The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-03-06
A NEW COUNTY ROAD LAW.
1T GOES INTO EFFECT ny THE IN
DORsEMENT OF THE GRAND
JURY.

The County Commissioners VIII
Hereafter Have Entire Charge Of
working the Public Roads. and
VIII Appoint "a superintendent to
Look After the Work-They Are
Empowered 20 Levy "A Property
Tax for Road ImprOvementS-The
Doing Away With the Road Com
InissiOners Liable TO Lead 10 Liti-
cation.
At the meeting OF the county commits
sioners to be held on Wednesday OF next
week they will have to consider the mat
ter Of the new road law for Chatham
county. which has been made applicable
to this county by the action Of the grand
jury Of the superior court adopting it.
Judge Falligant in his charge to the
grand jury called attention to the fact
that the preceding jury had taken this
action. The law itself was passed by the
general assembly in October, 1891. but ii
contained a provision that it should
not become operative in any county ex-
cept on accommodation Of the grand jury.
A subsequent law, passed in 1898. gave
the grand jury power also to repeal the
law for the county for which it acts.
Thus it stands a law when one grand
jury adopts 1t and is removed should an
other see Mt to revoke it.
The law so far as Chatham county is
concerned adds to the powers of the
county commissioners, giving them power
to have the public roads worked, to pro-
vide a tax for road improvements. and it
also specifies who shall be subject to road
duty. Under this act the county COM
missioners are empowered to appoint a
superintendent of roads and such other
officers under him as may be necessary
to carry on the work of road improve
ments.
1t is not considered optional with the
county commissioners as to whether they
will adopt this law or not. as, accord
ing TO the law, when the grand jury
adopts IT, IL becomes a law. This act,
of course, does away with the road com
missioners, as by its provisions there is
nothing left for them to do, All the
duties OF tho present road commissioners
are provided for in the act, with one or
two small exceptions, and the road commits
sioners are practically recommended or
legislated out Of Office. This, II is thought,
is liable to bring about some litigation.
should the county commissioners desire
to lay out and construct any new roads.
Under the law when new road is to
be laid out, the road is described to the
county commissioners and the matter is
then referred TO the three road commits
sioners living nearest the proposed route
for the road. They report under oath
as to the utility of such a road, and the
county commissioners then proceed &C
cordingly.
This act has no provision for such a
laying out of new roads, and with the
road commissioners out of office, the
law on this point could not be carried
out, without the commissioners pro-
ceeded to decide themselves as to the
utility of a proposed now road. As the
code requires that this must be done in
the manner specified any attempt to Gre
ate a new road under this new law might
lead to some entangling litigation.
Another feature of the law is that IL
exempts the citizens of incorporated
cities and towns from road duty and
from the road tax, which cannot be more
than IS per year. 1t practically con-
fines the payment of this tax to those
who live out side Of cities. It provides.
however, that the commissioners may
levy a tax on all real estate owners not
to exceed two-tenths of l per cent. to
pay the expense of work on the roads.
These are the important features of the
act, and it remains to be seen what the
commissioners will do with regard to
IL at their next meeting.