Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 February 1916 — FARMERS ARRESTED FOA HEAVY HAULING [ARTICLE]

FARMERS ARRESTED FOA HEAVY HAULING

Geo. M. Wilcox, Amsler and Tony Keiper Charged With Violation of “Soft” Roads Law. mrnimmm A County Road Superintendent Gray made three affidavits Thursday charging violations of theireavy hauling on soft roads law. The persons against whom the affidavits were filed .were Tony Keiper, Jiving south of town; George M. Wilcox, living west of town; hnd Floyd Amsler, living north of town. All are excellent citizens affd"gootl "farmers and they were not singled out because of any special grievance, but Mr. Gray found that the various warnings given through the newspapers and by posting notices were not respected and decided to take this means of impressing the lesson that other means have failed to secure. To avoid expense on the men named he asked Mr. Sands, the deputy prosecutor, to call the men by telephone, thus saving the constable’s costs. He asked Squire W. I. Spitler to make the fines the smallest possible and they will run about sll or sl2 each. Mr. Gray procured convincing evidence by going to the elevator and getting the exact weights of the corn hauled by the men named. The violation of the law has been quite extensive and Mr. Gray is determined to break it up and says that hereafter he will go after all violators rough shod and prosecute them to the full extent of the law. Miany farmers justify heavy hauling on the claim that most of the damage to the roads is done by automobiles and undoubtedly this is the case and in most instances the heavy machines that plow over and through the roads are tourist cars from out of the county and out of the state. The law which was framed some years ago did not contemplate the automobile travel and it seems reasonable that the use of roads during the soft weather should be entirely denied to Heavy cars. In many cases the car owners have not paid a cent for the roads or their upkeep and in practically all cases the farmers who haul corn over them have paid extensively for them. This fact does not mitigate the offense and every fanner should decide to do his part in protecting them from unnecessary injury.