m 1 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. i A MANUAL "-^^^ ^^, FOR ROAD SUPERVISORS I IX oil 10 CONTAIXIXG THE PROVISIONS OF LAW RELATIXG TO THE DUTIES OF THESE OFFICERS WITH. NOTES OP DECISIONS, NUMEROUS FORMS, AND PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS. foubth MurisED ei>ition. BY ^ FLORIEN GIAUQUE, Editor of the '' Revised Statutes of Ohio," Author of " Settlement of Decedents' Estates," '*A Manual for Assignees," *'xA Manual for Guardians AND Trustees " etc. CINCINNATI ROBERT CLARKE & CO 1894 .©s GrA- v€'1^ COPYRIGHTED, ROBERT CLARKE & CO. 1882, COPYRIGHTED, ROBERT CLARKE & CO. 1894. i^'9dh3 >«5I PREFACE AND EXPLANATORY MATTER. In this little manual, the author has tried to furnish super- visors a practical and cheap guide — to tell them, in plain lan- guage, what their duties are under the codified laws, and how to perform these duties. To this end, he has tried to give the substance of these laws, and of all reported decisions of our courts bearing on the subject, to give complete references to these laws and decisions, to furnish all necessary forms, to make such practical suggestions as seemed useful, to give a good index to all of this, and to arrange, classify, and have it published in such a way that it will be easy to refer to, and to carry about the person, or suitable to have in the office or li- brary. The numbers at the beginning of each paragraph indicate the number of that paragraph in the chapter, each chapter having its own series of such numbers. The numbers in large figures inclosed in parentheses, found either at the end or in the body of the paragraph, refer to the sections of the law as numbered in the Revised Statutes of t]^ State of Ohio. Para- graphs or parts of paragraphs not followed by such numbers are generally the suggestions of the writer. The small fig- ures refer to the notes below, which generally consist of de- cisions of our own Supreme Court, and have, therefore, all the force of law. The decisions quoted from the Ohio Reports are indicated thus: 19 Ohio, 367, and would mean that the case re- ferred to is found in the nineteenth volume of the Ohio Re- ports, on page 367 ; and 26 Ohio St. 196, would mean that this case is found in the twenty-sixth volume of the Ohio State Reports, page 196. W. means Wright's Report. Cincinnati, June, 1882 F. G. (iii) PEEFACE TO FOUKTH EDITION. Since issuing the third edition of this book, the legisla^ ture has repealed all laws requiring persons to labor two days each year on the public roads (see note on page 12), thereby radically changing the entire system of road re- pairs, at least in theory. But said roads must still be kept in repair and free from obstructions, under the direction of the road supervisor, by means of road taxes, which may be paid in money, or worked out as formerly. These changes in his duties, and the new duties imposed on him in late years as to stock running at large on the roads , as to hedges on the wayside ; as to weeds, briers, brush, etc., in the roadway ; as to drift in streams, ditches, etc. ; as to the making and cleaning of ditches themselves ; new road con- struction under his direction, etc., make him one of the most important of our lesser officers. It is therefore highly necessary that he have at hand the means of knowing what these duties now all are, and how to go about fulfilling them, and also what are such no longer. To this end this new edition is prepared. As explained in th# Preface to the first edition, numbers in the body or at the end of a paragraph, and in parentheses, for instance (4889), show in what section of the statute the law in that paragraph can be found. If such numbers are now followed by others, for instance (4889, 91 0. L. 355), it means that the law is from section 4889, as amended in vol- ume 91 Ohio Laws, page 355. Laws which refer to one county or neighborhood only are not given, and have not been, in any edition. Florien Gtauque. Cincinnati, July, 1894. (iv) ROAD SUPERVISORS. CHAPTEE I. RELATING TO ELECTION, OATH, BOND, ETC., OF SUPER- VISOR. 1. Township trustees must divide township into road districts, etc. On the first Monday of March of each year, the township trustees must, 1st, divide their township into road districts, when not ah^eady so divided, or alter the existing districts, as they may deem proper; 2d, have a description of such districts, as so made or altered, en- tered in the proper township record ; 3d, give notice of the number of supervisors to be chosen in the township. They must also cause due notice of the time and place for the election of supervisors to be given. (1457, 1503, 1445, 1446.) 2. Supervisors are township officers when elected, etc. Super- visors of roads are regular township officers,^ and must be elected at the annual township election, on the first Mon- day of April, in the same way as other township officers are chosen (1442. 89 0. L. 195; 1448, 90 0. L. 144); subject, however, to the following special provisions: 3. Who may he supervisor, and how elected. Every super- visor of roads must be a resident of the district for which lie is elected; and no elector shall vote for more than one supervisor of roads, or for any person for that office who is not an actual resident of the district in which said elector resides; and if a ballot contains more than one named for the oftice of supervisor, or if it appears to the satisfaction of the judges of election that an elector has voted for any pei^on for that office other than for the dis- trict in which such elector resides, such vote, as to that office, must be deemed void; and if, on counting the votes, it appears that there were more votes given for supervisor (1) A supervisor of roads is an officer, within tiie meaning of section 20 (now sec. 69u8). whicli provides as follows: "That if any person sliall abuse any jndi:e or justice of the peace, abuse or resist any siieriff. constable, « r other officer in the execution of his office, the perso7i so offendini?," etc. Woodworth v. State, 26 Ohio S. 19G. (See paragraph 17, Chapter IV.) To constitute the offense of re-istinp: an officer, under the above section, It Is not necessary that the officer should be assaulted, beaten, or abused, lb. U) ROAD StJPERVISORs' MANUAL. [CHAP. of a district than there were resident electors of such dis- trict voting at such election, the judges must declare the election, as to that district, void ; and the vacancy nnust be filled by the trustees as in other cases of vacancy. (1456.) 4. Penalty for refusing to serve, how collected. A person elected or appointed supervisor, who neglects or refuses to serve, must lorfeit and pay to and for the use of his town- ship the sum of two dollars, to be recovered by an action before a justice of the peace of said township;^ and the township clerk must, in the name of said township, collect said money, by suit, if necessary, and pay it over, when collected, to the township treasurer; but no person shall be compelled to serve in a township office two years in succession. (1449.) 6. Vacancies^ and how filled. In case no annual elec- tion is held, because enough voters do not assemble to hold it, or if, by reason of non-acceptance, death, or re- moval of a person chosen supervisor at an election duly held, or when, from any other cause, a vacancy occurs in the office of supervisor, the trustees of the township must appoint some suitable person to fill the vacancy, who must, before entering upon the duties of his office, take an oath to faithfully and impartially discharge the duties of his office, and shall be under the same restrictions and penal- ties as though he had been duly elected and qualified. (4741, 1451, as am. 87 v. 119.) 7. Oath and bond. Each person chosen or appointed to an office under the constitution or laws of this state, must take an oath of office.^ (2) The township clerk must, within ten days after the election or appointment of the super- visor, notify him thereof, by the constable, in the manner required by law, and require him to appear before such clerk or other officer authorized by law to administer oaths, and take the required oath of office, and give bond, within ten days after such election or appointment. (1453.) 8. It is best to take this oath before the clerk, as it must be recorded by him, no matter who administers it'. If administered by some other officer, the law imposes upon such officer the duty of making a certificate of the oath to such clerk, who must then record the oath. (2, 5, 1453, 1454.) But this is more troublesome, is liable to be more expensive, and to be in part neglected, if not done before the clerk himself 9. A supervisor's oath is in substance as follows: (3) (1) A person refusing to serve as supervisor, after being elected or ap- poinled, is liable to a fine of two dollars. But he can not be compelKd tc accept any other township office at the s:ir.ie time he holds the office ot su- pervisor. Hartford T'. Bennett, 10 Ohio S^ 441, . ^ ^. i2) The Constitution of Ohio (art. XV. sec. 7) also requires such oath. I.] ELECTION, OATH, BOND, ETC. 3 The state of Ohio, ) ^^ County, Township. J ^^' Before me, C D , clerk of said township, per- r-onally came A B , who, being duly sworn accord- ing to law, says that he will support the constitution of the United States and the constitution of the State of Ohio; and that he will faithfully discharge his duties as supervisor of road district No. , of township, county, Ohio, during his continuance in said office, and until his successor is chosen and qualified. A , B — ™. Sworn to before me, and signed in my presence, on this day of , A. D. 18 — . C— D- — , Township Clerk. 10. The failure of the super^nsor to take the oath does not affect the liability of his sureties. (2) 11. Before entering upon the discharge of his duties, each supervisor of roads must give bond, with sureties approved by the trustees, in such sum as they deter- mine, payable to them, and conditioned for the faithful performance of his duties, which bond must be deposited with the clerk; and if he fails to take the oath and give the bond required, within ten days after his election or appointment, he must be deemed to have declined to accept, and the vacahcv must be tilled as in other cases. (1515; 19, 1453, 1455.) 12.^ Form of bond. The following is the form of a super- visor's bond: Know all men by these presents : That we, A B , as principal, and C D and E F as sureties] are held and firmly bound under the trustees of township, in the county of- , and State of Ohio, in the sum of one hundred dollars, to be paid to the said trustees of the township aforesaid, for the payment whereof well and truly to be made, we jointly and severally bind our- selves, our heirs, executors, and "^administrators firmly by these 2>resents. This done and signed by us, this day of — — , a. d. The condition of the above obligation is such, that whereas the said A B has been duly elected and qualified as supervisor of road district No. of township, county, and State of Ohio, for the 'term of one year from the day of April, a. d. 18—, and until his successor is elected, or appointed, and qualified Now, if the said A B shall faithfully perform 4 ROAD SUPERVISORS* MANUAL. [CHAP his duties as said officer, then this obligation will be void; otherwise to be and remain in full force and effect. A B , [SKAL.; C D , [SEAL.^ E — - F , [seal.] The sureties on the above bond approved bv us : I K , y Trustees of said Township. L M , J 13. The township trustees should hold a meeting within the time required by law for approving the bonds, for the express purpose of approving bonds and other similar business, and of this meeting the supervisor elect should be officially notified by the clerk. The supervisor should go to this meeting with Lis sureties, and there request the clerk to make out his bond. The clerk is, perhaps, not bound to do this, but it is customary, and generally vvell for him to do so. For this purpose he should be supplied by the trustees with printed blank bonds, which need but little time and labor to fill up accurately, and so as to be good and valid at law. The bond having been duly executed, may then be filed; and the oath of office having been ad- ministered to the new supervisor, he can then receive such instructions, laws, etc., as the clerk may have to give him. 14. Serves how long. The person elected or appointed, as above described, and having duly filed a proper bond and taken the required oath, is fully installed into the office of supervisor of roads for his district, to serve till the next regular spring election, and until his successor, then elected or soon after appointed, is qualified. (8, 11, 1448, 90 0. L. 144; 1450, 1451.) 15. In hamlets. The trustees of hamlets may appoint an elector of their corporation as marshal, who may be by or- dinance required to act as supervisor; but, whenever they provide by ordinance for the separation of the offices of marshal and supervisor, they must annually, while such ordinance is in force, select an elector as supervisor; and they may, in either case, prescribe his duties and comr)en- sation, and may remove him and appoint another, at their discretion. (1700, as am. 77 v. 15.) The marshal, when he acts as supervisor, must act under the direction of the trustees, and be paid out of the proper hamlet treasury, or treasuries, the same compensation allowed to other super- visors; and where the offices of marshal and supervisor are separated, the supervisor must perform his duties, be paid in the same manner, and receive the same compensa- tion, as the marshal when acting as supervisor. (1703, as am. 86 v. 252.) 1,.] ROAD WORK, ETC., GENERALLY. CHAPTER IL supervisors' work, duties and powers generally. 1. Duty of supervisor as to opening roads. The law pro- vides that every supervisor must open, or cause to be opened, all public roads and highways which are laid out and established in his road district.^ (47 J 5.) But new state and county roads are now opened by the county commissioners by contract. See par. 8 of this chapter. 2. But if a state road, or any part of one, has been laid out for ten years, or a county road, or any part of one, has been authorized, and has remained unopened for pub- lic use for seven years after being ordered or authorized to be so opened, the law declares such road to be vacated by lapse of time and non-user.^ (4636, 4668, 89 v. 126.) 3. Public roads classified and defined. — For the purpose of assisting the supervisor to know what his duties are, the " public roads and highways," that are in some way con- sidered such by the laws of Ohio, may be divided into:' First. Toll roads, owned by incorporated companies, and for traveling over which pay is collected at toll-gates, or by other means. With these the supervisor has nothing what- ever to do.* (1) A supervisor is a local ministerial officer, whose authority and duties to open, repair, and control public roads extends only to the roads within his own district. Grove v. Mikesell, 13 Ohio St. 158. A supervisor is, in ttiis state, regarded as a ministerial officer, whose duties and authority are limited an-i prescribed by statute, and which, for the most part, are confined to his own particular district. His duties gen- erally are to open and keep in repair and unobstructed the public roads in his particular district not owned or oi^erated under private charters or by incorporated companies. His powers and authority have always, in this state, been particularly prescribed by statute. And under these statutes, we understand that the courts of ih'is state have always recognized the right of supervisors to a very liberal exercise of an honest discretion in the discharge of their official duties. It would be most unreasonable, un- der such statutory provisions, to hold a supervisor to a rigid exactitude in the use of the most aiipropriate means for the discharge of his duties. Grove v. Mikesell, 13 Ohio St. 158. See also notes on page 9. (2) The statute providing that county roads shall be vacated by non-user for seven vears applies onlv to roads that have been authorized, but never opened. Peck et al. v. Clark et al., 19 Ohio, 367. The limitation prescribed in that flection of law applies to roads author- ized but never opened, and not to roads which have been opened and par- tially obstructed bv a landholder fencing in a portion of tne same. Mc- Cle.land v. Miller, 28 Ohio St. 488. The public right to a highway may be lost by non-user. The law would raise a presumption of an extinguishment of the right, when the road has been abandoned for a long period, but where there has been a con- tinued use of a highway, and tne width has been encroached upon bv the adjacent owner for eighteen vears, the right is not lost, and the supervisor may open such road to its full width. Fox v. Hart, 11 Ohio, 414. (3) An exhaustive classification would include more than these. But for the purposes of tnis volume, this is not required. (4) A supervisor of highways has no jurisdiction or power over turn- I likes or plank roads constructed by incorporated companies, and placed by aw under their control: nor could he justify interference with such ro^ds, although it should be directed by the township trustees. He is 6 ROAD supervisors' MANUAL. [cHAP. Second. Streets and alleys in cities and incorporated villages. But these streets and alleys are under the exclusive con- trol of the councils of the municipal corporations in which they are situate, and over them the supervisor has no control whatever,^ except as stated in paragraph 18, Chapter III. Third. Improved roads. These are classed by the Re- vised Statutes as turnpikes (free), one-mile assessment pikes, two-mile assessment pikes, and unfinished and abandoned turnpikes, and are defined by statute in the following provision : " All macadamized or graveled roads which are free roads, whether constructed under general or local laws by taxation or assessment, or both, or con- verted by purchase or otherwise from a-toll road into a free road under any law, and all turnpike roads, or parts thereof, unfinished or abandoned by any turnpike company, and appropriated or accepted by the commissioners of the county, shall be kept in repair as provided in this chapter." (4876.) The supervisor's duty relating to these improved roads is treated of in Chapter III of this work. Fourth, Ordinary free roads, classed by law and generally known as state roads, county roads, and township roads. 4. Township roads. The law expressly declares township roads "to be public highways" (4686, 89 0. L. 304). It also defines them by providing, in substance, that if any person wishes to have a township road laid out from any person's farm or dwelling place, or from any mill or house of public worship, or to any cemetery or burial ground, or to a public road, or from one public road to intersect an- other, or from any tract of wild land or timber land, or from any stone quarries, coal mines, or mineral lands (other than gas or oil lands) to a railroad or railroad sta- tion, or from a railroad station, to a township, county, or state road, or saw mill, he may petition the township trustees for it, etc. (4672, 88 0. L. 561). It then provides how such a road may be established, and that when so established, it " shall be considered a private or township road, subject to be kept open and in repair at the expense of the appli- cants for the same, or otherwise, as provided by law." (4677, as am., 79 0. L. 72.) 5. Supervisor must keep certain township roads in repair. But it further provides, that a township road which commences in a state, turnpike, township, or county road, or at a rail- road station, and is not less than thirty feet in width, and passes on and intersects another state, turnpike, county, or township road, must be opened and kept in repair by the bound to know what roads belong: to the public and Avhat tosuch trus- tees. Chagrin Falls & Cleveland Plankroad Co. v. Cane et al. , 2 O. St. 419. (1) ^ 2640. When any part of a road district is annexed to a city, that part of the road lying in the annexed territory passes out of the'iuris- diction of the supervisor, and into the control of the corporation* Steubenville v. King, 23 Ohio St. 610. II.] ROAD WORK, ETC., GENERALLY. 7 supervisor in whose district it may be situated, in whole or in part. (4678, as am., 77 0. L. 72.) 6. In certain cases, state, county, and township roads may be improved under the instructions of the supervisor. See pars. 57 to 61, this chapter. 7. State and county roads. From the foregoing it is seen »that the supervisor has to do chiefly with the state and county roads. In fact, the great majority of supervisors in the state have no jurisdiction over, and no work to do on any others ; and on these, only, as a general rule, after they have been not only "laid out and established," but also opened. His duties will generally be confined to keep- ing them in proper repair and free from obstruction. 8. As to establishing^ opening^ straightening, vacating, etc., roads, supervisor s course. The law provides how state, county, and other roads may be " laid out and established," and also how they may be turned, widened, or narrowed, vacated, etc., and what proceedings must be had in such cases. These proceedings are numerous and long, and involve and require petitions, bonds, viewers, etc. But these are the affairs of those desiring the road or the changes mentioned, and with them the supervisor has nothing to do. After all these proceedings are had, and the county commissioners make the proper entries on their minutes, establishing or changing the road as above men- tioned, and after the time required by law has passed, they must now^ have such roads opened by contract. (See 3 4650, as am., 90 0. L. 119; § 4634.) 9. In the case of township roads, the law provides that (after the petition, bond, etc., and other preliminary steps are attended to) if the township trustees deem the establish- ing of such a road reasonable and just, they must order the clerk of the township to record the report of the viewers, and issue their order to the petitioners, or to the proper supervisor where it is made his duty to open the road, to open it to the width named in the report of the viewers. (4677, as am., 88 0. L. 349.) The proceedings are substan- tially the same in case of widening, narrowing, changing, or vacating township roads, so far at least as the supervisor is concerned. (See 4681-4685.) The trustees, through the township clerk, should then order, in writing, the super- visors of the proper road districts to open or change such road as directed, particularly and definitely describing the line of the road to be opened or the change to be made; and till then, the supervisor should do nothing at all toward opening or changing such roads. (1) Formerly, $4650 provided that after the establishment of the road, It should thenceforth " be considered a public highway, and the com- missioners shall issue their order to the trustees of the proper township or townships, directing the road to be opened." 8 ROAD supervisor's MANUAL. [CHAP. 10. Having received such notice, he should then notify the persons having control of the land over which such road extends, to remove the fences from the ground such road will occupy. He should do this chiefly to give them a chance to protect their crops, ete., on and near the line of said road, especially if it must be opened before such crops have ripened and been removed. 11. Should such persons unreasonably delay to comply with his notice, it is then his duty to proceed to so remove them himself, and to improve such road by removing the necessary trees, etc., by grading and otherwise working said road as much as necessary or possible, having due re- gard to the claims and needs of other roads in his district. 12. The notice by the supervisor, mentioned above, may be oral, or in writing, in some such form as follows; To O D— — ; You are hereby notified that a new town- ship road has been duly established, which passes through my district and through your land, as follows [here de- scribe the line of the road through C D 's land.~\ You are requested and required to remove all fences and buildings on your land standing on the line of said road, before the day of , 18 — . A B , Supervisor. 13. If the road is narrowed, the adjoining land-owner may set his fences out to the new line; and if the road is ordered to be widened, the supervisor may, after being duly notified thereof by the township clerk, cause the fences to be set back to the new line by the owner, and on such ow- ner's failure to do so, the supervisor may remove them as he would any other obstruction, being careful not unnec- essarily to damage or destroy the materials composing such fences. He is simply to remove, not to rebuild, the fences. 14. Unlawful ditches along road. It is unlawful for any supervisor to excavate or make any open ditch on and along a public highway in front of any dwelling house or yard surrounding it, or entrance thereto, or in front of the entrance or approach to any barn on that side of the road on which the said buildings are situate, unless he at once puts in a sufficient underdrain, and fills up the excavation to the original level; except when authorized to make such open ditch at said points, by the owner of such build- ings or trustees of the township. Any road supervisor violating this paragraph is liable to. forfeit and pay to the owner of any such buildings twenty-five dollars, to be recovered in a civil action before any justice of the peace. .(§ 4715a, 89 0. L. 41.) 15. Certain ditches must be kept open. The law provides n.] ROAD WORK, ETC., GENERALLY. how certain land owners may construct underground out- let drains through the land of another, and that the ditches and water-courses upon the highways into which such underground drains empty, shall be kept open l)y the su- pervisor of such public highways, to a depth sufficient for the proper drainage of such highways. (88 0. L. 350.) 16. iSupervisor must repair roads, and remove obstructions. The law provides that every supervisor must keep in re- pair all public roads and highways which are laid out and established in his road district, and remove, or cause to be removed, all encroachments, by fences or otherwise, and all obstructions that may from time to time be found thereon. 1 (4715, as am. 86 v. 231.) » (1) Wnere there has bren a continued use of a highway, although its width had been encioached upon by tlie adjacent owner for eiRliteen years, the right is not lost. The supervisor may open such road to its full width. Fox V, Hart, 11 Ohio, 414. A supervisor is a local ministerial officer, whose authority and duties to open, repair, and control jniblic i oads, extends only to tlie roads within his own district. Grove v. Mikesell, 13 Ohio St. 158. Where a liighway, sixty tect iii width, is established across a stream of water, and a bridge twelve feetwide is constructed along the center of such highway over the stream, and a proprietor of adjoining lands constructs fences from the outer limits of the road, along the bank of the stream, to the bridge: Held^ that such fences are, prima facie., at least, obstructions of the highway, and as suali it is the duty of the supervisor of the proper district, on due notice, and doing no unnecessary dama:^e, to remove them ; and for so doing, an action for trespass will not lie against him. Baird u. Clark, 12 Ohio, 87. L. being the owner of lands adjoining a public highway, regularly laid out and used by the public, extended his fence so as to inclose a portion of the ground within the survevcd lines of the highway, which portion was not then used nor required for the public travel, and kept up said fence without any objection f»)r upward of twentv-one years: Held^ that such partial encroachment upon the side of a surveyed and traveled highway was not necessarily adverse to the public, nor inconsistent with its ease- ment, and therefore constituted no bar to its reclamation by the super- visor, when required for the public travel. Lane v, Kennedy et al., 13 Ohio St. 42. No penalty is given for obstructing a road authorized by law, nor for per- mitting the obstruction t» rem;(in, unless it is to the Iiinderance or incon~ venience of travelers, and therefore the defendant may show tUat travelers were not accustomed to pass the state ro id obstructed by him, but that the travel was on a turnpike road, shorter and more con veii lent. IngersoU v» Herider, 12 Ohio, 527. Tne right of transit in the use of the public highways is subject to such incidental, temporary, or partial obstructions as manifest necessity re- quires; and among these are the temporary impediments necessarily occa- sioned in the building and repair of houses'on lots fronting upon the streets of a city, and in the construction of sewors, drains, etc. These are not in- vasions, but qualifications of the right of transit on the public highway; and the limitation on them is, that they must not be unnecessarily and un- reasonably interposed. Clark v. Fry, 8 Ohio St. 358. As fuel IS necessary, a man may throw wood into tlie street for the pur- pose of having it carried into his house, and it may lie there a reasonable time. lb. Where a road has been laid out in the manner prescribed by law, opened ana used for manv years, it can not be allowed that it shall be suddenly closed by any individual through whose laud it passes, on the hj'pothesis tliat the road used does not exactly follow the courses and distances of the recorded survey. >se to be collecied in money; but where a township shall include an Incorporated village, the rate of tax so fixed by said township trustees shall not apply, or be assessed or collected from the pr(!perty included wiihin the incorporated hmits of such village; but the council of any such village shall exercise the right conlerred by this title on the trusiees of townsliips to make such additional levy, for road purposes, on the taxable property within the corporate limits of anv such village, as trustees may, by this title, make for road purposes in their respective townshii)s; and said trustees and council shall certify the same to the county auditor, in writing, on or before the fifteenth day of May each year; and the auditor of the county shall assess the same on all the taxable propertv in the said township or village, and the same shall be collected in the December in- 8t;?illmeQt," II.] ROAD WORK, ETC., GENERALLY. 15 and township wherein such labor was performed. This certificate must in no case be given for any greater sum than the tax charged against such person ; and the county treasurer must receive all such certificates as money in the lischarge of said road tax. When the commissioners of any county ^o direct, the supervisor must write on the margin of his lists, opposite to the amount charged against all such as may pay the same by money or labor, the w^ord ' paid," and must return his list to the township clerk on or before the fifth day of SeiDtember of the year in which the tax was levied. The clerk must then write on the margin of the list sent him by the auditor, opposite to the amount charged against each person who may have paid the same in labor or money, as shown by the returns of the supervisor, the word "paid," and must forthwith for- ward the same to the county auditor, who must charge all such as may remain unpaid, as showm by the returns of the township clerk, upon the duplicate of the proper county, and the same must be collected as other moneys are collected, in the December installment, by the county treasurer. .When such road tax is paid in labor, such labor must be performed before the first day of September of the year in which levied. (2830, as amended, 77 0. L. 184.) 49. '^Certain exceptions to this. In all counties containing either grav- eled roads or free turnpikes, or both, except Shelby and Allen coun- ties, the time for the payment of the road tax in labor on such roads may extend to the fifteenth of October of the year the tax was levied ; but on all other roads in such counties the labor must be performed before the fifteenth of September; and the supervisors in such coun- ties must return their lists before the twenty-fifth of October of the year in which the tax was levied. (2830, as amended.) See also par. 2, chap. 4, of this book. 50. Form of certificate. I hereby certify that R — — L has paid in labor dollars and cents, being in full [or, if not paid in full, say, on account] of his road tax for the year 18—, in road district No. , township, county, Ohio, *and that such labor was performed between the day of and day of , 18—. — » , 18— ' , Supervisor. 51. Extra road tax for improving certain roads. When two-thirds of the resident freehold tax-payers living on the line of any state road, county road, or turnpike road, file a petition with the auditor of any county for an extra tax for the purpose of constructing, improving, or repair- ing such road, he must levy such tax, of any amount that may be required, not exceeding six mills on the dollar valuation, in any year, on all the lands and taxable prop* erty for any distance on each side of such road not ex- ceeding one mile, and in no case more than half the dis- tance from such road to any other state, county, or free turnpike road runnins: parallel or nearly parallel thereto. (4925.) 52. How long such tax to continue. When any such tax i^ 16 ROAD supervisors' MANUAL. [CHAP. levied, it must continue for the term of three years and no longer, unless at the expiration of three years the peti- tion or request be renewed; and in that event such tax may be levied for the term of three years longer. (4926.) 53. When such tax may be levied in a township. The auditor of any county must levy such tax on the lands and prop- erty on the line of any such road, in any township, when petitioned for by three-fourths of the resident freehold tax-payers on such road, in such township only. (4927.) 54. Such tax may he repaid in labor, under supervisor s direc- tions. All taxes arising under the provisions of the three preceding paragraphs may be discharged by labor on the proper road, under the direction of the supervisors within whose jurisdiction such road is located, as provided by law in other cases; and the rate of labor shall be one dol- lar and fifty cents per day, and a ratable proportion for teams and implements. (4928.) 55. Supervisor to give receipts. If such taxes be discharged by labor, the supervisors must receipt therefor, as in other cases for like services, and their receipts must be received by the county treasurer in discharge of such tax. (4929.) 56. The form of receipt is the same as given in para- graph 50. .57. The trustees of any township may, upon the written petition of one or more persons interested, describing the road or part thereof proposed to be improved, authorize any person living on or near any unimpi'oved state, county, or township road, situate within the township, which intersects or connects with any turnpike or im- proved road, to improve any part or all of such road sit- uate within the township, within such time as they may direct, by grading the same not more than sixteen feet wide, and graveling such grade not exceeding twelve feet wide, or otherwise improving the same; such improve- ment must be made under the instructions of the super- visors of roads within whose districts the road or part thereof to be improved is situate; and as soon as such road or part thereof authorized to be improved as afore- said, within any road district, is fully improved and com- pleted to the satisfaction of the supervisor of such district, he must estimate the w^ork so done by the several persons authorized, either by themselves or those employed by them, under such rules and regulations as the township trustees must prescribe as to extent and character of such improvement, and give to such persons a certificate speci- fying the amount of labor performed by them, stating when authority was given to improve such road, and when the same was completed in his district, and accepted by him, and the value in money of such labor so estimated; but in estimating the value of such labor in money, the II. J ROAD WORK, ETC., GENERALLY. 17 supervisor must not allow a greater sum than two dollars and twenty-five cents for each team and driver, and not to exceed one dollar for each hand per day for the time actually employed; and in case of dispute between the supervisor, and any person interested in such improve- ment, as to the manner of making the same, its comple- tion, or the value of the work, the matter in dispute must be submitted to the trustees of the township, and their decision will be final. (4755.) 58. The certificate mentioned above may be in the fol- lowing form : Road District No. , Tp., Co., 0. , 18-. 1 hereby certify that L — — has performed labor on the [here name or othericise describe the roacC] road within said district, between the day of , 18 — , and the day of , 1 8 — , the prices set forth being allowed by me, as follows: One [or more, as may be,'] hand, for — — days, at per day $ One [or more, as may be,] team, for days, at per day The authority to improve said road was given on the day of , 18 — , and the improvement was com- pleted in said district on the- day of , 18 — , and accepted by me on the day of , 18 — . A B , Supervisor. 59. The holder of any such certificate ^vill be entitled to have its amount credited on anyroad tax, payable in labor, levied on the property of such person situate within the county, after the completion of such improvement; if such road tax levied in any year on such property is not sufficient to cover the amount of the certificate, it must be so credited from year to year, until the certificate is fully paid without interest. At the time of making such credit upon the certificate, the supervisor must give to the owner of the certificate a receipt for the road tax charged against him for the current year; and the owner of the certificate may transfer it, or any balance due on it, to any subsequent purchaser of the property owned by him when the certificate was issued. (4756.) 60. The receipt may be in form as follows: Road District No. , Tp., Co., 0. ,18-. The road tax charged against L , in said dis- trict, for the year 18 — , has been paid to the extent of dollars and cents, by labor done in said district in the year 18 — , and described in his certificate therefor, d-ated 18 ROAD supervisors' MANUAL. [cHAP. 18 — , and signed by A B , supervisor. I have this day credited said amount as 2-)aid on said cer- tificatec C D , Supervisor. At the same time the foregoing receipt is given, the fol- lowing or its equivalent must be indorsed on such certifi- cate : On this day of , 18 — , I have given to L , a receipt for road tax for this year, to the extent of dollars and cents, on account of the within certificate. C D , Supervisor of within named District. 61. The trustees, at the time of authorizing such im- provement, must direct in their order at what point the materials therefor shall be taken, under the general laws in force for procuring materials for the improvement of public roads, which point must be the nearest and most convenient to the place where the materials can be pro- cured in the township. But where a road is located in two townships, the material for the improvement thereof may be procured at the nearest and most convenient point in either township. (4757.) 62. Drift against bridges and culverts^ in ditches^ etc., to he re- moved. The supervisor of each road district, or the super- intendent of any free turnpike or improved road, must re- move, or cause to be removed, all timber or drift lodged against bridges, except toll bridges or bridges upon, toll roads; and all timber, drift, and sediment lodged in and obstructing the free passage of water in ditches Constructed for the draining and protection of such roads, or under or against any culvert over the same, or over any natural water-course adjoining and upon the line of free turnpikes, and all other public roads in his district. He will receive the same compensation for such work or duties performed as is prescribed by law for other road work. (4731, as am. 86 v. 28.) 63. Penalty. In case any supervisor or superintendent fails or neglects to comply with the provisions of this par- agraph, he will be liable to a fine of not less than five and not more than twenty-five dollars. Any adjoining land- owner affected thereby may, at the expiration often days, after serving a written notice on such supervisor or super- intendent to remove any such drift or sediment, remove or cause the same to be removed; for which he will receive the same compensation and from the same source as such supervisor or superintendent would have been entitled to in the performance of his duty. (4731, as am. 56 v. 28.) 64. Sidewalks, foot-bridges, etc., along road. The supervisor, when authorized by the trustees, may construct on either side of any public road in his district a public foot-walk, sidewalk, or foot-bridge over streams of water, of such ma- terial and at such expense as the trustees shall prescribe, II.] ROAD WORK, ETC., GENERALLY. l9 which must not in any manner obstruct the public high- way, or any private entrance; or the trustees may con- struct, by contract with the lowest responsible bidder; all such improvements to be paid for out of the township road funds. (4733, as am. 78 V. 84.) 65. Passways may be consimicted. Any landholder through whose land a state, county, or township road is now or may be hereafter laid out and established, is authorized, under the direction of the supervisor of the proper dis- trict, to construct a passway either over or under such road, so as to permit stock to pass and repass; but the passway must not be constructed over or under any road within the limits of the outlots of a city, town, or village, and must not hinder or obstruct the travel on such roads, and must be kept in good repair at the expense of the landholder. (4740.) 66. Weeds, hushes ^ briers, etc, in road to be cut down. Road superintendents, and supervisors, and street commission- ers, must, between June loth and 30th, and between Aug- ust 1st and 15th, and between September 15th and 30th, of each year, cut all brush, briers, Canada or common thistles, or any other noxious weeds growing within the limits of any county or township road, or improved road, street, or alley, within their jurisdiction. Such superintend- ent or supervisor may allow any landowner or tenant to cut and destroy any such brush, briers, or weeds, growing on such highway along the lands abutting thereon owned or occupied by such landowner or tenant, fixing a reason- able compensation for such work before it is done. Such compensation must be credited on the road tax of that year assessed against said premises. Such superintendent or supervisor must, by the township trustees, be allowed $1.50 per day for all such necessary labor, to be paid by the township treasurer out of the road fund, then in his hands. Superintendents of toll roads must do likewise as to such weeds, etc., growing along their turnpikes, at said times, or the township trustees must have it done, and col- lect pay and penalty therefor before any justice of the peace in the township. (4730, as am., 90 0. L. 301.) 67. Canada thistles to be destroyed. It was formerly the duty of the supervisor of any rc)ad district, when notified in writing that any Canada thistles were about to go to seed on any land within his district, to cause the same to be destroyed in time to prevent the seed from spreading. But this duty, is now imposed on the township trustees.^ He must still destroy them along the road. See par. 66. 68. Obstruction of roads by railroad agents and other persons. If any person or corporation, or a conductor of any train (1) See $ 4732, as am., 90 O. L. 302. As to brush or thistles alon? par- tition fences etc., see $$ [4255,-lH4255,-6], 7001, of Giauque's edition of the Revised Statutes. 20 ROAD SUPERVISORS MANUAL. [cHAP. of railroad cars, or any other agent or servant of a rail- road company, obstruct, unnecessarily, any public road or highway authorized by any law of this state, by permitting any railroad car or locomotive to remain upon or across the same for a longer period than five minutes, or permit any timber, lumber, wood, or other obstruction to remain upon or across the same to the hinderance or inconven- ience of travelers, or any person passing along or upon such road or highw^ay, every person or corporation so of- fending shall forfeit and pay, for every such offense, any sum not exceeding twenty nor less than two dollars, and will be liable for all damages arising to any person from such obstruction, or injury to such road or highway, to be recovered by an action at the suit of the trustees of the township in ^vhich the offense is committed, or of any person suing for the same before a justice of the peace within the county where the offense is committed, or by indictment in the court of common pleas in the proper county ;^ every twenty-four hours such person or corpora- tion, after being notified, suffers such obstruction to re- main, must be deemed an additional offense against the provisions of this paragraph ; and all fines accruing under this paragraph, when collected, must be paid to the treas- urer of the township in which the offense was committed, and be applied by the trustees to the improvement of roads and highways therein. (4748.) 69. Company liable for fines against employes. Every rail- road company or other corporation, the servant, agent, or (1) By section 32 of the act relating to roads (S. & S. 669), township trus- tees are authorized to bring civil actions to recover the statutory penalty lor obstructing and permitting obstructions to remain upon and across public roads or highways authorized by the laws of this state, to the hin- derance and inconvenience of travelers or other persons passing along or upon such public roads or highwavs. Trust es of Burton Township v, Tuttle et ai., 30 Ohio St. 62. Thf statute giving the cause of action confers jurisdiction over it upon justices of the peace. lb. , ^, ^ In actions i ro?ecuted und' r the provisions of thi« statute, where the ob- struction is alleged to have been cause i by a railroad car, or cars, or loco- motive, it must be averred in the petition that the public road or highway was obstructed unnecessarily, by permitting such railroad car or cars, or locomotive, to remain upon or across t' e public road or highway for a long* r period than five minutes, to the hinderance, etc. In actions tor ob- structions to public roads caused by agencies other than railroad cars ana locomotives, in describing lie manner of the ob-truction, the word *•%»- necessarily'' forms no essential part of the description of the cause of ac- It is no'valid objection to the jurisdiction of a justice of the peace 'ti this cliss of cases, that, on the trial, the right of the public to the use of the roadway, as a public high wav. may involve, to some extent, the title to the land at the place of alh^ged'obstruction. As the statute confers original lurisdiction'upon justices of the peace over the cause of action, by neces- sary implication it "ests authority in justices' courts to hoar and deter- mine alt questions necessary lo /eiider a final judgment, lb. The person who maintains a n.ill-race, divertivig water trom its natural flow through the race to his mill, for private u^ e, which mill race cuts and crosses a public r ad previously established over his laud by authority' ot law, which race unbridged is an obstruction across the highway, to tne hinderance and inconvenience of travelers and persons gomg along ana upon such public highway, must place a sufficient bridge oyer the race at the point of obstruction, and keep it in repair so that the highwav will be lis good and safe for public travel as before the race was constructed, lo. II.] ROAD WORK, ETC., GENERALLY. • 21 employe of which, in any manner, obstructs any public road or highway, will be liable to pay all fines which may be assessed against such servant, agent, or employe for so obstructing the same, and such liability may be enforced by execution issued against such corporation on the judg- ment rendered against such servant, agent, or emplove. (4749.) 70. How fires in icoods or prairies extinguished. Whenever the woods or prairies in any township are on fire, so as seriously to endanger property, the trustees of such town- ship may order as many of the inhabitants of the town- ship, liable to work on the highways, and residents in the vicinity of the place where such fire is, as they may deem necessary, to repair to the place where such fire is, and there to assist in extinguishing the same, or stopping its progress; and every person called out, under the provision of this section, must be allowed, by the supervisor of his road district, to be applied on his poll or road tax, the same amount per day that he is now allow^ed for work on public highways. (4750.) 71. Penalties for refusal to assist. If a person refuse or willfully neglect to comply with such order, he shall for- feit a sum not less than five nor more than fifty dollars, to be collected before any justice of the peace of the town- ship. (4751.) 72. The following certificate may be given : Koad District, No. , Township, County, 0. , 18-. I certify that E- — F has been, by me, ordered out to assist in extinguishing fires in the woods {or, prairies, as may he), in said district; that he was thus employed for one-half day, for which he is entitled to seventy-five cents, to be credited to any road or poll tax against him now due or to become due. A B , Supervisor. 73.^ Bridges over mill-races, etc. No person possessed of the right to any water privilege is required by law to build, nor keep in repair, and bridge over any mill-race or water- course constructed by such person across any public road for hydraulic purposes.^ (4752.) 74. When any road is hereai'ter established, the owner of such right must file in the county auditor's office, within a year after such road is established, a written de- claration of such right, describing and stating as near as practicable, where he intends some time to excavate a- mill-race or water-course across the road. This declara- tion must be recorded by the auditoi-, and will secure such right to the owner, his heirs, and assigns. But nothing in this section can prevent such owner from con- structing a mill-race or water-course across any public (1) See last paragraph of note, page 23. 22 ROAD supervisors' manual. [chap. highway already established, on giving the notice required in the next paragraph. (4753.) 75. Duty of supervisor in certain cases. When any person excavates or constructs a mill-race across a public high- way, he must give at least thirty days previous notice, in writing, to the trustees of the proper township, of his intention so to do; and if he fail or neglect to give such notice, the supervisor of the proper road district may, if in his opinion the public good demands it, fill up such mill-race or water-course, at the cost of the party so failing and neglecting to give notice, to be recovered by the su- pervisor, together with fifty per centum thereon, and the costs of suit, for the use of such road district, in an action before any court of competent jurisdiction.^ (4754.) 76. Supervisor must settle with township trustees^ when. At the annual March meeting of the township trustees, they must settle the accounts of the supervisors; and for Ibis purpose the supervisors must attend that meeting. (1458, as am., 90 0. L. 98.) 77. Supervisor s report to trustees. The supervisor should render to the township trustees at this meeting an account of his receipts and expenditures, and of his work, etc., arranged under suitable heads or parts. Without it, a proper settlement can scarcely be made at all. To aid in making such report, and to secure uniformity, the trustees should furnish him with suitable blanks therefor. 78. The form of such report may be substantially as fol- lows: supervisor's report and settlement. 79. [First] Statement of moneys received by me as supervisor. Amount received from [state ivhom — see pars. 24, 75]. $10 25 Total cash road tax collected, as show^n by "Abstract of Koad Tax " returned to clerk on , 18—.. 89 50 Amount of road tax received from township trustees. 25 00 Collected by suit from [state ivhom—see pars. 24, 75]. 7 50 Etc., etc Total receipts ' $132 25 (1) But he can not be held personally liable for the payment of costs in such cases. See paragraph 3, and Bittle v. Hay, ^ Ohio, 269. An action for obstructing a highway should be brought, not in the name of the supervisor (individually), but the plaintiff should be su- pervisor of road district No. , in township , of county. Hill V. Supervisor, 10 Ohio St. 622. Where, in an action before a justice of the peace, the plaintiff was described as A. B., supervisor of road district No. 6, Stonecreek, Cler- mont county, on appeal, the supervisor for the time being may file his petition as '^The Supervisor of Road District No. 6," etc. lb. "•] ROAD WORK, ETC., GENERALLY. 23 80. [Second.] Statement of moneys expended by me as supervisor. [Give the items of all moneys expended. It is sup- posed, of course, that the supervisor has taken a receipt for every cent expended. These receipts should be num- bered in the order of their dates, and are, in this settle- ment, the supervisor s vouchers for the truth of his state- ments as to expended money.] TO WHOM PAID AND WHAT FOR. No. of Voucher. Amount • ^ Total expeaditures $1^28 75 Total received $132 25 Total expended 128 75 Balance on hand.. $3 50 81. [Third.] Statement of my personal account. I was employed in the discharge of my official duties, as follows : Superintending labor days. Attending suits *' Etc., etc <' Etc., etc '* Total 20 days. Due me, at $1.50 per day, $30. For which I ask an appropriation. 1 certify the foregoing to be a correct report of my pro- ceedings, and a true statement of my receipts and ex- penditures, during my term of office as supervisor since my election in April last. A B , Supervisor. 82. Receipt for road implements returned to trustees. The supervisor should then get a receipt from the trustees for 24 ROAD supervisors' manual. [chap. the plows, scrapers, etc., which he returns to them as re- quired of him by paragraph 25. 83. The form of this receipt may be as follow^s: NO. 1 1 1 10 NAMES OF ARTICLES. Road plow Scraper . . . Scraper Shovels Etc. CONDITION. Nearly new. New. Much worn. Worn. Received the articles above mentioned from A B , supervisor of road district No. , this day of ,18—. J C , C S , 0— P , Township Trustees. 84. Ptnahies against supervisors. A supervisor who neg- lects or refuses to perform the several duties enjoined on him by this chapter, or who, under any pretense whatever, gives or signs any receipt or certificate, purporting to be a receipt or certificate for labor or work performed, or money paid, unless the labor shall have been performed or money paid before the giving or signing of such receipt or certificate, will forfeit, for every such offense, not less than five dollars nor more than fifty dollars, to be recov- ered in an action before a justice of the peace within the township where he resides; and the trustees of the town- ship must prosecute all offenses agninst the provisions of this paragraph ; but if a supervisor conceives himself ag- grieved by the judgment of such justice, he may, on giv- ing sufficient security for the payment of costs, appeal to the court of common pleas; which must make such order therein as to it may appear just and reasonable. (4742. ) See also paragraph 63, chapter 2, and paragraphs 23 and 24 of chapter 4. 85. Compensation. Every supervisor must be paid for his services, not more than one dollar and fifty cents per day, for the time he is actually employed on the roads; but no supervisor can be allowed, in any one year, more than twelve dollars, in addition to the remuneration for his two davs' labor on the roads, when the number of persons in his district, liable to work on the roads, does not exceed twenty-five; not more than sixteen dollars, when the number so liable is more than twenty-five and less than thirty-five; not more than twenty-five dollars, when the n.] ROAD WORK, ETC., GENERALLY. 25 number so liable is not less than thirty-five nor more than fifty ; and not more than thirty-five dollars, when the num- ber so liable exceeds fifty; but a supervisor that is required, by any law of the state, to repair a turnpike road, or any part thereof, must be allowed not exceeding eight per cent, for the amount of the labor performed under his di- rection as supervisor, repairing such turnpike or working out the road tax in his district; but in no case shall he receive more than one dollar and fifty cents per day. (1533). 26 ROAD supervisor's manual. [chap. CHAPTER III. RELATING TO FREE TURNPIKES. 1. Repairs of Improved Roads, w 1. What are ^^ improved roads ^^ — How repaired. All macad- amized roads which are free roads, whether constructed under general or local laws by taxation or assessment, or both, or converted by purchase or otherwise from a toll road into a free road under any law, and all turnpike roads, or parts thereof, unfinished or abandoned by any turnpike company, and appropriated or accepted by the commissioners of the county, must be kept in repair as is provided in this chapter. (4876.) 2. The greater part of the duties relating to such re- pairs fall upon officers other than supervisors, as will be seen by this chapter. But it will also be seen that super- visors are, or may be, also charged with certain duties in relation to these repairs, and therefore so much of the law relating to this subject as may be useful to supervisors, for the purpose of showing them what duties are not theirs, and what others are or may become theirs, is here given. SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR CERTAIN COUNTIES. 3. In certain counties. Formerly, in Darke, Logan, Cler- mont, and Shelby counties, improved roads were under the charge and control of officers entitled pike superin- tendents, and with them supervisors had nothing to do, except that the township trustees set off certain persons, who had to perform their two days' labor, and their labor in commutation of taxes, under the direction of these su- perintendents. The supervisor could not order nor com- pel such persons to labor under him. The township trustees had to give these superintendents the use of the township plows, scrapers, and other road implements. Some understanding was therefore necessary, through the township clerk and trustees, what persons were so set off, and when those implements could be used by the super- visor, and when by the superintendents, in such road dis-. tricts where both these officers had work to do. See §§ 4877-4888. But by changes in the law,^ no counties are now in this class. 4. In certain other counties. The law makes each town- (1) Including the repeal of