Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1874-02-27
THE NEW ROAD La W.

i The road law enacted at the recent
session is considered to be a very great
improvement on the cid. It is quite
long; we therefore condense some of
the more important provisions:
/ County Commissioners have super
yison of all county roads; applications
for altering or locating roads must be
made to them by at least twelve house
holders resident in the vicinity; the
petition must specify place OF begin
ming, termination and intermediate
points on the road, and satisfactory
proof must accompany it that notice
Of such application as made to the
Commissioners has been posted ~
DAYS Oh the front door of the County
Clerks office and at three different
places in the vicinity of the road. 1t
the Commissioners deem the petition
worthy. they appoint three viewers,
and surveyor if necessary, to lay out
or alter the said road: These viewers
are required to take oath, with penal
ties, to faithfully discharge their du-
ties; and make report to the Commls-
sioners, who, if 10 remonstrance or
petition for damages be filed and the
load is deemed Of public utility, re-
cord the report and survey and the
road becomes q public highway. 1t
any persons through whose lands the
road marked out, shall consider they
would be injured by the opening OF
the road, they may report in writing
to the Commissioners who appoint
three disinterested housahOlders to eX-
anime the matter and report what the
damages are, and if the Commission
CTS approve the report and believe the
road should still be built, the damages
are to be paid out of the road fund.
Or they may refuse to establish the
road unless all or portion of such dam
ages be paid by the petitioners. Any
|person feeling aggrieyed in the amount
Of damages allowed, may within 80
days appeal to the District Court. The
standard width of roads is 60 feet
Provision is also made for persons to
change highway passing over their
lands, by applying to the Commission
ers. Provision is also made whereby
private roads, 30.feet wide, may be, on
application to the Commissioners, built
lover other lands to a public highway,
with provision tor damages and APP
peal, the damages being paid by petit
toner. The Commissioners are author
lied to divide their respective counties
into road districts, not ottener than
once year, and make record of the
same. The Commissioners are EN-
powered to appoint a supervisor OF
roads for each district at the March
meeting: and thereafter ut each gen
tteral election, the qualified electors OF
each district shall elect supervisor
to hold for one year from March LIST.
The Commissioners fill vacancies. SUI
pervisors are required to give 81 900
bond, ON penalty Of removal. The
road tax shall. not be exceeding two
mills and not less than one mill on the
dollar on all taxable property; the
special road tax. is 50 o:leach able
bodied man between II and As years
Of age residing in the district. This
may he paid in labor at 50 per day if
the supervisor thinks the work re-
qlired; if not it is to be paid into the
county road fund. The County Treas
urers collect all road tax. The receipt
I'of the supervisor is equivalent to cash.
Members Of Fire Companies are eN
empt from the 50 road tax. Provision
is made for notifying persons to work,
in failure whereof they must pay the
money. Supervisors are required to
keep all public roads open and i'll good
repair. In case the reads require it,
the supervisors may require two days
labor, and if this is still inadequate
the Commissioners make ali appropri-
alton from the county road fund. The
Supervisor is empowered to go on adj
joining lands for the stone, gravel and
timber and to construct drains and
bitches, but damages may be allowed
for material taken. Any person stop
ping or obstructing drains or bitches
shall forfeit the sum of $50, to be re-
covered by the supervisor III civil &C
ton. Section gives the supervisor ex-
traortlinary power to call out persons
in case Of distractions of an unusual
nature on the roads, or to remove or
repair dangerous bridges, for which
labor certificates are issued, and which
may be committed as the labor of an
other person or stand over to the credit
of the party working until another
year. Supervisors are allowed 80 per
day for the time they are necessarily
employed. propertyis exempt from
execution and sale for a delinquent
road tax. Viewers receive S3 and Sur
veyors 81 per day. Parallel county
roads shall not be- nearer than one
mile; passage to water courses may
be granted by tho Commissioners on
petition of five freeholders; the pro-
vision also applies to roads running to |
timber. Supervisors are required to
erect and maintain at the forks of each /
highway and every crossing of public
roads within the district, guide or
finger board, directing the way and
specifying the distance to the next
town or public place. This act repeats
all acts in conflict, and is in force from
date Of its approval, February Il, 1874.
BARON O'KEEFE, the member from