Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1917-08-01
IOWA'S new ROAD
PATROL LAW
This Measure Which Became Effec.
tive on July Means Much for
Iowa Roads.
SUPERVISORS WILL APPOINT
ROAD PATROLMEN
Will be Their Duty to Look After the
Roads and Give Their Entire
Time to the Work.

The Iowa highway patrol law
passed by the last general assembly
is the best measure for the conserva.
tion of highways ever adopted. Of
times neglect of fills and drainage off
sets all of the good accomplished by
large expenditure of money and en-.
ergy. A patrolman armed with au-
thority can obviate much of the disas-
trous effects of rains and floods.
The New Law.
Section /. Boards of supervisors
SHAH cause all Of the highways in
their jurisdiction to be patroled as
hereinafter provided, and to carry
out the provisions of this act they
are hereby empowered and required
to appoint patrolmen for the county
road system, and fix their compensa-
ton, who shall be known az county
road patrolmea and who shall hold
their Office during the pleasure of the
board so appointing them.
Section 2. The road patrolmen
shall give their entire time to road
work from the beginning of the road
working season in the spring until its
close in the fall of the year and such
additional time as the board of super
visors may direct.
Section 8. Boards of supervisors
shall assign, allot or parcel out to
the county patrolmen such sections
of road or roads as they can patrol
and properly care for, and it shall be
the duty Of the county patrolmen TO
go over all the roads in their respec-
tive sections at least once each week,
and said. patrolmen shall make ex-
ira visits to such roads or bridges as
may be reported in need Of attention.
Section At shall be the duty Of
the patrolmen herein provided to drag
or cause to be dragged, after each
rain and at such other times as may
be necessary, all the county roads
that de within their respective Sec
tions, and to remove all trash, de-
bris or other impediments from the
entrance to sluices, culyerts and
bridges and keep the same aad their
outlets open and free from obstruc-
tions. They shall keep the side ditch
es along the grade open and provide
said bitches with ample outlets. They
shall remove loose stones and other
limpediments from the beaten track of
the highway, fill depressions and
keep the roads free from ruts, water
pockets and mud holes, and shall re-
Pair approaches to bridges and shall
perform such other duties a1d COM
ply with such rules and regulations
as may be provided by the board of
supervisors.
Section s. Boards Of supervisors
shall provide patrolmen with such
tools and equipment as are necessary
to carry out the provisions of this act
and said patrolmen shall receipt to
the board Of supervisors therefor.
Said patrolmen shall give bonds for
the faithful performance of their du-
ties and for the care of tools and
equipment in such sum as the board
Iof supervisors may direct, which
bond shall be approved by the board.
How 1t is Done.
The administration of the new law
is entirely in the hands Of the boards
of supervisors and opportunity will
be afforded them to show what they
can do when given a free hand. They
appoint the patrolmei, hx their pay.
make the rules and can remove them
lat pleasure. $50
II a loafer or incompetent is kept
on the job, the board must shoulder
the blame.
Road patroling Is not new
thing. Such law exists IN many
states and the system has been sue
cessfully opssatsd' In nuMber of
Iowa couati5k. Clayton county has
been doinssit thosoushiy for two or
three years1and here Is the way it is
handled insthat county.
Clayton County Systen.
All Of the maintenance and repair
work and most Of the permanent
work Of the county il taken care of by
the patrolmen. Each man Is supplied
|by the county with all road machin-
(ery and tools necessary for the carry
|ing on OF the work. He u also allow
|ed to hire additional help at the same
rate he . raid to asbist In dragging
(Continued on,iast pase)
s..fs@ & tsts * ~
f.1t, VI. tk = ~ ssss a.. A, 81