Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1898-07-13

State Engineer must act through him.
If it has not, he must himself super
wise the performance of the contract.
When the work is completed, he must
draw o war; ant on the State Treas
urer for one-half the cost of the work,
and certify the other half to the Board
of Supervisors, which must levy thir-
ty-five per cent. Of the whole cost Of
the work upon the county. The other
fifteen per cent. is payable in one Of
two ways, viz, il the Board of Super
visors adopted the first resolution for
the improvement without a petition
from the adjoining owners, the Board
ofeSupervisors must levy the fifteen
per cent. upon the town in which the
improved highway is. Ii the first
resolution was adopted after such IL
petition, the Board of Supervisors
must levy the fifteen per cent. upon
the property owners on the improved
highway.
The act further provides that i'm
provements of highways shall be
taken up in the order in which the
final resolutions are received by the
State Engineer, but he shall not un-
dertake any work in excess of the ap-
preparation made by the Legislature
for the purpose from year to year.
The appropriation made to start the
work was $5O,OO0. This amounts to
a tax of about 11-1000 of mill on
each dollar of assessed valuation IN
the State. The first counties to ap-
ply will be the first served. 1t is ex.
pected that the next Legislature will
appropriate at least $780, 600 as the
State share of the expense for improv-
ing highways next year.
After a highway is improved the
adjoining owners must pay their high
way taxes in money, Us provided un-
der the General Highway law, which
permits such highway taxes to be
computed for cash at one-half the reg
ular rates. The act provides that the
State Engineer must collect informa-
tion relative to the public highways,
and give to all officers having the care
of roads, whether improved or not,
such information free. He must
furnish them plans and directions for
the improvement of roads and bridges
free of cost when requested by them,
and they may consult him freely at
all times aud must aid him in collect
ing data.
Such, in brief, is the plan which
has finally been approved by the Leg
islature for affording aid in the inn
provement of rural highways. AL
though the cities and villages of the
State pay about ninety per cent. OF the
entire taxes, not foot of highway
can be improved within their limits
under it. For every dollar 80 con-
tributed by the State it provides that
Another dollar shall be contributed by
the county and town in which the i'm
proved highway lies. If one county
chooses to improve it's roads, and an
other. does not, the county which does
not need only contribute one cent
upon the thousand dollars of assessed
valuation, for each $4,000 spent by
the State for the purpose of helping
the other counties which do undertake
to so improve their highways.
The new law does not repeal or
alter any existing law. The old High
way law is left unchanged for those
who prefer it. If towns desire to con-
tinue to work on their roads in the
old way, it is their privilege to do So
The new plan will not be forced upon
them, New York Sun.