Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-01-11
ROAD IMPROVEMENT.
An Important Bill to Be Introduced Look
ing to This End.

An Important Bill to Be Introduced Look
ing to This End.
The League of American Wheelmen
is devotng the efforts of its organiza.
tion to something practical in the hope
of securing better roads. The South
Carolina division-H. M. Fisher, chief
consul, and E. L. Tessier, chairman
good roads committee-with headquar-
ters at Charleston, are sending out
copies of an important bill that will
receive consideration at the present
session of the general assembly. THE
ENQUIRER is in receipt of a copy OF
the bill, and although we cannot spare,
at this time, the space necessary to
reproduce it in full, it gives us pleas
ure TO give comprehensive synopsis
of it. There are Is sections with pro-
visions as follows:
Section 1 provides for the creation
of the office of state engineer and sur
veyor, with sufficient salary to main
tain the same.
Sections and 8 provide that if the
owners of a majority Of the lineal feet
fronting on any public highway, pre-
sent a petition to the county board OF
commissioners, that body may, in its
discretion, adopt a resolution to the
effect that the public interest demands
the Improvement of such highway.
Under sections 4, 5 and 6, the state
engineer, after having received the res
olution of the county board, makes
full inquiry into the condition and
commercial value of the road under
consideration, and passes upon the
desirability of improvement. If in
his Judgment the road should be inf
proved, he causes that particular Sec
ton to be mapped, both in outline and
profile, with necessary changes of
route, etc., and then draws up plans,
specifications and estimates of cost,
which he submits back to the county
board of commissioners.
Sections 7 and provide that after
the county board of commissioners
have received plans and specifications,
they may, as their judgment suggests,
either drop the proposed Improvement
or 70 on with its prosecution as pro-
vided in succeeding sections. They
may have already secured options on
rights of way, etc., conditioned upon
the desirability of utilizing them.
Section 9 provides that if the county
board of commissioners approves, the
state engineer may advertise for bids
for two weeks, with the understanding
that the county board of commissioners
is to be the preferred bidder; but no
bid is to be accepted in excess of the
engineers estimates. All bids may be
rejected, and if it shall be deemed
desirable, new estimates may be made
and the contract readvertised. The
contractor must give bond for faithful
performance of his work, and the
county board must retain not less than
25 per cent. of the contract price until
after the work has been completed.
The work in all cases must be under
the supervision of county engineer,
| if there be one, or under some compe-
tent person who shall keep the state
engineer advised as to progress.
Section 10 provides that one-half the
expense of construction shall be paid
by the state treasurer, and one-half by
the county treasurer, with the amount
so apportioned that Is per cent. of it
shall be a special charge upon the
township in which the work is done.
The county board is empowered, if il
sees fit, to levy an additional 1-mill tax
on all property in the county for the
purpose of carrying out the provisions
Of this act.
Section II provides that contracts he
taken up and carried forward in the
order of applications.
Section IL provides that all high
ways so constructed must be thereafter
maintained as public roads.
Section 13 provides that in the case
of gaps not exceeding one mile in
length, between sections of highway
constructed with state assistance, the
state engineer may baye them filled III
at county expense.
Section IA provides that the state
engineer shall collect various statistics
and information with regard to road
building and hold public meeting on
the subject annually in each county.
Section Is provides that the state
engineer must make an annual report
to the general assembly.
Sections 16, II and IS provide that
the county boards of commissioners
must furnish the state engineer with
any information that may be demand
ed that the operation of this act shall
on into effect Immediately.