PUBLIC ROADS.
The LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR announced the consideration of Mr. Bell's bill [S. 187] to make Township Trustee Superintendent of Highways, which was pending at the last adjournment.
Mr. SPANN moved to amend Section 8, by adding a proviso that the road master shal be a freeholder, and not of kin to the Township Trustee making such appointment.
Mr. HENRY made an ineffectual motion to strike out the words "be a freeholder."
The amendment was agreed to.
On motion by Mr. MARVIN, Section 9 was amended so as to require that the "work shall be done in a workmanlike manner."
Mr. GARRIGUS moved to reduce the pay of Trustee from $2.50 to $2 a day.
Mr. BELL was as of opinion the bill was right as it is.
Mr. WOOLLEN did not think it wise to increase the pay to $2.50, as the present per diem is $2.
The amendment was agreed to.
Mr. GARRIGUS moved to amend Section 15, so as notice of letting of contracts shall be given at least twenty days. He said the bill was silent in this particular, and some notice should be given.
Mr. BELL thought the suggestion a very good one.
The amendment was agreed to.
Mr. KRAMER offered an amendment restricting the letting out of contracts by the Trustee to a cost not exceding $100. He did not think it proper to allow Trustees to let out large contracts, and cut out men only able to contract for a mile or half a mile.
Mr. BELL said the smaller class of work should be done by the Trustee, but if there is a bridge to be built or larger work to be done, the Trustee should have the right to contract. He should dislike very much to see the amendment pass.
Mr. KRAMER objected to that view, and insisted his amendment should be adopted as a matter of justice to smaller contractors. He referred to the construction of gravel roads, which requires a good deal of money, and under the limtation of the bill of a twenty-five cent levy and the commutation tax, the Trustee would not have any more money than now, and that is not more than sufficient to keep the roads in ordinary repair.
Mr. WOOLLEN moved to amend the amendment by striking out all limiting the cost of improvements.
Mr. BROWN favored this amendment to the amendment, and insisted the law ought not to hamper the Trustee so he can not properly discharge his duties.
Mr. HENRY opposed the last amendment.
It was agreed to, and the amendment as amended was adopted.
Mr. VOYLES moved to add to Section 15 these words: "Provided that no contract for work shall be awarded to any person for more than $250, and no one person shall have more than one contract with reference to roads in the same Township." He said: It is fair to distribute the work among the people of the Township. One objection made to this bill is it requires the roads to be kept up on a money basis entirely. It does not provide for tax-payers working out their own road tax. He personally favored that feature. The old-time formality of working on the roads does not benefit the roads as the system underlying this bill would if enacted in a law.
Mr. MARVIN opposed the amndment. This bill would do away with working on the roads by men of small means, because road machines cost a good deal of money, and a man desiring to work roads must have large contracts to justify the buying of new and improved machery. The old-fogy system had better be continued than to adopt this amendment.
Mr. BELL hoped there would be no effort made to defeat the bill by attaching objectionable amendments. To make the bill practical and practicable it should stand in this particular as it is.
The amendment was rejected.
Mr. HENRY protposed to amend so as to leave the discretion, where the contract is less than $100, with the Trustee, and compel the letting to the lowest bidder where it is over $100.
The amendment was agreed to.
page: 208[View Page 208]Mr. Leeper moved to add to Section 20 the words, "the owner of such lands may, however, in all cases have his damages therefor assessed and paid as provided in Section 19 of this act.
This amendment was agreed to.
On motion by Mr. GARRIGUS, Section 6 was amended so as to limit the pay of engineer to $4 a day.
The bill was ordered engrossed for the third reading.
