Rensselaer Republican, Volume 25, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 December 1892 — INDIANA ROAD CONGRESS. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA ROAD CONGRESS.

Results of the Resent Session at Indianapolis. AXawßecommendwl to the filature Officials Elected - ConiUtutfon Adopted. . »-•; In the crowd upon our columns last week by tho PresidSnfa message we-did not give as full report of tho proceedings of the road Congress at Indianapolis as wo believed the Importance of the matter justified. The papers read wore in most part of an interesting and practical character, hut we cannot give them here nor (■he discussions, sometimes of groat length, that followed the reading of each: The resolutions as finally adopted areas follows: iiesoived. That Indiana road congress recommend to the eusuing Legislature the enactment of a law embodying the followjuig provisions, to-wit.: ‘ , X The"present system of district supervisors should be abolished; that tii’e i.oardof Commissioners* iu each county should appoint for a term of four years court) oliecouuty superintendent of high ways, who shall be a competent person, and who shall bo ex otiieio chairman of board of county supervisors of highways; who shall havo supervision of the construction and maintenance of ail public highways in hiacounty outside of cities;' who shall make all surveys, prepare specifications for the construction and maintenance of roads; prepare, make and execute contracts aud bonds of road contractors; see that the work is fully executed: make estimates of work done, aud perform such other duties as may bo imposed upon him by law. 2. That be should receive for liisservicet is such county road superintendent not more than $5 per day for service actually rendered, to bo paid out of tho county funds. 3. That tho Board of Commissioners in sach county should appoint (subject to removal at their discretion) in oacli township one township supervisor of highways who should hold his office for a termor four years; that such township supervisor »i highways should have charge of the public highways lu his township outside iif cities, subject to control of the county luperintendent of highways, aud should . receive for his services $2 per diem for services actually rendered iu the porforanee if his official duties; to be paid out of the township road fund. 4. That once in each year ail tho said township supervisors of highways and civil engineers of cities in the county, and tho county superintendent of highways Who should constitute tho county board »f highways l , should meet at the court, bouse in their respective cbtinUos t.o discuss the highway necessities of their re» ipective townships, and receive instruction from tiie county superintendent of highways 011 tho subject of road improvements; that this meeting should continue not less than three nor more than six days: that this board of comity supervisors ihould fix the rate of road fund tax for each township at not less than 10 cents nor more than 40 cents per SIOO valuation provided that the Common Council of any city may levy in such city such additional tax for street and alloy purposes as they lliould deem proper. - 5. That it should lie the imperative duty nf each township road supervisor to son that a definite number of miles of good pu bl i c road are constructed Tc his to wuship each year until all of the roads therein are in a condition acceptable to the county superintendent of highways. li. That for the purpose of creating a road fund tho County Coin inissjoners ihould levy upon ill real estate untf nerlonal property iu each township, including clfiesTlicrel 11, the amount Of taxes recommended by the countv board of road tupervi.-ors. which should bo levied utid collected as other taxes are now collected by law. 7. That the moneys so col lee tod from inch road-tax levy should bo known as a road fund, aud should lie expended iu the construction and maintenance of good public, highways: that the amount collected in each township should be expended on t he roads of t hat township, provided that no part of tiie amouut collected in any city should be expected in tiie im-"wrmrimiwirwMirig-t t.m or repair of any road more than three niffes distant from the corporate limits of sucli city without the consent and approval of the Common Council of such city; and provided, lurthir. that twenty per cent, of tho road fund rolieeted in any eity may be used in any Jtiior township than that in which such city is situated within said three-mile 1 limit. I 8. That tho county treasurer should bave the custody of such road fund, except that belonging to cities. 9. That of the amount of road fund tax 50 collected in any city in any county, 80 percent, should ho paid over to such citv for the improvement of tiie streets and xlleys, and 20 per cent, tlioreof should ho retained by tho county treasurer to tie paid Jut as township road funds, and to bo used lu tho Improvement.of tiie principal highways leading into such citv. 10. That alt improvements of highways ■where the estimated amount to bo ex» I pended amounts to S2OO or more, whether for construction or repairs, should he done by contract, let by the county-superin-tendent to tiie lowest, and best responsible bidder, who should give bond. In letting the work resident land owners shall havo die preference. 11. That no salaries or compensation ihould be paid any officer unloss expressly provided for by law. 12. That it should be unlawful to haul iny loaded wagon ovor any public highway in the State of Indiana, unless said wagon be provided with tires not. less than three Indies wide, alter Jau. 1, l.sqv .. . Resolved, That we reeommodd that tho Legislature so amend the free gravel road aw as to allow a majority of resident and holders along any proposed road to petition for and have constructed a gravel ir macadam road under tbe froe gravel •oad act, and also so amend as to reduce .he legal exponses to tho smallest limit >y simplifying the co urt procedure, and. urther, provldo for the construction of 'oada by tbe issuo of ten year bonds, Ira wing not to exceed 5 per cent. interest, ind limiting the taxation of such Itotida: md by assessing railroad property located vltliin two miles of the line of such linirovnnfent the same as real estate is assessed, < Tire CONSTITUTION REPORTS P. The congress voted next to proceed to orm a permanent organization. Tbe com. nitteo reported the following constitution: Article L The namu of tills organDaion shall be “The Indiana Highway Irairovomonl Association.” Art. li. Tim object of this organization hall ho tbe promotion of tho improvenentof the highways oT Indiana. Art. 111. The officers of this orgknizalon shall be a president, a secretary, a rea-nrer, aud vice-presidents equal in nimbur to tiie Congressional districts, •liosen one from oacli district. All of tho tforesaid officersshall constitute an exeeu.ive board. The president, secretary and rnnsnror shall-perform the duties usually lorformed by those officers in simitar 01canlzations. Thu executive board shall be iiiblect to the call of the president, and shall bave general charge of thsassocia,loll’s Interests. All officersshall lie electtd at un annual meeting to be called each mtumn by the executive board. Art. IV. Any resident of Indiana can tecouie a ineintmr of tho association by ipnllcaUon to the socreta-y. Ark V. The duos shall be $1 per year,

payable on or before the Ist of Jannary In each year. Members 1 delinquent two months in tlielr dues shall be dropped from the membership roll. - A committee do nominate officers was chosen, and their report, as follows, was adopted: President, Mason ,T. Niblack, Vincennes; secretary, Evans Woollen, indlanapoiis; treasurer, Louis U. Gtbson, Indianapolis; Vice-presidents: First district, A. V. Menz'cs: Second, D. J. Ternune; Third, J. P. Applegate; Fourth. P. J. Glossuer; Fifth. John Cloro; Sixth, J. P. Brown: Seventh E. B. Martindale; Eighth, Peter S. Kennedy,; Ninth, R. I). Moore; Tontli, W. A. Osmcr; Eleventh; S. F. Day; Twelfth, I. B. McDonald;Thirteenth, A. P. Kent. Captain Stono Intrethiced tho following resolution, which was adopted; Resolved, That it is the sense of this congress that the delegates, oh return in g to their homes, should hold road meetings in each of the respective townships of tboir counties as soon as practicable, A vote of thanks was given Timothy GrTffmfclistbd i airbf“lTTeTsiaTe "Housed to Chairman Taggart and Secretary Woolen audio tire Commercial Club. Tho congres* then adjourned.