The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1919-05-22
EXPLAINED ROAD LAW
Joe [. Long, of Davenport Gave Two
Instructive Talks Explaining the
Provisions of the New Law.

tuSJuVtVC SOShS LApSosuuuV S"S
Provisions of the New Law.
Joe L. Long, of Davenport, regard
ed as the best informed man on the
d provisions OF the new road law IN
iowa, came to Leon last Friday and
gave two splendid talks to parties
interested in the s new VIZ laW gid at at the ne
tempt to make. a set speech, but
talked in the afternoon, on the sub
ject "What Can Iowa do Under the
New Road Law" The new law is a
lengthy one, and it takes long
time to read it and then it is haru
to understand. Mr.. Long had con-
section, giving first brief statement
| of it's provisions and second sugges-
tions as to their practical applica-
ton.
On account Of the farmers being
! so very busy on account or the wet
afternoon meeting, but some repre-.
sentative men from different parts OF
| the county were in attendance and
many who heard Mr.. Long in the af-
| ternoon came back to the night
meeting. He invited questions dur
taken up and discussed in this way,
which made the provisions OF the
law clear to those who heard them.
! There is going to be vast sum OF
money expended on the roads Of De-
| catur county, without cent or di-
rect taxation, the money being secur-
ed from federal and state aid; This
money need not be spent each year
| The county can take credit for their
apportionment and do the work in
any year later, or they can go ahead
as the money is available, and do the
grading preparatory to hard surfac-
ing, and this is what herecommended1
/ money could be anticipated, bonds
issued and the roads improved, the
bonds being retired with the money
received year by year, and thus the
| roads can be utilized now, the only
| additional expense born by the tax
payers being the interest on the
| bonds
ance at the evening meeting, and Mr..
Long repeated considerable OF his
afternoon talk for the benefit OF
those who did not hear him, and
then talked on :osllins a Commun, l5Grdd
how this Gould be done, now it was
done in other states, and explained
the Florida plan of the people know
! ing exactly what they were going. to
get for their money, before any I'M
provements We're Voted, the contracts
being let for the, work subject to
election. He said the neople We're
entitled to know this, and should
know it, and then they could vote
intelligently. He explained the sys-
TEN of creating, districts for road
Improvement and just what the abuts
the land within a distance of not
less than one mile or more than one
and half miles on each side.ot the
improvement.
Mr.. Long >told of what was being
done some places, of mistakes Whic'
had been made, apd advised that
charge of the work of taking advan;,
tage of the provisions Of the road
law so that Decatur county Wouit
get all thai. was coming to. it.
Before the meeting adjourned
motion prevailed that committee
Of five be selected M to perfect saa COUNTY 1aidy
selected as chairman, the other
members being ". H. Shields o1
Frank Chastain, Of Eden; John ov
erholtzer, of Franklin.
We wish that every farmer and
could have heard Mr.. Longs talk; (
For the benefit Of our readers we.
give Mr.. Longs statement as. to the
provision of each section OF the new
law and suggestions as to their
practical application:
Sec. 1 Defines purposes OF the
act, namely to provide for primary
and secondary systems of road and
set aside funds for same and permit
the anticipation of such funds and to
coordinate the work of state, county
and federal authorities.
Sec. 2. Empowers state highway
commission to enter into such con-.
are desirable and gives supervisors
same authority to make agreements
with state department. Also pledges
good faith of state to make available
sufficient. funds to meet all future
Sec. 5. Makes the federal aid
Subject to re1dsion BY state, with
| federal consent. Also mentions
roads to state parks which commls-
sion may add to system ii designated
| by supervisors
| Sec. 4. Creates primary road fund
| from federal aid and all motor We
er direct, or in retirement Of bonds:
Sec. 5 Provides for method OF
keeping books with county SO that
each shall know just what credit
! they are entitled to from funds, each
county to accumulate credit where
| funds are not used each year, instead
of losing out on it.
Sec. 6. Defines the county options.
First to drain and grade, all of the
primary system before surfacing;
second to complete certain sections
| including surfacing; third to issue,
| bonds for the completion of all or
| surfacing can be done on any divis-
| ion until the grading of such divis-
| ion shall have been completed.
| Boards of supervisors may, or when
| petitioned by 1919 Of voters must,
submit the question of hard surfac-
ing such division of primary system
| as are specified and at the same
| time may submit the question OF is
( suing bonds. This is not held to be
! necessary when the plan defined in
sections 81 to "a is used. The gem
eral proposition of hard-surfacing as
a policy may not be submitted Oft
ener than every "a months.
- Sec. Z. Provides for the mapping
and defining of divisions of the pri-
mary road system for convenience in