The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1877-09-28
For The Bgis e Lntelligencer.
The Contract System of Road Mendine.

Mr.. EDITOR: Now that the smoke of
the political battle has cleared away, I
| nope that our County Commissioners will
take into consideration the improvement
| of the road system. 1t is a matter that
mas been under discussion for some months
with the farmers, at their meetings in the
neighborhood ofThomas' Run; a commit
| tee has been appointed to report to the
| next meeting in relation to this matter. I
thought | would give you few extracts
from law on the Contract System. If
you think proper you can publish them.
should also be glad to hear from Others on
this subject.
The County Commissioners shall appoint
three (O suitable persons to serve as SUI
pervisors, one to serve for one year, one
Tor two years and one for three years-any
two OF whom may constitute quorum to
do business; and whose duty it shall be,
within twenty days after their appoint
ment, and every three years thereafter, to
lay out and divide all the public high
ways in each road district into sections of
not less than one-half mile nor more than
one mile in length, which they shall number
and describe i'll book kept for that pur-
pose. They shall also distinctly specify
therein what they may deem necessary for
the improvement and keeping in repair of
each section of public highway, for the
term of three years.
That it shall be the duty of said SUPER
visors to expose all the said public high
ways, one section at time, at public sale,
to the lowest and best bidder, on or before
the third Monday in March next, and
every three years thereafter; of which sale
at least ten days notice shall be required
to be given in not less than ten public
places, by posted handblls.
That any section of road that be not sold
at public sale on the day ADVERTISED, it
may be done afterwards at private contract;
provided that no supervisor have any in
terest, direct or indirect, in said contract.
That it shall be the duty of each pur-
chaser to write his or their name, and the
sum he they are to receive for repairing
his or their section, in the Supervisors
book, under the description thereof; and
any contractor or contractors neglecting
or refusing to keep his or their section in
repair in conformity thereto, upon COM
plant of any citizen of said road district,
it shall be their duty to examine thereinto
within two days, and if they deem the
complaint well founded, to give notice
thereof to the party so complained Of and
to request him or them to put the road
complained of in good repair within six
days thereafter; and if he or they still re-
fuse or neglect to have the same put in
good repair, it shall be the duty of the said
supervisor to have the same put in good
repair, and the cost thereof shall be recoy-
cradle by the said Supervisor of said con-
tractors, rs other debts of equal amount
are by law recoverable, with costs of suit.
That the supervisors shall state in the
contracts that water courses or crossways
shall he ofgradual slope and of good width
where required, and shall be so made and
retained, and that all loose stone be remov-
ed and kept off the roads, of if fast, that
they be kept covered over as much as pos.
sible.
That it shall be the duty of the supervi-
sors to inspect all the roads of the district at
least once in three months, and if they find
any contractor or contractors have neglect
ed to fulfill their contracts, to give them no.
tice thereof as provided in case of COM
plants being made, and to enforce the
same.
That it shall be the duty of the County
Commissioners to proceed to lay such q
rate of tax as will meet the sale and other
expenses incident to the making and keep
ing in repair said public highways in each
year, and in no case shall any contractor or
contractors receive more than the one third
part of the amount of said sales in any one
year. DUBLIN