The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1867-03-07
The Free Turnpike Law.

lnG Free turnpike Law.
AN ACT, To authorize County Commits
iouers to oonstrue; Eonds, on petition Of
Il majority Of resident land owners along
and adjacent to tho line Of said rOuds:
SECTION /. he It enacted by the General
Assembly Of the State of Ohio, That the
County Commissioners of any County In
this lStutel shall have the power, ms herein
after provided, TO improve, by STRENGTHENING
gruding, paving, graveling, planking, or
matchmaking any state or County Road,
or any part OF such road, within the limits
Of their respective counties.
SIC. .. Before the Commissioners Of
any county shall order any Improvement
mentioned In the first section Of this act, a
petition shall be presented to them at q
regular session, signed by n majority Of
the luud-huldtrs resident within said coun-
ty, whose land will be assessed for the cE-
Dpnse of the same, as hereinafter provided,
stating the kind Of improvement prayed
for, and the points between which the same
is asked. Upon the presentation of such
petition, and the filing ofa bond, signed
by one or more responsible holders,
conditioned for the payment of the expens-
as of the preliminary survey and report, il
the said Improvement shall not finally b9
urderedShc commissioners shall appoint
three disinterustpd freehOlders Of the couu-
ty and a competent surveyor or engineer,
who shall carefully examine the road 30
asked TO be improved, and TfiGke a profile
of the same. and return the same 10 the
next regular session ofthe commissioners,
with 81 report showing the necessity and
public utility Cfthc contemplated improve
ment, and AN estimate ofths expense ofths
same and the lots and lands which will
be benefited thereby and ought to be as
sessed for the expense Ufthe same provid7
ed, that no lands shall be so assessed which
do not lie within two miles Of said CON
templated improvement.
SEC. 3. Upon the return OF the report
mentioned i'm the Inst section, the commits
sioners may, if in their opinion public util-
ity requires IT,, enter upon their records an
order that the improvement be made. which
order shall state the kind Of Improvement
to be made, aud the width and extent Of
the same, and the lands which shal! l'y "a
sesSed for the expense of the sLme, and
they shall thereupon appoint competent
engineer to superinteud the performance
and completion of said work, who shall,
with the approval OF the county commits
sioners, make a contract for the perfor-
nance Of the work, and the contractor
may at once enter upon the performance
of said work, under the superintendenCs
Of the engineer appointed as aforesaid.
SIC. !. The commissioners, when any
such improvement shall be ordered, shall
Immediately appoint three disinterested
freeholders OF the county, who shall, upon
actual view Of the premises, apportion the
estimated expense of said Improvement
upon the lands embraced in the Ordprafnre-
said, according to the benefit which each
piece shall derive therefrOm, and report
the same to the county auditor, and in
making said appor,ionment they shall take
into consideration my benefits which will
drainage resulting from the making of said
Improvement. When the report of said
committee shall he returned, the county
auditor shall give notice of it by publica-
ton in some newspaper published and Of
general circulation in said county, and
shall also give notice, for at least three
consecutive weeks, ofa time when the COM
missioners will meet at the county audi
tors office TO hear the same. On tho day
named in said notice. the commissioners
shall meet, and if no exceptions have been
filed TO said report, they shall confirm the
same but If exceptions in writing have
been tied by my of the owners Of the land
Uti .cied thereby, they shall first proceed 10
hear such exceptions, and for that purpose
shall hear any lest.m ny that shall be offer
ed Y any party interested, and either one
O, said commissioners shall be authorized
to. administer o0ths 10 witnesses. Aftpt
such hearing, they may either confirm said
raDort or croufe the same. or ref,r tbo
same m a nov cou1u,fitea Of u,rso di--
+, f.rasfai r..rbol1rre Tn case last rom
ed Of re ference, the new commit
tee shall, upon rcuM view of The
or 'ba,- nav rrcon1n,srd
the coutrIn,ri, IN of the forninr ror,ort mud
upon the ret,lrp of their report 10 tbe counl
ty auditor. the same proceedings shall 10
had as upon the return of The Hrst rcport
rxcent that there shall not again he a re-
reference 10 another committee. The fin,l
action of the commissioner. shall be on.
tered upon their records. together with tho
reaCri as confirmed. showing how the -afd
estimated expense has been 8rnorfioned
upon tine lands ordered to be assessed as
aforesaid Arp- tie work shall Hr,-p hpcn
completed. tie county auditor. before rIeo-
ing the said assessment upon the jupli-
cnta, shall add or deduct from said esti-