The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-05-09
By May l5-,.NGW State Of
Ohio Law
ROAD DRAGGING EXEMPTED
Extension Of Time May Be Obtained
From County Highway Superin'
tendent-A Summary Of
Present Road Evils

(By G. F. Rudisill, State Director, The
Ohio Good Roads Federation
1t is important that the road officials
and citizens of Ohio appreciate the
necessity of putting into operation
section ISL of the new road law, which
reads as follows: "All crowning and
shaping of earth roads, except such as
is done with road drags as herenaf-
ter provided, shall be done prior to
the fifteenth day of May of each year,
unless the county highway superin-
tendent by an order in writing filed
with the township trustees, shall eX-
tend the time. Such extension of time
shall only be granted in case the sea
son has made it impossible to have
such work done by the fifteenth day
of May. Provided, that nothing CON
tained in this section shall prevent the
Improvement at any time in the year
of earth roads or changing the grade
thereof"
Not only the people of the unim-
proved road districts, but all who use
the roads, are interested in this sec
tion of the law, for with its fullest ap-
plication and enforcement many of
the troubles, so common to the unim-
proved road, may be eliminated. Up
on no class of road work has inefti-
cheney been so noticeable as in the
make-shift policy of working the
roads," a practice wherein the road
is drained, shaped and crowned (O"
with one-time-around Some of the
faults or improper methods of the past
are still practiced in some sections, of
scraping the earth road every year
or two, perhaps late in the season,
| leaving it in questionable condition;
whereas the capable road official of to-
| day employs systematic treatment
for both the earth and gravel roads, a
method of drainage and maintenance
| that is continuous through the year.
| Nv now ihNt IL pibp'liJ
will remedy many of the evils of the
past and will give the people the use
and service of the great mileage of
J earth and gravel roads during the
greater part of the year.
One of the most noticeable faults of
| the past has been the neglect of the
ditches-too little attention to the i'm.
portant subject of drainage.
Another practice which has added to
our road troubles is the placing of ma.
terial in mud holes. Earth roads
should be repaired with earth, and the
work of placing and compacting il
should be done when the road is dry
Leaving sod, stone and weeds in the
center of the road after scraping will
not be tolerated under the new law II
the officials do their duty.
The policy of scraping the sod out
ward to the ditch line or into the ditcf
and leaving it to impede or CHECK
| VI oihuSO bNlhE lCiituiGut Du
one can see miles of such work il
some sections yet.
The making of false shoulders a
the sides of the road due to improper
scraping brings ruin to any roadway
preventing the water from running tC
the bitches, or to the places wher,
bitches ought to be.
Neglecting TO drag after shaping al
earth or gravel road to maintain th
crown is inexcusable under the ney
law; in fact, responsibility for the al
plication and enforcement of the roa,
drag sections is definitely fixed.
Dragging the road when it is to-
wet or too dry is a waste of money
Ordinarily the surface of the roa
should be spongy, the condition tina
is seen after a rain, just before freei
ing or after thaw.
BY January 10 the Board of Trus
tees of each township shall appoin
one competent township highway 81
perintendent (or as many as fou
where the work justifies) who sha
give bond for faithful performance {
duty and who shall do the work pr,
scribed by the township trustees an
county highway superinten'
ent. BY May IS the township higl
way superintendent shall have COZ
: tracted with men to drag the cart
and gravel roads by sections of NJ
> to exceed six miles each, dragging {
be started as early in the spring a
the season will permit and as road
4 are re-shaped and made ready for th
: dragging. The law pertaining 10 drar
ging is mandatory and many commuu
ties of the state where careful, skille
. men have been appointed to do n
y work, are realizing its benefits an
, are urging its fullest operation an