Rensselaer Republican, Volume 25, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 April 1893 — The New Gravel Road Law. [ARTICLE]

The New Gravel Road Law.

One of the most important laws passed by the last legislature is a gravel road law which permits townships, singly, or j;wo or more in conjunction, to build gravel roads at the expense of all the taxable property of the township, instead of by assessing the realestate supposed to be benefitted, as both the older gravel rbads laws provide. The county commissioners of any county, when, petitioned by 50 freeholders, citizens of any township, or contiguous townships, including any town or city of less than 3,000 inhabitants, may order an election at any regular election, r* at a special election, after 20

days notice in a newspaper of the county and notices posted in such township or townships, at which election the voter in favor of the construction of the road petitioned shall vote “Building of Road yes” and the voter opposed shall vote, “Building of Road, No,” After the petition and before the election, the commissioners shall appoint two disinterested viewers, who together with a competent engineer shall view and survey the proposed road to determine the grade depth of gravel, stone or other material, width of road bed, and the cost of construction, who shall report to the next term of court: and which report shalPbe published four consecutive weeks, and-notices posted in each township before such election. If the majority of the votes cast at such election are' in favor of building the proposed road, the commissioners shall proceed to let the construction of said .road by contract to the lowest responsible bidder.

To raise funds to pay for such work the commissioners shall issue fends, to the full amount of the cost, in. denominations not less than SSO nor mote than SSOO, in five equal series, payable in one, two, three, four and five years from the 15th day of November after the date of their issue, said bonds to bear not more than six per cent, interest which shall be paid annually on the 15th of November. Such bonds shall be sold by the county treasurer at not less than par and proceeds paid t 8? the contractor as the work progresses, as the commissioners may order. To pay said bonds and interest, the commissioners shall levy annually, on the property of the township or townships voting for such road a tax to meet the principal and interest on such bonds. The road built under this law shall be free of toll, and shall be kept in repair by the township or townships in which they are located, and the township trustees shall levy a special tax not exceeding 10 cents on each SIOO to cover the expense of maintenance; but the commissioners mußt appoint a superintendent to supervise the construction and maintenance of such roads.