68-534. Dragging township roads; patrolman; compensation; penalties for unlawful acts. The county engineer, with the approval of the township board of highway commissioners, shall determine what township roads shall be dragged, which shall include all graded rural mail route roads, and shall each year contract with or employ some person or persons to drag the graded roads in their respective townships at such times and upon such terms as the board and the county engineer shall direct. The said board shall have the power to bind the township to pay a reasonable compensation for dragging such roads: Provided, The width to be dragged, shall not be less than 16 feet.

The county engineer, with the approval of the board of county commissioners, shall determine what county roads shall be dragged, and shall arrange each year with some person or persons to drag the county roads within the county at such times and upon such terms as the board and the county engineer may direct.

The board shall pay a reasonable compensation for dragging such roads: Provided, That upon the recommendation of the county engineer, either the board of county commissioners or the township board of highway commissioners may contract with or employ some person or persons to act as patrolman and to drag and maintain any specified section of roads under their control and to make any slight repairs needed on any bridge or culvert thereon, and the said board of county commissioners and township board of highway commissioners are hereby authorized to pay any such patrolman a reasonable compensation for such maintenance work in addition to the agreed amount for dragging:Provided, That all labor performed upon the county roads for dragging, patrolling and maintaining shall be paid for out of the county road fund on vouchers approved by the county engineer; and all labor so performed on township roads out of the township road fund on vouchers approved by the road overseer: And provided further, That any person or persons employed, or who shall take a contract to drag, patrol or maintain any road, county or township, who shall make a false return of the number of miles dragged, or the time spent on other work, or the amount of work done by him, or at the time which such dragging or other work was done, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof before any court of competent jurisdiction shall be fined in a sum not less than $25, nor more than $500: And provided further, That any officer under the authority of this section who shall neglect or refuse to enforce the provisions of this section as related to the dragging of roads or highways shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be fined in a sum of not less than $10, and not more than $250.

History: L. 1917, ch. 264, § 41; Mar. 7; R.S. 1923, 68-534.