Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1885-07-11
The New Road Law.


Road districts may be changed at
the January term.
Vacancies in the office of commission.
err may be filled at any quarterly court.
Any one appointed commissioner
and refusing to serve, is guilty Of a
misdemeanor, and no person can be res
quired to serve more than one year in
three.
The commissioner has control of the
highways and bridges in his districts,
and directs how the work shall be
done.
The commissioner has the right to
contract with any taxpayer for work
and give him credit for his work.
The clerk of the county court must
issue notice of appointment to commits
sioners, and the sheriff must serve it
under penalty of five dollars.
Commissioners take an oath to faith.
fully discharge their duties, and to &C.
count for all money and property
coming into their hands.
Commissioners are liable to be re,
moved for failure to perform their du-
ties after five days notice, and when
two or more districts are consolidated
all offices may be vacated.
Each commissioner must render an
itemized statement Of his receipts and
expenditures by the 25th day of De,
cember each year,
Commissioners must classify al
roads into three classes, and appOrtior
the hands to work them.
Each commissioner appoints the
overseers for his district, and assigns
each oversecr from one to five mile
of road, according to the character o
the road.
The Commissioner is responsible TO
the road tools of his districts and ma,
require the overseer to give bond 70
them and he shall not allow the over
seer his per diem until all are account
ed for
The commissioner of the distric
must near and dispose of all applica
tons to change, open or close roads
and from his decisions an appeal lie
to the quarterly court, thence to tn
county court, thence to the circui
court, etc. Applicants must pay tn
costs unless it is proper to assess it t
the county.
Commissioners may purchase too
and materials, repair bridges, bull
bridges, etc, with money on hand, bu
unless authorized by the county court
they cannot contract any debt to b
paid by future assessment.
Commissioners may remove an owe
seer for failure to discharge his dutic
or to obey reasonable orders, and h
must settle all disputes between owe
seer and hands or taxpayer.
Commissioner must settle with owe
seer before the 25th of December, an
give an order for his per diem.
OverseerS may sue hands befol
magistrates for failure to work or con
mute for work when notified, fines
go to the county trustee as highwa
tax.
Overseers must give three days n
tice to hands, and cannot >work the
more than two days in any one weel
eight hours to constitute days worl
, In case of casualties the Oversee
may summon the hands immediate
: to repair damages and give them cred
forfeiture work.
Overseers may make bitches and g
materials from adjoining lands, b
must pay fair value for any materi
damage.
Commissioners must furnish durab
, mile posts, giving distances to coun
seats and prominent places on the roa
and require the overseers to keep the
: up, and the overseers must keep I
t good guide posts at forks of roads, al
: put up foot logs with hand-rails ov
: all streams when practicable, whe
d there is no bridge. Any person d
y turbing mile>posts, guide posts, or fc
! logs is guilty ola misdemeanor.
~ TriAing or intoxicated hands may