Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1886-04-23
The Pablo Roads.

III many places III conSeQ dehce CT IHe re-
cent heavy raj falls, the determination of
the board has been the subject OF much
comment and very decided dissatisfaction
among The leading tax payers and the peo-
pie generally. 1t is APPLY said that in the
present condition of our thoroughfarcs the
county is mourning heavy risk on ac-
count of travelling accidents and damage
suits likely to result therefrom Tie par
tlal arrangements which the beard have
sndeavored to make looking to having
the worst places menGed 10y individuals
in the localities it is not thought VIII re-
suit in any systematic and general removal
of the present distractions to travel; and
even should it accomplish that result, it
is thought that the expense to the county
would be greater than the cost Of the oper-
alton Of the regular corps, and such action
therefore, is not deemed commenlalle on
the score of economy.
1t is forcibly commended also that work
done on the roads in The early portion Of
the year is much more durable and eilica-
cious than that performed in the fall
months, by r,aso. of the fact that it has
more time to settle and be compacted be
fore the heavy winter rains.
Another objection advanced, and one in
our Judgment of decided weight. IS that
by the appointment OF certain persons as
supervisors aud labarers in the several
road corps, the board has proven ed these
people from engaging in some other per
manent employment or industry. Now i,
is said, after making these appointments
and thus engaging the services of these
people, not 10 give them employment to
the extent and in the manner contemplate
ed at the time of the appointment would
be decided hardship upon them and one
which would probably be recognized by
the law, were they to claim compensation
by action for the time Of this enforced
idleness.
In view OF these manifest and forciblc
objections tt The determination uader-
stood to have been reached by the board.
much surprise has been expressed at their
determination. 1t is learned, however,
upon careful inquiry that the gravity OF
these objections were duly recognized by
the board and that they arrived a the &C.
termination above indicated very re ucr-
antly. 1t is sid that the commissioners
regarded the course they adoptes! as obi
gatory upon them, by reason OF an erronc-
Gus understanding of their 'egal obiga-
tons. Under the law as it existed prior
to he late session Of the Legis allure, the
were limited in their ex-
penditure upon the public roads to the
sum of $4,000 in any one year" and by
the existing law, as amended at he past
session, the maximum amount allowed to
be expended in a,v one year" is fixed al
S, 1000. Ii is understood hat the commits
sieners took the view that, a. the maxi
mum amount allowed by Law 10 lie ex-
pended IN any one gear had already been
by their predecessors ,-iGia Tie
present .Jiscal year. that as a consequence
they bad no right under the law - ex-
pend any more money un ii the comHenoe-
ment of the next fiscal year.
This view is clearly erroneous. b. the
existing law passed at the recent session,
which will be found in fu in this issue,
the county commissioners are limi Cd in
their expenditure on account Of the roads
to the sum OF $4,000 ia any one year
This Law takes effect from the Il ste Of It's
passage and repeats a preexisting 'egis-
Iation. Now the supervisors of he roads
are appointed in April aud their appoint
ment does not run by fscal, but hy cslsa-
far gears They hold for two calendar
years from the time Of their appointment
and their terms Of service expire wIth tina.
Of the board by which they are appointed
The same act says in another section that
the pay of the supervisors shall not exceed
$500 lin any one year The year" Of
the road work is the time the corps are il
the field within a calendar year and has NJ
relation whatever 10 the fiscal year. and
that is obviously the kind of year" to
which the limitation con aimed in he act
in question is applicable. We consulted
ha &C -.
subject on Tuesday, including Senator
Edelen, the author of the bill, and al! CON
Cured in the opinion above Sc forth.
Therefore, the only egal Limitation upon
the power of the board in respect to OK
penditures upon the roads is that they
shall not in the present and future
calendar years expend more than 3, GOO in
any one year on account ofthe road service
They have the perfect right, and it is their
clear duty to borrow the necessary money
to conduct the road service for the present
year and the sooner this is done the better
it will be. Al the corps ought to be put
in operation by the first of May if pos
sible.
AS the board is understood to have
reached its de ermina ion re uctant'y and
to have beea influenced thereto entirely
by misunderstanding of the law, now
that he legal difficulty is removed by the
joint opinion Of tie Bar, it is expec ed
that the board will rpcOnsid ar he action
above referred to and take prompt steps
looking to putting the road service in
operation. By the way, it would seem to
be the duty of the board to provide itself
with regular legal adviser and not de-
pend upon the casual Olf-hand opinion Of
lawyers they may meet. The 500 ex-
pended on that account would not 90 very
tar toward correcting the evil consequen
ces of legal mis- axes into which the board
might very innocent'y fal Sach an Off