The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1897-05-13
NEW solp LAW Of n N ACT TO CREATE THE OFFICE Of Road Gu.
missioner and for the better and more "A

MISSISSIPPI. ~ missioner nd !" 's '''s' : more z
Section i. Be it enacted by the legislature Of the State Of Missdppt
That the boards Of supervisors Of the various counties OF the state Of Nil
sissippi shall, at the regular May term, after the passage Of this act, classify
the public roads Of their respective counties asr roads OF the first and second
class. The main thoronghfares 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 a suitable and competent person to be known IS road commits
sioner, and to fix his compensation at a sum not to exceed s5 per month.
whose duties shall be as herein provided.
Sec. . The road commissioner shall have special supervision and man
agement of all nblic roads in his county and shall make plans and specific.
tions of all bridges and superintend the erection Of the same. He shall, im |
mediatdy after his appointment, examine the list of hands assigned to al
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 the supervisors court such changes as relsting OF hands as b
may deem just equitable in view of the work to be done on their links Of
road. He shall examine and report tina quantity and character Of tools lii
possession of the road hgnds available for effective work on the roads and
make requistion upon the boards of supervisors for such additional tools
road scrapers plows and grading machines as he may deem necessary to the
most economical and effective working of the public roads, and to supply the
overeers with such additional tools as may be necessary, taking their II.
ceipt for the same, but they shall be subject at all times TIC the order Of TIE
commissioner.
Sec. 3 All the overseers with the labor assigned them shall be under the
direction and supervision of the road commissioner, and shall work their
respective links of road at such time and place and with such teams and
tools as he may direct, provided that not more work shall be required dur
ing the cultivation and gathering of the crops than may be necessary 70
keep the roads in passable condition.
Sec. 4 The road commissioner shall, during the months Of July and Az
gust, next, after the passage Of this act, and thereafter in the months d |
January and February, or July and August, require all the overseers IN
their respective counties, with the labor, tools and teams assigned then,
to do the full number Of days work required of them by law on their resNc |
tive links of road, regulating the times Of work SC a to secure the geatet
use of such tools, scrapers or road machines IS may be furnished by The
county.
Sec. 5 oveneeso of second class roads shall work their respective links
of road as thoroughly as can be done with the labor assigned them, working J.
the entire time required by law, save one day, for each laborer, which shall I
be held in reserve for such incidental repairs as may become necessary dur
ing the remainder of the year.
Sec. 6 Oyerseers of first class roads shall assemble with their laboren /
npon their respective links of road at such time and place, and with such +
teams and tools as the road commissioner may direct and proceed to grade
ditch and level their roads, to erect bridges or culverts, according to plans
and specifications furnished by the road commissioner, until they have work
ed the entire time required by law in one year provided that the road com
missioner may require such temporary repairs a may be necessar Y between
the unfinished links of road.
Sec. ! When all the labor required by law to be done N the public
roads in one year shall have been done the road commissioner shall make
written report to the board of supervisors of all the work done, and the con
dition of the roads and bridges, and make an estimate of the amount Of
money necessary to complete the unfinished links of all frstcass roads, II |
there be more than one, estimating each separately
Sec. s. On hearing the report Of the road commissioner, the board of sl
pervisors may determine whether they will complete the unfinished links oil
all first class roads by contract, as provided in section 1929 of the Annotated
Code, or by the labor of convicts as provsded in section 1892 of the Annotated
Code, or by hired labor under the direction and control of the road commits
sioner' who shall make an itemhed statement of all expenses incurred, which
shall be paid by warrant upon the county treasurer, payable out of any coun.
ty funds not otherwise appropriated. But should there be no such funds
available, payment to be provided by taxation as provided in section a93l 81
the Annotated Code. Teams necessary to the prosecution of the work MAJ
by purchased or hired as the board of supervisors may deem best.
Sec. 8. When all the roads of the frstclass shall have been completed |
as provided in section II of this act, they shall be kept in repair by the labor
subject to duty on the public roads, and by Communication of labor and fines
and forfeitures resulting from failure to perform road duties; and the board
or supervisors may, in their discretion, dispense with the services of said
road commissioner.
Sec. 10. The road commissioner may at any time be fined or removed
from Office by the board of supervisors for negligence, incompetency, 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 belong ng to the
county.
Sec. II. The road commissioner shall be custodian of all teams, Dr. other
property of the county, and provide for the safe keeping of the same; he
shall receipt for labor communications, and prosecute delinquents and report
to the grand jury at every term of the circuit court the condition Of the
public roads and any derelicton of duty of any road oyerseer; and shall re-
port to the board Of supervisors on the first day Of each month the amount
thus collected; his failure to dc 81 shall be cause for immediate removal. and
for prosecution for failure of duty.
Sec. II. All roads OF the frstclasS shalled be opened and worked not less
than 10 feet wide or over 40 feet between bitches. All branches or creek !
bottoms crossed b. the roads shall be raised by earth taken from the sides Of
the road so as to form drain bitches. The crown of the leyee shall not be
less than l6 feet wide, raised in the center. The slope of the leyee shall b.
H. feet to foot in height, with suitable openings to admit the free pas
sage OF water. The entire roadway shall be raised in the center with drain r
bitches on each side. The grade shall be as low IS practicable, not more
than foot in 10 feet lineal. unless on unusual elevations, when the board Of
supervisors shall fix the grade.
Sec. H. The road commissioner shall indicate BY suitable stakes the GEL.
erM outline Of the roadway, depth of cuts and heighth and width Of levees,
IN III such designations as may be needed to enable the work to be done In 4
a systematic manner, and the board of supervisors may allow such skilled as
sistant in this work as they may deem necessary to public interest.
Sec. H. II the board of supervisors of any county shall determine to
workt the public roadsor any part thereof by contract all the road hands sub
)et to such duty upon such roads shall report to tile contractor before the
ISL OF september of any year, and perform the full amount OF labor required
OF them by law in one year under the direction Of the contractor On such
roads; should any road hand fail to report himself and perform such 10 the
of the contractor, he shall be proceeded against BY the bosad Of
commissioner as provided in section 3013 Of the Annotated Code OF Missis
sippi, provided that any such road hand may commute his time upon the