The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-12-10

for the town, to whom paid and for what
purpose.
SEC. D. The accounts required by the pre-.
| ceding section shall be open at all times to
the inspection of the tax payers inl said town,
and all selectmen, street commissioners,
agents or other officers repairing highways
and bridges, shall settle their accounts with
the auditors between the first day of February
and the, first day of March in each year, or at
such other time as the town directs.
SEC g. When there are loose stones in the
Travelled portion of the highway, the select
men or other person having charge of said
least once a month while the road is bare of
snow. And such selectmen or person shall
keep the travelled track through all covered
bridges covered with snow during the season
OF Sleighing And when highway is liable
to,be INSTRUCTED by snow drifts, and the fences
adjoining the highway can be conveniently
laid down, the selectmen or officers having
charge of such highway may cause any portion
ing the winter, and the compensation for
taking down and putting up said fence shall
be paid according to section 301S of the Re-
vised Laws.
SEC, Z. The selectmen or street commits
sioner may, when it is for the interest of
their towns, purchase tools necessary in MAX
ing and repairing highways and shall have
credit for the same and for the expense of
keeping them i'll repair; and may purchase at
the expense of the town, timber, plank and
other material necessary for repairing high
ways and bridges in such town.
SEC. g. In the absence of any other officers
or agents appointed by the town, or in case of
the refusal or neglect of such officers or
agents to keep the highways and bridges in
good repair, the selectmen of such town shall
have charge of the same and shall see to it that
all the highways and bridges in such town are
kept in good and sufficient repair at all sea-
sons of the year.
SEC. Q. Section 9044, of chapter 141 of the
revised laws of Vermont and all the following
sections of said chapter to and including sec
ton 30S1, and all other acts inconsistent with
this act are hereby repealed. Provided, how
ever that this act shall not be construed to
alter or repeal the provisions of charters of
Incorporated villages relating to the assess
ment, collection and expenditure of highway
taxes
SEC, TO-, This act shall take effect on the
first Monday of March, 1885.
Approved Nov. 20, 1884.
No. 13.-An act in addition to chapter one
hundred and forty of the Revised Laws,
relating to public highways.
1t is hereby enacted, ETC..
SEC. /. The selectmen of any town in this
state are hereby authorized to lay out, estab-
fish, construct or cause to be constructed and
maintained drains, bitches, or water courses
leading from any public highway in such
town, across the lands of any person to any
existing water course, for the purpose of
carrying away the surface water from such
public highway, or other drainage necessary
for public health, in all cases where they shall
adjudge that the public good or the necessity
or convenience of individuals require such
drains, bitches or water courses.
SEC. 2. Before such drains, bitches or
water courses shall be laid out and establish
ed, such selectmen shall give notice to such
land owners and all persons interested in such
lands, of time and place when and where
such selectmen will hear them upon the ques-
ton of laying out and establishing such drains
bitches or water courses, and also upon the
nj nj Al a ms IN n
SEC. g. If, upon such hearing, such select
men shall order the laying out and establish
ment of any such drain, ditch or water course
they shall determine the amount of damage
to such land owners and award the same to
them, and shall cause their said order and
awards or refusal to award damages, together
with survey and description of such DRAIN
ditch or water course, to be recorded in the
town clerks office in the town where such
highway and drain, ditch, or water course are
situate, within ten days thereafter.
SEC. H. In awarding damages to such land
owners account shall be taken of the special
benefit accruing to them if any, by reason
OF the establishment and maintainance of
such drains, bitches or water courses, and it
shall be the duty of such town to construct
them and maintain them in good and sufficient
repair until they shall, upon due notice and
hearing he discontinued by the selectmen of
such town.
SEC. 8. Within sixty days after such record
of such order laying out and establishing such
drains, bitches or water courses, and OF such
awards or refusal to award damages, any such
land owner who shall be dissatisfied with the
laying out such drains bitches or water
courses, as well with the amount of damages
awarded, or with the refusal to award
damages, may apply by petition in writing to
the county court at the then next ensuing
term, if there is time for notice, and
if not, at the succeeding term, for q re-
view of the action of such selectmen, and any
number of such different land owners may join
in such petition, and such proceedings shall
thereafter be had, and such petitioners and
town S hall be subject to the same rights and
liabilities as are provided by sections 2941 to
2943, inclusive, of the Revised Laws of this
State.
SEC. 6. If such land owner shall be dis
satisfied only with the amount of damages
awarded or the refusal to award damage, he
may within sixty days after such record III
such town clerks office, by petition in writing
apply to justice in some other town in the
same county for the appointment of commits.
| sioners to reappraise such damages, and any
number of such different land owners may join
in such petition. And upon the filing of sucl
petition, such proceedings shall be had, ano
| such petitioners and town shall have the samt
| rights and be subject to the same Liabilities
as are provided by sections 1884 to 2939 of the
Revised Laws of this State But such last
named petition shall not delay the construc
ton of such drains, bitches or water courses
SEC. Z. This act shall take effect from its
passage.
Approved Nov. "a. 1884.
No. 14-An act limiting the power o
county road commissioners and constituting
the meaning of the word sluice, and reat
ing to highways
| 1t is hereby enacted, etc.:
| SEC. l. No assessment or order hereafte
made by the board of commissioners, provided
for and named in section 300 of the Revise,
Laws, shall exceed the sum or amount of fiv
hundred dollars.
SEC. f. The word "sluice," as used in sec
ton Bill of the Revised Laws, as amended b,
section three of act No. thirteen of the SEES
sion Laws of 1882, shall not hereafter be con
strued to include or mean cutters or stream
of water being or passing under or acros
highways, and not designed to be enclosed o
covered.
SEC. 3. This act shall take effect from it
passage.
Approved Nov. 26, 1884,
No. 15.-An act relating to alterations i
! public highways.
1t is hereby enacted, ETC.:
SEC. 1. That it shall not be lawful for tn
selectmen ,of any town or the highway SUI
veyor of any highway district in this Stat
to make or cause to be made any alteration i