The Delaware ledger., 1883-08-18
Let Them Read the Law.

MEssRs. EDIToRs.-In talking with
one of the Road Commissioners he found
fault with the law and said it did not de-
fine how the roads were to be kept in re-
pair and what was to be considered in
good repair. Wonder if he ever read the
law which he is elected to carry out the
provisions thereof? Section of the law
says, "All sections shall be numbered
and described in book to be kept for
that purpose by the Road Commissioners.
They shall also distinctly specify therein
what they deem necessary for the i'm
provement and keeping in good repair
the said public roads and highways"
Now, why should Road Commissioner
have any doubt of what would be COM
pliance of the law? If he has any doubt
upon this point, let him refer to the book
that is kept by the Board of Commission
ers, as the law requires, and there he
will find if the contractor has complied
with the articles of his contract Section
5 of The law says, "Any person or persons
who shall purchase contract for a sec
tion OF road as aforesaid, shall write his,
her or their names, respectively, in the
Road Commissioners book, opposite the
section or sections so purchased or con
tracted for, together with the amount of
the purchase or contract money, which
shall be deemed and taken as sufficient
evidences of the contract or contracts,
and in addition shall give Judgment bond
with satisfactory surety in not less than
double the amount of the contract or con-
tracts"
Section 6. sit shall be the duty of the
contractors to keep their sections in good
and substantial repair, in the same man.
ner as has been done by the overseers, by
keeping open bitches and drains of sufR
cient depth and width TO carry off the
water. All loose stones shall be removed
or covered with earth" The Road Com
missioner who has any doubt in regart
: to The PROVISIONS of the law, TO just reat
the remainder Of Section 6 !; then thinl
all doubts in regard to the meaning o.
the law will be readily solved. and the
frivilous excuse that the law is bnng
ling piece of work, will be ut once dis
solved. Let tina Road Commissioners
read Section g. of the Law, and he will
J find what his duties are and how he mus
act,
Section 10 tells plainly that only sucl
parts Of the general road laws are re.
peaed in White Clay Creek Hundred, as
are inconsistent with the provisions Of
the law passed Mt Dover, March 27th,
1879. 1t does look to me that the Road
Commissioners had never read the law
which they had obligated themselves 10
carry out had they done so it would not
only be unnecessary for me to write
about the condition of the roads, or, fur.
ther, to fnd iault with the law. The law
does look TO me ~ Baye all the provisions
and safeguards ,throwp ground it for
faithful carrying out of the contracts,
made by tjle Commissioners for keeping
the roads in good repair that can posi-.
bly, be needed. Iet all abe present provis-
ions be fully executed, and then il it fails
to have the roads in good order, | will
again Join with any and all good citizens
to strengthen the weak places in the law.
There is another duty that devOlves
upon the Road Commissioners, which is
in regard to the construction of rail
road crossings over public roads, which
they will and ~ Chapter 2s1, Laws of