Rensselaer Republican, Volume 28, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 October 1895 — About Gravel Roads. [ARTICLE]

About Gravel Roads.

In this weeks issue we publish official specifications and directions, by the Board of Directors for the building of Gravel roads by Townships or the Citizens of any locality, with a view of having them accjpted and made part of the gravel road system of the county, and by the county thereafter kept in repair. The present, law provides that “By virtue of their office, the Commissioners of any couuty are hereby constituted a Board of Turnpike Directors, under wdiose management and control all the free turnpikes iu sush county shall be exclusively vested.” Aud after prescribing their powers aud duties as such “Board of Turnpike Directors;” that ‘ Wheueverthe citizens of any county in this state shall build one mile or more of gravel road on any couuty or state road, to the acceptance of the Board of Directors of any county, the same shall be accepted by uaid Directors aud kept in repair as other free gravel roads, provided the same shall be by them considered a good aud sufficient road for the locality where built ” (Acts of 1893 Page 354.) _Thia law contemplates that a gravel road shall be built, to the acceptance of the "B >ard of Turnpike Directors.” Our Board has wisely determined how and in what manner, a gravel road shall be built that will be accepted. Special attention is given to the all ( important matter of thefounda-

The proper grading and drain* ing of the road bed, is of the first and highest importance. Building gravel roads and keeping them in repair is too expensive a matter to allow the grading and drainage to be neglected, or to be established from the guess work of unskilled persons. The rules and regulations adopted by the Board, properly provide that this matter shall be attende d to by the County Surveyor. The quality and quantity of the gravel or macadam to be used is also specified. Township officials or citizens contemplating building gravel roads under this law, should carefully study and follow out the sp:ciflcations and directions adopted by the Board. The law does not contemplate that a little guess work grading, and the hauling on of a lot of mixed material, and calling it gravel, makes a gravel road that must be accepted yb the Board of “Turnpike Directors. This would result in one of two things, either there would be no gravel road, or it would have to be built by the Board, under the head of repaiis, at the expense of all of the tax. payers of the county. This is not the intention of the law, and to do so would be a great hardship and injustice upon the people who have already built or may hereafter build good gravel roads, in the true meaning of that term, at their < wj expense. This action of our Turnpike Board is eminently right and proper, and can net fail of the endorsement of all right thinking citizens.