The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-10-20
(BY AUTHORITY
LAW OF THE U. STATES.

of Columbia
BE :t enacted By the iSeaate ard House of Re6-
rssentatiUes of the Jsited States Of .4nterica IN
Congress asasnSied That the Board of Conms.
somers or levy co,iit for the county Of Washington
IN the district of Columbia be, aud hereby gre en-
powered to erect au'' maintain penentiary to be
erected in suc', place rs the Mayor, Aldermen, &
ConmonConncii of tie city of Washington shall de.
sisnate.
Sec Q. .4nd be it;i~tfer enac;ed, That the l.,srd
oil Commissioners or levy court for tue said county
ie vested with full power TO lay out, sti-aishten
and repair public roads within the said county, ex-
cept within the corporate limits OF the city of WASH
ngton \ 1eoYgetown, undeT the conditions herein
after prescribed.
Sec. 5 Ind be it further enacted, That the said
board or levy court be empowered to lay out and
make roads throughout any such part of the said
cour'y - Pro0ided, They shall not exceed on.
handve,l feet in width, and shall not pass throue h
any buiiding garden or yard, without the consent Of
the owner; and reasonable compensation, if re-
CURED by the owner, shall be made for the land thus
marked and laio out, Which shall be fixed in the fol-
lowing manner--On laying out and marking any
road, SIX weeks notice thereof shall be given in some
public print, published in the county In case any
owner OF land, through which the said road masses
shall require compensation therefor, lac shall within
two weeks thereafter, apply to the levy court who
may agiee with him for the purchase thereof-and
IN case OF disagreement, or III the owner shah
De iene covert, under age, or non compos, or one
Oh the county, on application to any Justice of tbr
county Is be made within two weeks after The en-
praion OF the aforesaid two weeks the said Justice
shall issue his warrant, under his hand to the mar
shall Of the district of Columbia commissioning him
TO summon twelve freehoidefs, inhabitants of Tho
county, not related TO the said owner nor in any
manner interested, to meet on the land TO be valued
at day to be expressed in the warrant of which
Ten days notice shall be given by the marshal to the
levy court, and TO the owner OF the said land or f
at his or her Place of abode, or given to his or her
guardian, 1t an infant, if out of the county, Inv
publishing notice thereof for six weeks in some ub-
lie priHt oil the county, and the marshal on reseiy-
ing the said warrant, shall summon the said ;urv
anu when met, shall administer an oath or affrma.
Ton to every jury man, who shall swear or affirm as
the ease may be- that he will justly, faithfully and
value the land, and all damages the ow
ner thereof viii sustain by the road passing through
the same, having regard 10 all circumstances Of CON
venience, benefit or disadvantage according to the
best OF his skill and Judgment; and the in1usitisn
thereupon taken shall be signed by the marshal s.
seven or more OF the said jury and shall be concu-
ave and the same shall be returned to the CLERK
OF the coIaty, to he by him recorded az the eypence
OF The levy court--and the valuation expressed in
such inHusiIion shall be paid by the said lew court
to the owner OF the land, or his legal representa-
i've betoret the levy court proceed to open the
said road-in case such application shall be
made within the aforesaid periods the land thus ~,
shall be adjudgeI to be conclusively con-
demnedI and no compensation be hereafter required
therefor.
Sec j. Rad be II further enacted, That IA board
OF commissioners or levy as soon as they shall
have laid ont, marked and opened a road, and COM
piled with the foregoing provisions, shall return the
courses bosnds and plat thereof the clerk of the
county, to be by him recorded at the expense of
the said court : and the said road, so laid ont and
aforesaid, shall be thereafter taken.
held and adjudged public road and common high
way.
Sec 5. ind be itfwther enacted, That in all ca.
ses where stone, gravel or other materials, shall be
necessary for making or repairing road, the levy
court may agree with the owner on which the same
may be, for the purchase of the said land and in
case OF disagreement, or in case the owner should
be fcme covert under age, or non compose, or out
ot the county, application to a Justice of the
county, may proceed, i'll all respects. in the same
manner for condemning the said materials for the
usc OF SAID road, rs IN ike cases where lands are
dire cted TO be taken anti condemnedas aforesaid
for making the said road and the said parties res.
pectiyely shall have the same benefit and ADVANTAGE
Of the said proceedings they have under & in viz
tue ct the said provision for condemDing land herein
before mentioned.
Sect Ind be It further enacted, That if road
shall he Carried through any fields of ground IN ac-
l'ia cultivation, such fields snail not DC laid omen or
used as public road, until after the usual time Of
taking OF crops then growing thereon.
Sec. 7. Ind be IL further enacted, That If any
person shall alter or change, or in any manner Oh
strict or eneroach on public road, or cut, destroy
dtiace or remove any mile stones, set up on said
road, or put or piuee any rubbish, dirt, logo, or
make any pit or hole therein, such person MAY
Columbia, and being convicted thereof shall be
fined or imprisoned, in the discretion Of tie court
according TO The nature If tie offence.
Sec s. ind be it further enacted, That the board
OF Commissioners or levy court msy, for the afore
said aud all other general county purposes annual.
y lay tax on all the real aud personal property
III the said county, except within the limits OF the
city OF Washington, any cyisling Law 20 the contra
ry notwithstanding, not r%ccching twenty-five cents
~ the hundred dollars va!rc of said property; for
The collection, eaic.kcepaS and dis5uixc fnent of
which, they arc hereby empowered 10 appoint
the necessary officers, and 20 all The neans now
in force aud necessary Tor te assessnent and col.
lection Of taxes IN tic said county and % ensure
due and regular Accountability Tor the same, all
existing laws, so iar they vest in ti,r said levy
court power 90 isy taxes, shall be-, md the same
are hereby repealed
See. Q. .8ndbc il fi,yfLcr enacted, That the beard
OF Commissioners or levy court shall b., AMI hereby
at relraccd from any obligation TO provide for the
support ol tie poor Of any other part Of tic coun-
~ n Washington, other ilian that part without The
Hn.ts Of the city &c Washington, 10 provide for
whom thy are hereby a'i oii.cd 80 loy and collect
spt al tax 10 be- imposed said part Of the cour
ty.
Scc.( 10. .qnd be il fVthcr earsfed. That The
board Gt i5s.oncrs or levy co5rt Of the oounty
Of Wasjngtpu, shali he hereafter composed of &C.
ven members, to be designated Immediately after
the passing o! this act by ihe President Of the Uni
ted States, from among the c2sGpg magistrates ofI
the coVaty, aud ana miy afterwards on tie first
Monday ~ May thai is to sly, thrfo shall bc two
rien,bcrs designated feiB among the magistrates
Rock Crcck. ard without a.. limits Of the city oil
Men fssfes Mt