Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1897-12-17
Four Road Laws.

The legislative committee of the Mary.
land Division, League OF American Wheel
men, has been doing some active work dur
ing the last ten days spreading over the State
plans for improved laws
The committee has had prepared four
laws, which will be presented to the next
session OF the Legislature, and is now carry
ing on vigorous plan of education to work
up sentiment in favor OF these acts. Thou
sands of pamphlets have been sent over the
State and followed up by letters to represen
tative men. A general invitation to farmers
clubs, institutes and associations to cooperate
in the work has been extended and already
some strong support has been promised.
Three OF the laws which are being urged
are:
bill to create a department of roads and
highways Tor the purpose OF investigating
and reporting on the road question and OF
iurthering the improvement of the county
roads.
An act for the more perfect construction
and maintenance OF the roads and bridges
OF the State.
A liberty bill in relation TO the use and
regulation of bicycles and tricycles.
The law creating a department of roads
and highways provides for an expert en-
gineer at a salary OF $4,000 year, and
Including this salary, an appropriation ol
$25 600 for the establishment and main.
tenance of the department is called for.
This department is to supply Tree of cost to
the county authorities data To aid in build
ing modern highways.
The next bill provides for the creation in
each county of II board of highways and
bridges THIS board is to have charge Of
the construction and maintenance OF the
highways and bridges in each county The
Ian I.,
for work on roads or bridges when such
work is to cost over 5000 the contract To be
awarded to the lowest bidder Whenever
the work can be done to better advantage
without such contract the board, with the
consent OF the county commissioners, may
do the work and purchase the materials.
No member OF the board or no one con.
nected with the State engineers department
can be interested in any contract, and in
case of such interest the county commits
sioners may declare such contract void
The board is authorized in each county
to appoint a road superintendent Tor each
election precinct and odivde such election
precincts into road districts, each To contain
| thirty miles at road or more, To each Oi
which one or more road corps may be AS
signed. Ii is the duty OF the board to en-
| deavoT to have these corps constantly AT
work during such periods OF time rs the APP
| preparations may warrant. An important
| feature of the bill is that il aboishes the
payment OF road taxes by labor. IL requires
that all road taxes he paid in cash and ex
empts from all taxation wagons with tires
| tour inches OF more III width, and whose
rear wheels run outside the front wheels
| The county commissioners are to supply
offices, clerical assistance and working equip
ment. The boards ale authorized to pro
cure such machinery, materials and labor
necessary to do work not contracted Tor.
The boards are authorized to call on the
State engineer of roads Tor counsel aud AS
sstance in their work, or To ask that he de
tail an assistant engineer, To be attached tn
the board Tor such purpose. On March |,
in each year, these county boards OF high
ways and bridges are required To submit To
the county commissioners a statement OF
the repairs and new work estimated for the
new year and Of the sums needed Tor them
Each member of these boards is 10 receive
800 year Tor expenses.
The liberty bill provides that all persons
using or riding bicycles or tricycles upon
pubic highways in the State are entitled to
the same rights and are subject only TO the
same restrictions as are or may be pre-
scribed in the case OF persons using carriages
drawn by horses.
Another bill which will be presented u
the Legislature makes it Il misdemeanor tor
any person To place upon any avenue, street
alley, road, highway or public way any tack
nail, piece of iron, broken glass or otheI
substance, which may iniure, cut or pune
ture any pneumatic tire. The line for such
offense is To be not less than So or more
than $50 Such fines are To be paid into
the street or road funds Of the municipal
corporation or county in which they are
collected.