The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-03-12
The Alternative Method O1
Working Public Roads.

Known IS the HAlttIHdtIFC NClilou VI
and Keeping in Repair
he Public Roads of the State. The
publication OF this law at the present
lime is most opportune, for never, IN
he history OF the country, were the
roads in a worse condition, and never
before &ere measures looking to their
being more freely dis
cussed.
We do not print the law in detail,
but give only SO much of it as makes
clear its scope and plan, as follows
The GeneralAssem6J Of No>M Car
0Llaa 40 Enact.
SEC. I. That the board of commits
sioners and the board Of justices of the
peace of any county in the State, in
Joint session at any regular meeting,
or at any meeting called by the board
of commissioners of any county, may,
by majority vote, adopt an alterna-
tive method of constructing and keep
ing in repair the public roads Of such
county.
SEC. 2. That said board of COM
missioners and said board Of. justices
of the peace, at any of said meetings,
may provide for fund for the con-
struction and keeping in repair said
public roads by-levying an assessment,
by way of al ual0rem tax, not exceed
ing fifteen cents on the hundred dol
lars valuation, upon all property IN
such county subject to taxation for
State and county purposes, whether
such property belong to citizens of IN
corporoted towns or otherwise and
said board of commissioners and board
of justices Of the peace shall also levy,
in case said property tax be levied, a
poll tax upon all persons not exempt
ed as provided by law not exceeding
forty-hve cents, which taxes shall be
included in separate column on the
tax books, and shall be collected by
sheriff or other tax-collector in such
county as other taxes are collected,
and which taxes shall be kept separate
and shall constitute, when collected +,
the county road fund, to be expended
only in the construction and repair of
the public roads of such county.
SEC. 3. That the board ofcommis
sioners and board of justices of the
peace of any county adopting the pro-
visions of this act, at any of said meet
ings, shall provide for calling on all
able-bodied male persons of said re-
spective county between the ages of
twenty-one and forty-five, to work
said roads not exceeding tour days in
each and every year, under such rules
and regulations as may be prescribed
by the board of commissioners of such
county; and said board of commits
sioners shall have power to exempt
from labor on said roads any one on
account of physical disability.
SEC. 4. That any person refusing
to work said roads as prescribed in
section three of this act shall be guilty
of a misdemeanor, and upon convic-
ton thereof shall be fined not exceed
ing fifty dollars or imprisoned not
exceeding thirty days. But any per.
son may pay said road tax in labor, al
the discretion Of said commissioners
at such price per day as the said com
missioners shall prescribe.
SEC. S. That all persons confined
in the county Jail either under hna
sentence of the court for crime or i'm
: prisonment for the nonpayment O
fines or costs, or under final judgmen
in cases of bastardy, or under thu
vagrant acts, and all persons sentenced
!: to the State prison for a term less thar
five years, shall be available to tn,
county commissioners for such county
at the discretion of said commissioners
for the purpose of working said per
sons upon the public roads under tn
: provisions of this act; and upon tn
application of said commissioners t,
, the judge of the superior court, or,
} there be criminal or interior cour
for the county, the judge or presiding
t officer of said court, it shall be tn
duty of said Judge or presiding office
| to assign such persons convicted il
his court to such commissioners 70
t said purposes. And when any count
has adopted the provisions of this act
the judge of the superior court or Grim
lnal court, or the presiding justice c
: the inferior court holding any cou1
D in an adjoining county which has nc
ava;led itself of the provisions or thi
y act, may sentence persons convicte
of crime as aforesaid to work on tn
i roads in such adjoining county an
such persons may be sent direct t
i such county.
SEC. E. That the board of diret
d tors of the penitentiary shall furnis
the board of commissioners OF an
y county upon the requisition of the sal
commissioners, not less than twent
/, nor more than fifty convicts to wor
o upon the dublic roads of such count
The said convicts shall be at all tim,
d under the supervision and control, ;
to their government and discipline,
: the said penitentiary authorities, an
Il any county applying for said convic
under the provisions of this sectio
shall erect suitable stockades for the
0 safe keeping and protection, and sha
pay the expenses of the keep and Cal
n and entire expense of said convict
: and also the expense Of their transpo
tation from and back to the penitel
: tiary, which said expenses may be pal
i out of said county road fund or tt
general county fund, wholly or in par
:, at the discretion of said board of CON
r missioners. Pro0iaeA, that when an
county shall obtain convicts under tt
| IroviSiopS of this act the caid cor