Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1917-07-18
Good Roads Department
Conducted Especially for the Banner by Hon. P.
T. Colgrove. President of the Michigan
Good Roads Association.

Daprato of the Upper Peninsula, We
have found not only an ardent work,
| er in the interests of our public
roads, but one of the hardest workers
in the legislature, always courteous
always to be found during the ses.
sion; and by personal investigation
and research at the Office Of the state
highway commissioner, he goes to the
! bottom of things, hence reaches con-
illusions best calculated to serve the
state. Among other activities he
introduced an act to amend Section
Four of Act number 334 of the Pub
| lie Acts of 1913. The Section SO
amended and now the law of the
state, reads as follows:
1.-THE state highway department
shall design all bridges and culverts
bridges greater than thirty foot
clear span on state trunk line high
ways: Provided, that no bridges shall
be constructed until the county, good
roads district or township has funds
available for, and agrees to con-
struct at least three miles Of road in
GLIDING the bridge site. Provided
further, That the state highway
commissioner is authorized to enter
into such arrangements as may be
just and equitable whereby the state
shall be obliged to pay not more
than one-half of the cost of construc-
ton or on the boundary line between
this state and another state Of the
union, and may make such agree
ments and contracts with the proper
officials of such municipality or the
officials Of such other state or of any
county thereof, as may be necessary
and expedient for the purposes
hereof"
A law was passed to provide for
the lighting by artificial means of
highways in Incorporated villages by
the township board, and to provide
for the payment of the expenses
so incurred. Section one reads as
follows:
"The township board of any town.
ship in which there is situated an un-
incorporated village may by major
ity vote Of such board at any regular
meeting or any special meeting call
ed for that purpose, provide for the
lighting by artificial means of any of
the highways in such village and the
expense of such lighting shall be
fund; Provided, That there shall be
dred and fifty dollars spent in any
one year for the purpose herein pro-
vided for: Provided also, That where
such unincorporated village is situat-
ed in two or more townships, such
provision shall be made by a majority
vote of all the township boards in
which said village shall be situated
at joint meeting of such township
boards held for that purpose and the
proportion of such expense to be paid
by each of such townships shall be
determined at such joint meeting"
A new act was passed prohibiting
the scattering or distributing of noxi-
Gus weeds, wild grass, or foul seeds
along Or on any public highway, or
in any Of the streams or lakes of this
state.
The act is very brief and reads as
follows
"The people of the State of Michi-
gan enact:
Section 1. Hereafter it shall be
unlawful for any person or persons
to Intentionally scatter or deposit
any noxious weeds, wild grass, or
foul seeds along or on any public
highway or in any of the streams,
lakes or other inland waters within
this state.
Section 2. Any person or persons
violating the provisions of this act
shall be deemed guilty of a INSIDE
meanor and, upon conviction, shall be
punished by a fine of not less than
five dollars nor more than twenty-five
dollars, or by Imprisonment in the
county jail for not less than five
days nor more than thirty days, or
by both such. fine and Imprisonment
in the discretion of the COURT
Among the amendments to existing
road laws a bill was passed to amend
chapter five of Act number 283 of
the Public Acts of 1909. Section 10a
reads as follows:
ANY class B road shall be entitled
to fifteen per cent reward added to
the above specified reward for each
five per cent increase in percentage
of gravel over sixty per cent up to
and including eighty-fye per cent re-
tanned on a one-eighth-inch square
mesh screen. Any gravel surfaced
class G road shall be entitled to five
per cent increase in the percentage
of gravel surface over sixty per cent
up to and including eighty-fve per
cent retained on a one-eighth-inch
mesh screen: Provided, That these in
creases do not apply to double re-
ward roads.
This act is ordered to take immedi-
ate effect"
/ have given in this report brief
statement of the important laws
passed by the legislature which so
recently adjourned,