Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1917-02-23
BY MEAD PUBLISHING co
Official Paper Of the City and the County
Issued on Friday of Each Week
Rntared at the Post Office at Cresco
Iowa as second class mail matter.
Elvood Introduce. New Road Bill

troduce in the legislature last Monday
The bill is intended to overcome some
Of the defects of the present road Ia"
and still retain the State Highway Com
mission although somewhat curta'line
its power. The proposed bill contains
some very good features, especially 'ne
restricting of amount of surveying &c
be done by county engineers; giving
township trustees authority to 90 emer'
pency work; requiring bridge builders
to clear all waterways before final pay:
ment for work is made, making all road
officials subject to the Casson removal
act for failure to properly perform
their duties.
The principal changes the Elwooo
bill would make in the present law are
as follows:
Reduce the amount of money the
highway commission receives from hVe
ner cent of the automobile license fund
to three per cent.
Restrict the amount of surveying
which county engineers could be called
upon to do and thus save fully forty per
cant of the present expense.
Give township trustees authority TO
proceed with emergency repair work II
board of supervisors or any member
notified fail to do the work within thlr-
ty-six hours after notified.
Requires board of supervisors to plan
work for the following year at meet
ing in September, the plans to be sub
mitted to and approved by the state
highway commission.
Puts members of highway commls'
sion, county engineers and assistants
under the Cosson removal act so that
they can be removed for failure ito
properly do their duty.
Requires all contractors in dong
bridge work to leave waterway clear
and free from obstruction on compile
ton of work and prevents their secur-
ing final payment for their work until
this is done.
Township trustees not under highway
commission in ordinary repair work and
grading except when project started by
them is appealed from by five free
holders. 4% .,.ss ..ss
The duties of the state highway COM
mission are set out specifically as fol-
lows:
1. To devise and adopt plans of high
way bridge and culvert constructor
and maintenance suited to the needs OF
the different counties of the state and
furnish standard plans to the counties
in accordance Herewith.
2. To disseminate information and
instruction to county supervisors and
other highway officers, answer inqulr-
les and advise such supervisors, town.
ship trustees and officers on questions
pertaining to highway Improvements,
construction and maintenance and OF
reasonable prices for materials and con-
struction.
8. To keep record of all important
operations of the highway commission
and to annually report the same to the
governor by the first day OF January,
which report shall be printed as pub
lie document.
4. To appoint such assistants as are
necessary to carry on the work Of the
commission, define the duties and fix
the compensation of each and termi-
nate at will the terms of employment
of all employees.
s. To make investigation as to con-
ditions in any county upon their own
initiative. or upon complaint, in writ
ing, of five citizens of the county. If
upon said investigation they shall lind
any violation of duties enjoined by this
act. whether of omission or commits
sion, they shall report the same to the
attorney general, who shall take such
steps as are by him deemed advisable
to cause the provisions of the various
county officers named in this act, with
reference to the performance of the
duties herein enjoined, and shall have
full power and authority to enforce the
provisions of this act.
z. To make surveys, plans and estl-
mates of cost for the elimination of
danger at railroad crossings on high
ways and streets and to confer with
local officials, railroad officials and the
Iowa railroad commission in the elinai-
nation of such dangers at railroad
crossings.
8. In case where complaint is'made
- provided in the fifth paragraph here
Of. the state highway commission shall
have full power to investigate the acts
of township officers named in this act
and to enforce the provisions the same
g to county officers in paragraph five
hereof.
9. The state highway commission
.hall assist the county board of super
visors and the attorney general in the
defense of patent suits relative to road