The Portland daily press., 1899-01-17


point within 10 rdayslafter the approval
af this act. competent person person., as s sa,S
MS Office for the term OF four years and
until his successor Is appointed ana quai-
tfied. He shah receive srch annual cjir-
pensation as the Governor and Council
may determine. and shall bs allowed oil
expenses necessary for the performance
81 his duties including travelling ex-
psnses within the state, such expense nc.
count TO be audited by the Governor AMI
Council. The total OF both expenditures
shall be charged 20 any appropriation
made to carry out the provisions OF this
act. He may be removed by the governor,
with the advice and consent OF the
council, for such cause as he shall deem
sufficient and shall express In the order
Of removal
Section 2-Said state engineer OF high
ways shall be provided with an Office at
the state capitol. 1t shall be the duty OF
said engineer to compile statistics relat-
Ing to the public ways In the cities aud
towns NJ the state, and TO make such In.
yesti gation relating thereto Us he shall
deem expedient, in order TO secure better
and more improved highways In the
state. 1t shall Nbe his duty by means OF
charts, maps cuts. drawings, prints,pub-
locations. printed or written articles. lect
ures or otherwise to disseminate knowl-
edge tDrOu8nOut the rtNtt COncerDlDE Inv
best known methods for the building and
maintaining OF highways, including
bridges and sidewalks in the cities and
towns of the state, and particularly to
impart such information In manner as
aforesaid to the county commissioners OF
counties, the street commissioners OF
cities, the selectmen Of towns and other
municipal officers whose,duties 1t may
be to have the care and management OF
or the expenditure Of money and the
building and keeping In repair OF the
highways in the state.
Sections three, four and five provide
that the state engineer shall make study
Of the best methods Of highway improve
ment, that he may be consulted mt oil
reasonable ttae by county and town au-
thorities and that at his discretion he
may furnish them with plans and oirsc-
tions for the improvement of roads and
bridges. 1t is also provided that town
and city authorities. shall furnish to the
engineer information regai ding the roads
In their municipalities which he may
desire and which they may possess. The
act then goes on to set forth the way In
which town and county officers may pro-
coed TO procure the assistance OF the state
In the improvement OF the roads. These
provisions are as follows:
Section THE county commissioners
upon presentation of such petition, shall,
within twenty days investigate and de-
termine whether public interest demands
the improvement OF such public high
way aud shall forthwith endorse their
finding on said petition. IL thcy find
that public interest does not demand the
- "A kts.h hos chAn
forthwith forward said petition 80 en-
tiorsed to the state engineer. III they find
that public interest does not demand
such improvement they shall forthwith
return said petition to the municipal
officers from whom il was received to.
gether with their objections so endorsed.
Section S-Suoh state engineer upon re-
ceipt of such petition shall investigate
and determine whether the highway or
section thereof sought to be improved Is
of sufficient public Importance to come
within the purposes of this act, taking
into account the use, location and value
of such highway or section thereof for
the purpose of common traffic and travel,
and after such Investigation shall certi-
~ his approval or disapproval of such Pc
tition. II he shall disapprove such pe-
tition he shall certify his reasons therefor
to such hoard Of county commissioners
and original petitioners.
Section g--If he shall approve such pc
tition, such state engineer shall cause
the highway or section thereof, therein
described to be mapped both in outline
and profile. He shall also cause plans
and Specifications Of such highway Tor
section thereof to be thus improved TO be
made for tolford or macadam roadway
or other suitable construction, taking
into consideration climate, soil and ma
teriaIs to be had in the vicinity thereof
and the extent and, nature the traffic
likely to be on such highway, specify
ing in his Judgment the kind of road a
wise economy demands. The improve
ment or permanent roadway of all high
ways so improved shall be loss than
twelve feet nor more than sixteen feet
be stated by such state engineer. 1t is re-
quired that 1t shall be oil. greater width.
Section lu-Upon the completion of
such maps, plans and specifications such
state engineer shall .cause. AN estimate To
be made of the cost of construction of
same to the original petitioners, together
with o certified copy OF such maps,
plans and specifications
Section 1I.-After the acceptance there
of by said municipal officers they shall
forward the same. with their acceptance
endorsed thereon, to the board of Coanty
com missioners. Said board of county
com miss1oners shall within ten days
from receipt thereof endorse their accep-
tance thereon and forward the petition
thus endorsed to the engineer. II they
reject they shall forthwith return the pc
tition to the original petitioners with
their objections endorsed thereon.
Section l2-Upon receipt Of the endorsed
copy of the petition provided iu section
II, such state engineer shall advertise for
bids for two successive weeks in a
newspaper published in the county, for
the construction of such highway or sec
ton thereof, according to such plans and
specifications, and award such contract
to the lowest responsible bidder, but no
contract shall be awarded at greater
sum than his estimate; but II no bid,
otherwise acceptable, be made within
such estimate, said state engineer may
amend his estimate, col tify same to the
board Of county commissioners and mu-
nioipaI officers and upon the adoption of
resolution as provided In section II,
based upon such amended estimate, pro-
coed anew. He shall also make other