The leader., 1897-06-02
THE NEW ROAD Law.

~ N"fhthg OF tue pubic ROADS.
Section I. BE IL enacted by the legis-
lature OF the State OF Mississippi, That
the boards OF supervisors OF the various
counties Of the State Of Mississippi shall, |
at the regular May term, after the pass
age OF this act, classify the public roads
in their respective counties as roads of
the first and second class. The main
thoroughfares leading to the principal
markets to be roads OF the first class,
all other public roads as roads Of the
second class, and they shall appoint q
suitable and competent person to be
known as road com missioner, and to fl
his compensation at a sum not to exceed
seventy-hve dollars per month, whose
duties shall be as herein provided.
Sec. 2. The road commissioner shall
have special supervision and manage
ment OF all public roads in the county
and shall make plans and specifications
OF all bridges and superintend the erec-
ton Of the same. lie shall Immediately
after his appointment, examine the list
OF hands assigned to all the overseers
in his county and the links of road they
are required to work and see that all
laborers subject to road duty are listed,
and report to the next term Of tho super
visors' court such changes or re-listing
OF hands as he may deem just and equit-
able in view OF the work to be done on
their links of road. lie shall examine
and report the quantity and character
Of tools in possession of the road hands
available for effective work on the roads
and make requisition upon the boards
OF supervisors for such additional tools,
road scrapers, plows or grading m achines
as he may deem necessary to tho most
economical and effective working of the
public roads, and to supply the over
seers with such additional tools as may
be necessary, taking their receipt for
the same, but they shall BIO subject at
all times to the order of the road COM
missioner
Sec. 8. All the overseers, with tho
labor assigned them, shall be under the
direction and supervision OF the road
com mi ssio ner, and shall work their re-
spective links of road at such time and
he may direct, provided that not more
work shall be required during the Guilt
walton and gathering OF the crops than
may be necessary to keep the roads in
passable condition.
Sec. 4. The road commissioner shall,
during the month of July and August,
next, after the passage of this act, and
thereafter in the months of January and
February, OF July and August, require
all the oveTseers in their respective
counties, with the labor, tools and teams
| assigned them, to do the full num-
Der of days work required of them by
law on their respective links of road,
regulating the times Of work 80 as to
secure the greatest use of such tools,
scrapers or road machines as may be
furnished by the county.
Sec. 5. Overseers of second class roads
shall work their respective links OF road
as thoroughly as can be done with the
labor assigned them, working the en-
tire time required by law, save one day,
for each laborer, which shall be held in
reserve for such incidental repairs as
may become necessary during the re-
mainder of the year.
Sec. 6. Overseers of first class roads
shall assemble with their laborers upon
their respective links of roads at such
teams and tools as the road commits
sioner may direct and proceed to grade,
| ditch and level their roads, and to erect
| bridges or culverts, according to plans
and specifications furnished by the road
| commissioner, until they have worked
| the entire time required by law in one
year, provided that the road commits
sioner may require such temporary re-
pairs as may be necessary between the
| unfinished links OF road.
Sec. 7. When all the labor required
| by law to be done on the public roads
| in one year shall have been done the
road commissioner shall make a written
report to the board of supervisors of all
| the work done, and the condition OF the
roads and bridges, and make an esti-
| mate of the amount of money necessary
| to complete the unfinished links OF all
| first class 10 ads, if there be more than
| ono, estimating each separately.
Sec. s. On hearing the report of the
road commissioner the board of super
visors may determine whether they will
complete tho unfinished links Of all
| first-class roads by contract, as provided
| in Section 9, 929 OF the Annotated Code,
| or by the labor OF convicts as provided
| j. D - ha tod CoJa
or by hired labor under the direction
| and control of the road commissioner,
| who shall make an itemized state men +
of all expenses incurred, which shall
be paid by warrant upon the county
treasury, payable out of any county
funds not otherwise appropriated. But
should there be no such funds available,
payment to be provided by taxation as
| provided in Section 1881 Of the Ammo
| tated Code. Teams necessary to the
| prosecution of the work may be pur-
| chased or hired as the board of super
| visors may deem best ....
Sec. Q. When all the roads of the first
| class shall have been completed as pro-
| vided in Section IL of this Act they
| shall be kept in repair by the labor sub
ject to duty on the public roads, and by
Communication of labor and fines and for
FIXTURES resulting from failure to per-
| form road duties; and the board of su-
pervisors may in their discretion, dis
pense with the services of the road com
missioner, 81 &&@
| Sec. TO- The road commissioner may
at any time be fined or removed from
Office by the board of supervisors for
negligence, Incompetence, or failure to
faithfully perform the duties of his
office, and they shall at once appoint a
suitable man to take his place, and the
retiring commissioner shall turn over
to his successor all money, tools or
other property belonging to the county.
Sec. IL. The road commissioner shall
| ha cuatod NJ all taanns or nfhar 1ilxa