The Springdale news., 1899-04-28

Washington and Benton Counties enacted by the legislature:
 Section |. That at the regular bi- ennial election i'll 19c9 the question of adopting fence law shall be submitted to the qualified electors in each township in the counties of Washington and Benton. Each elector shall have written or print ed on his ballot the words s'for the fence law" or "against the fence law The result of such election in each township shall be certified by the county election commission CTS to the county court within fif- teen days after the election. If It shall appear that the majority of the votes cast on the question Tn any township were tor the fence law, it shall be the duty of the county court, at the next regular term, to make and enter en its records an order declaring thls act to be Tn force in such township, and prohibit the running at large of hogs, sheep and goats within such township after the first day of March next after such order Is made.
 Section 7. Immediately after such order is made the county clerk shall have a copy thereof published for at least two weeks in some newspaper of general circulation Ill the county, and shall cause a copy to be posted at the voting preelnct of each township in winch this act IS declared to be Tn force; and after the first day of March next follow ing it shall be unlawful to permit any hogs, sheep or goats to run at large in such township.
 Section 3. If any hog, sheep or goat shall enter the cultivated lands of any person i'll any township III which this act shall have become operative, the owner, lessee or per son in lawful possession of such lands may impound such animals and detain them unless his ices ana all damages caused by such animals are pald.
 Section I. Whenever any stock IS impounded under the provisions of this act, notice Ill writing shall be given to the owner thereof, Ii known, and the owner shall be en- titled to possession thereof upon payment or tender of the fees, costs and damages.
 Section ,. Any peson impoand- Ing stock under the provisions Of this act shall be entitled to ten cents a day for hogs and five cents day tor each sheep or goat.
 The damage done by such stock may be ascertained by any three dlslnterested householders of the county, chosen by the persons in- terested, or by some justice of the peace, who shall take all oath to assess such damages falrly and hon. estly, and their assessment shall be final.
 Section 6. If the owner or agent of such impounded stock, after hay Ing received notice, shall neglect to pay the fees and damages, the person impounding such stock may sell the same at public auction to tho highest bidder for cash, after first giving five days notice ot the time, place and terms of sale by notices posted Tn five public places in the township. and by delivering copy to the owner of such stock, if known, and apply the proceeds, after deducting the costs of sale, to the satisfaction of his fees and dam- ages, and pay the remainder to the owner of the stock If known. Ii the owner cannot be found within ten days, the overplus, If any, shall be paid nto the county treasury and be disbursed, as ill the case of estrays.
 But the county court may make an order directing the same to be returned to the owner of such stock within six months on satisfactory proof.
 Section '. Whenever this act becomes operative in any township, any fence within such township shall be a lawful fence that IS made of posts aud wire or plank, where the top wire or plank shall be five feet from the ground, and the other wires and blanks sufficiently close to keep out all stock, except hogs, sheep and goats.
 Section &. The county court oi either of said counties may, upon the petition of twenty landowners and electors of any township in the county, submit to the electors of such township at any general cleo tlou after 1900 the question ol adopting this act.
 Section 9. All laws i'll conflict with this act are repealed, and this act shall be in force from and after Its passage.
 Approved April, 1899.