Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-03-05
BILL

A BILL
TO authorize the county commissioners OF
the several counties Of the State Of Ohio
to provide for the better protection OF
life and property at railroad crossings
in townships and in incorporated vii
lages.
SECTION 1. Be Il enacted 6y the General
Assembly of the State of Ohio, That it
shall be and is hereby made the duty Of
the county commissioners Of the several
counties Of this State, to make, or cause to
be made, suitable and safe railroad cross
ingS over all State, county, township, viii
lage roads or streets, which are now or
hereafter may be crossed by any railroad
corporation under the laws Of this State.
SEC. 2. When notice shall be given to
the board of county commissioners Of any
county in this State, by n written notice
filed with the auditor of the proper cnun-
ty. that additional safeguards at any rail-
road crossing in any township or incor-
porated village in said county, are neces-
sary for the better protection OF persons
and property crossing the track or tracks
of said railroads said county commission
ers shall appoint three disinterested free
holders of the county, II committee to ex-
anime and report upon all applications
that have been filed in the office of the
county auditor, subsequent to the last
regular or special meeting Of said board Of
county commissioners.
SEC. 3. Before entering upon the dis
charge of their duties, each member Of
the committee, named in the preceding
section, shall take an oath for the faith
full and impartial discharge of the duties
herein named, and shall go upon the road
Of any township, or street of any incOrpO-
rated village, mentioned in the notice
filed with the auditor of the proper cOun-
ty, and shall, upon actual view, and by
such other information as they may OBJ
tain, determine whether the safeguards
asked for in the notice are proper, and
such as are demanded for the better pro-
lection of persons and property having the
right of way over such railroad or rail-
roads so crossing any township or county
road, or the streets of any incorporated
village; and shall make their report in
writing. to the county commissioners, and
place the same on file with the county audi
tor. ............, .F
SEC. 4. II the committee shall report
in favor of placing additional safeguard at
the place or places named in the notice, in
section second Of this act, the county com
IllbSlOnbIA silhll tduSb u uOllIbs blkhGh W
themselves, and certified by the county
auditor, TO be served upon the ticket OF
other agent Of the company or companies,
owning or operating railroad nearest to
the place mentioned in the notice to the
commissioners, which notice shall be deem.
ed and held TO be legal notice to the cor.
poration or corporations owning or ope.
rating any railroad in this State.
SEC. 8. Within thirty days from the
date of the service of such notice by the
county commissioners, it shall be the duty
Of every railroad corporation, owning OIL
operating any railroad in this State, TO be-
| gin and prosecute to completion at the
earliest practicable time, to the acceptance
of the commissioners Of the proper coun'
| ty, such additional safeguards for the pro
lection Of life and property as shall have
been recommended by the committee nam
ed in section SECOND of this act, or shall bC
prescribed by the county commissioners
and when any railroad company shall have
raised their grade at the crossing Of any
county or township road, or of the street
of any incorporated village, they shall
make grade not exceeding one foot IN
twenty feet, and of the same width on the
surface as the road or street having the
right Of way over the track of said rail
road, and shall be required to place strong
and durable ratings on either side of the
crossing so made, and shall maintain the
same in good order so long as they shall
be required to do so by the commissioner:
of any county in this State.
SEC. @. If, at the end of thirty days
from the date of the service OF the notice
upon any railroad corporation, no part Of
the work required to be done under the pro
visions Of this act shall haYe been com
menced, it shall be the duty of the county
commissioners to cause said work to bC
done, and TO pay for the same out Of any
surplus county funds that may be in the
treasury Of the proper county; and to re-
imburse the treasury of the county for
funds so expended, the said county com
missioners are hereby authorized and re-
quired to levy an additional tax upon al
the property Of any railroad corporation
within any township or incorporated vii
lage in which money has been expended by
the county commissioners under the pro
visions of this act.
SEC. z. This act shall take effect and
be in force from and after its passage.