent shall from time TO time desig
nate what districts shall be dragged;
suitable road drags shall be furnished
by the trustees, which shall be paid
for out of township funds; the super
intendent shall adopt a suitable form
of notice to be given each person con
tractod with to drag roads, with return
cards. All claims for dragging shall
be reported to the township trustees,
who shall, at their meetings in June
and December, pay all claims for drag,
ging that have been approved b. the
superintendent; the sum shall not eX-
ceed fifty cents per mile for each mile
Travelled while dragging; the price for
dragging shall be fixed for the year
each January; a record shall be kept
by the superintendent of ali roads
dragged; work for the year must be
contracted for on or before 18th day of
February each year.
1t might be stated that the law is
made imperative. The language in
Section A of the Dragging Law is as
follows:
ANY violation of any of the provi-
sions of this act by the Dragging Su-
perintendent, or any person or per-
sons, who may be required under con-
tract to drag township roads, or neg
lect on the part of any township trus-
tees to set aside the funds required by
this act, shall, on conviction thereof,
be fined not less than ten dollars for
the first offense, and, for each subse-
quent offense, shall be fined not less
than twenty-five dollars"
The $4,000 miles OF unimproved
roads in Ohio can be put in proper
condition by following the law and the
instructions given. II the township
trustees will be as dilisent in their eff
forts to see that the road dragging
law is followed and enforced to the
letter as the state is in furthering the
Improvement of the inter.county sys-
TEN, all of the unimproved roads will
have been put in proper condition by
the time the commonwealth has com
peted the improvement of the $500
miles in the inter-county chain,
The building OF the :nter-county sys-
TEN of highways with hard, smooth
surface, and the dragging of earth