Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1881-03-31
The Fence Law.

COUNTIES A PRopos1rIoN TO ALTER THE
FENCE LAWS, AND TO Pnpv1pE FOR
EFForuATINa THE SAME. anl I'll.
SEcTroN l.. Be Il enacted bu tla Senate
and House of Representatives Of tho State
of South Csrolinn, now met und sitting 10
Gcne'ul Assembly aud by tho authority of
tie same, That upon tho written applica-
tion of seventy five of tho tuxpayets Of any
township 10 any county Of thie State who
m'y desire TO substitute the fencing Of stock
in lieu of fencinc the crops, it sllall ho the
duly Of the Commissioners cf said county
| to order sn election in said tow wnshp be-
tween the 10th aud 20.h Of August, or the
10Th bud 2O'h Of December in any wear.
thirty dhys poIice thereof being given 10
on" or moro of the newspapers published in
said county, specifying the time and place
or purp"bo of such election, aud to appoint
three Managers Of election, who shall with
out compensation, hold and conduc. said
election, aud immediately upon the close
thereof make return thereof to the Commits
sioners Of tho county, WHO shall dcclre and
publish tho result of said elcotion 10 one or
moro OF the newspapers published 10 said
County: Poruiled, hopever, That the place
of voting designated by the County Com.
missions shall be as ncur tho geogrnphical
center OF the township os circumstances
will ndmit; aud if mujority of the quail
lied electors of said township, voting at
s7id election, shall have voted for tho odop.
tion of this Act, then the same shall bc und
rbecome of force in said township on the
fret day Of January next succeeding such
election, and from and after that date oil
laws now existing in regard TO the erection
and maintenance Of fences in said town.
ship shsll be null and void and it shall not
DC lawful for tho owner Of any horse, mule,
ass genet, swine, sheep, goat or ueut cattle
Of any description to permit the said oni
nals, or any OF them, to run ut large beyond
the 'iuits of their own lands in said town
ship.
SEC. 2, That upon the written spplico.
ton of seventy fivo taxpayers in each town
ship IN any county in the State, it shall he
the duty Of the Commissioners of the
county for said county to order sn cl, ctoa
to DC held in each township in tho county,
on thc same day, in the manner end under
the regulations Of the foregoing Sections;
and IT all of The townships 10 said county
shall adopt this Act, then Tie snne shall
be of force 10 sid comfy on tho first day
Of January next succeeding said election,
and oil the provisions of this Act applica-
Bile to townships shall apply to the County;
hut if oil Of the townships shall not udopt
| the Act, then the sume shall be of forcc
IN the townships in which tho same shall be
adopted ny u majority of the votes cast at
said election IN said township.
49,,
ted in the first Section Of this Act shall
hereafter De found ut Iurgc, or upon the
lands of nhy person other than the owner
in said township, the manager or owner of
said animals shall be !ioble for all dumuge
done by the eaid animals to tho owners Of
the crops or the lands upon which they
trespass
SEC. q In case Of trespass, as aforesaid,
the aPerleved party may make CON plain,
tos Trinl Justice or Justice of tho Peace of
the County IN whiuh the trcspass was cou,o
nittcd, who shall issue his warrant imme.
dlatrly. rcturoablc within five days from The
dute thereof; and ut The time sDd place
named IN the warrant the case will be tried.
aud ihe amount OF damages sustained by
inc complainant he sscertuiued, aud judg
lhent gwen Tor the same, With legaI costs,
as In the onse Of other warrants.
SEC. s Whenever any township or
county shall adopt the Act, and it shall be-
come necessary to protect the lands in said
township or county from the iucursion of
stock or cattle from "ny adjniuing township
or county ns are exposed to such iucurs,ons,
and for that purpose to cutcr upon the lands
OF any pers"n in said township and to erect
such fence thereon without hcing guilty Of
any trespass whatever. And the lid Com
uissioDers shall hsve power and authority
to construct fences across any public or
private road: P.ovile2, That proper gates
Hre established on public or private rouds;
and to levy and collect tex oD the prop.
city OF said township or county to dcfray
the expenses of erecting aud maintaining
ssld fence, said tax to be collected at the
same time and in the same manner as other
Stale aud County taxes are levied md col
Ieo'ed. And tho County Commissioners
are authorized aud empow red to make such
arrangements with tho owners of property
contiguous to aud on either side of the
township or county lines us muy accom-.
plish tho object Of protecting the county or
township from the incursiuu Of cattlo or
stock , ..
SEQ The laws now OF force IN regard
to tho erection nd maintenance Of fences
snail apply to any fence erected 10 pursu.
ance of tho foregoing Section; and all per-
sons disturbing or injuring said fences shall
be punishable as provided 10 said laws;
uod oil cutie breaking said fences shall
DO dealt with as provided 10 tile said
laws.
SEn ohnn ho r