Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-03-29
TWO MORE ToWNSHl DEMAND
SUPERVISORS CUT ROADS t.
PERMANENT GRADE.
ANOTHER PETITION ASKS
BOARD TO GET GRAVEL
Big Petition From Clemens, St. An
thony and State Center Asks Super
vsors to Investigate Gravel De-
posts in County and Acquire Them
Law Says Supervisors Must Do So.

Taxpayers Of two more townships
have added their petitions to others
filed earlier. demanding that the board
of supervisors cut to permanent grade
the county roads in their respective
! townships and bond the road revenue
to pay for the work If it is necessary
to do so. Greencastle and Jefferson
townships, which had already filed Pc
titions, have been followed by petitions
from Logan and Liberty townships,
i Following along the same direction
| toward permanent road Improvement,
but a departure toward another phase
! of the road question, Is still another
big petition filed with the board ask
ing that it buy gravel pits in the county
| for material for road and bridge work.
| This petition for gravel comes from the
| neighborhood of Clemens, St Anthony.
and State Center.
Southern Township in Line.
Forty-seven owners Of real estate in
! Logan township signed the petition
asking the board to grade the county
roads in that township and issue bonds
! to pay for them. With this township
added TO Greencastle and Jefferson,
I that already petitioned for the same
thing. the whole southern tier of town
ships Is now in line for the improve
ment with the exception of Eden town
! ship.
Liberty township in the extreme
northwestern part Of the county. sent
in a petition signed by fifty three farm
ers asking that the county roads OF
that township be reduced to perma-
nent grade, and the road revenue
bonded to pay for the Improvement.
Prod Board Of Gravel.
The petition from Clemens. st. An
thony. and State Center asks the su-
Pervisors to investigate gravel beds in
the neighborhood Of Clemens an delse-
where in the county and to buy tracts
containing gravel for the use Of the
county in building roads and bridges:
also to donate such gravel to, repair
bad places in township roads Seventy
three signed this petition.
No steps have yet been taken by the
board 10 acquire the deposits OF gravel
in the county The board has authority
, under the law either to purchase or
condemn. but the law makes II compul
sorry for the board to procure the ma
terial by purchase or condemnation.
The board has no choice in the mat
! ter.
Law Is Mandatory.
The follow!i-- clause of the road law
shows how mandatory on the super
Elsors is this section Of the law:
The board of supervisors of any
county is hereby authorized and en-
powered within the limits Of such coun-
ty and without the limits any city or
iowa. 20 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 highways Of
such county. including sufficient
roadway TO such land by the most rea-
sonable route, and to pay for the same
out OF the county road funds. and it
shall be the duty Of the board of SUI
per'isors of each county. where such
material can be found within the coun-
ty as herein provided, to procure, pur-
chase, 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, however
that the board of supervisors shall not
be required to purchase such land. but
may procure the road material at any
price within or without the county
when the combined cost of obtaining
and hauling the same is not greater
than the cost would be by condemna-
ton proceedings under this act"