Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-02-10
GOODCOUNTY ROADS
The Most Pressing Necessity OF the Peo'
pie Of shelby, and They Propose
to Build Them
And Quickly, if the Legislature Will
Consent to the Bill Proposed by
Yesterdays Meeting.

1
a memorial TO The Legislature urging the
passage of the bill offered by Representative
Galloway, of Shelby, in reference to the
construction Of county roads, etc, made
report. The meeting was we'll attended, and
the reading Of the report elected considera-
BILE discussion, manifestiDg the interest felt
IN the movement. The committees report |
embodied the draft of proposed bill to pro-
vide for the construction, repairing and buy
ing CT turnpike, macadsmizsd and graded |
gravel roads.
THE BILL.
An act TO provide for the construction. repairing
and buying of turnpike macadamized and |
graded gravel roads. |
SECTION 1. Be IL enacted by The General |
Assembly Of the State of Tennessee, That the
County Court Of each county in the State, st |
each January term thereof, may elect a |
board OF commissioners, TO be known az the |
turnpike commissioners. Said board shall |
be composed of three persons, the chairman
of said court being ex ofieio chairman Of
said board. The other two persons shall be
freeholders, not members oil said county
court, and residents OF the county for which
they are elected.
Sec. 2. Be IL further enacted, That at the
same term at which the County Court levies
the general tax for county purposes it may
levy tax for turnpike purposes, which tax,
If levied, shall be ten cents on each 800 of
taxable property as shown by the county
assessment, and on privileges not more than
one fourth the amount levied for county
purposes. All taxes collected under this act
shall be applied by said commissioners TO
the construction, repsiriDg or buying Of
turnpike, macsdamizsd or graded gravel
roads in the county from which the tax is
collected.
Sec. 5. Be Il further enacted, That said tax
shall be due the same day as the general tax
for county purposes, and shall be collected
by the county trustee at the same time and
in the same manner as he collects said gen.
eral tax, and subject to the same liability
therefor on his official bond as he is for said
general tax. Said trustee shall keep said
fund separate and distinct frem other
moneys and pay out same on the joint war
rant or orders OF said commissioners, as the
same may be needed. The trustee shall be
entitled to one per cent. out of said tax on
the amount collected and paid over BY him.
Sec. 4. Be IL further enacted, That each of
said commissioners. before entering upon
the duties of his Office, shall subscribe 70 an
oath before the County Court clerk and be
| filed by him with said clerk, that he will, to
the best of his ability, discharge the duties
of his Office, properly account for all money
| and other property that may come into his
1duus VI OAuic, duQ mat
be will not become interested directly or
indirectly for himself or others in any
contract tor work, or for materials or sup
| plies or purchases made by said commits
sioners. Said commissioners shall give q
bond, with two or more sufficient securities,
IA such sum as the County Court NAV order.
for the faithful performance OF IheIr duties,
said bond to be fled with the County Court
clerk, made payable to the State of Tennes.
see, and enforced and collected as other Of
fetal bonds.
Sec. 5. Be it further enacted, That said COM
missioners shall keep a record of all official
business transacted by Them, and make all
| necessary returns TO the clerk OF
the County Court, and shall, by the
| 18th day OF December of each year,
render TO said clerk an itemizsd state
ment, in writing, showing the amount of
money received from the county trustee; the
amount left in his hands; how the fund has
been expended; the locality and amount Of
| road made and work done; which statement,
| together with vouchers for all money paid
out by them, shall be filed with the County
| Court clerk, to be by him brought before the
court al its January lerm, and subjected to
the inspection of taxpayers of the county.
Sec. 6. Ee IL further enacted, That the chair
| man of the County Court shsll within ten
days after the election of said commissioners
call them together for organization, at which
| time one of said commissioners other than
the chairman shall be elected by them score.
tary of the board and supervisor of the work
! to be done by them. Said commissioners
shall be entitled 10 salary, paid out of said
tax and fixed by the County Court before
their election. The salary of the secretary
| and supervisor shall not exceed the sum Of
$1,000 per annum; that of the other commits
sioners shall not exceed $3.50 per aunum.
Sec Z Be Il further enacted, That said COM
missioners shall expend the amount Of this
fund received from the trustee in construct
| ing, r pairing or buying turnpike, macad-
| lied or graded gravel roads, first on such
roads as in their judgment are the most i'm.
portant or most travelled highways through
out the county, or at such places on said
highways as may be most conducive 10 the
public good.
or fund shall not be expended within the
corporate limits of any Incorporated city or
town, but said commissioners shall not be
precluded from coming within the corporate
limits OF any incorporated city or town in
the county, for the purpose Of joining with
a turnpike, macadamized or graded gravel
street or road within the corporate limits OF
said city or town.
Sec. 9. Be Il further cnacied, rhst should a
vacancy, from any cause, occur in said
board, the other commissioners ahall con-
time to act until the next term of the
Quarterly Court, at which lime the vacancy
shall be filed.
Sec. 10. Re il further enacted, That this
act shall take effect from and after its pass
age, the public welfare requiring it.
IT'S PASSAGE URGED.
| Mr.. Clapp, of the committee, presented tbs
following preamble and resolutions setting
forth the necessity OF the measure and urg
ing lis passage.
WHEREAS, The bill is only intended tc
give such counties in the State an oppor,uni
iy improve their highways as choose TO take
advantage of the provisions Of the act, anc
is obligatory on none, neither requiring the
County Court to elect the board of commits
sioners nor levy the tx, unless in the judg
ment of the court il is meeting the wishes O
the property-oWners of the county; and
WHEREAS, The people of Shelby county
who have but two or three miles o
/. turnpike outside Of the city Of Mem
!. phis, feel the absolute necessity o
improving the highways OF the county
which for four months of the year, and thi
during the busy season, are almost impassa
BILE and In such condition as to virtually pre-
vent the transportation Of produce or sup
plies either TO or from the dePots or towns il
: the country; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Merchants Exchange o
Memphis, Tenn, approves of and indorse
J the draft Of the bill entitled San act to pro
vide for the construction, repairing ant
, buying OF turnpike, macadamized ant
: | graded gravel roads," and respectfully sub
. mits the same to the General Assembly of tn
. State for its passage into law.
Resotred, That we earnestly request tn
1 -.
and assist in bringing said bill properly be
g fore The General Assembly, and in urging il
r passage:
THE BILL 1 NECESSITY.
Mr.. L. Hanauer addressed the meeting
favoring prompt action looking to the i'm
provement of the country roads, calling at
tention to the present impossible conditiol
: OF the highways leading into the city an'
Q the consequent increased values that had t
. | be charged for the neeessaries OF life.
DISTRICT SOVEREIGNTY.
, Mr.. w. B. Mallory, of Mallory & CraW
ford, offered an amendment in substance tina
| the taxes paid by the citizens OF each distric
: should be spilled 10 the improvement o
r the thoroughfares in that district only.
NOT FEASIBLE.
Mr.. w. L. Clapp opposed the amendmen
upon the principle that there being eighteel
i / districts in the county, the result would
eighteen roads building at one time, Will
the revenues in many Of the districts woul'
not be sufficient TO complete their RESPECTIVE
roads. On the other hand, the revenues col
a lecled for road purposes could be appiie
!. | FIRST TO those thoroughfsres most needing al
| tention, and the work proceeded with unit
{ completion, and other york begun.
THE AMENDMENT DEFEATED.
The vote taken ON Mr.. Nallery's amend
meut resulted in its defeat by decided pa'
! iority.
1 THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ADOPTED
I / notion to adop, the repor! OF the con