The Van Buren press., 1899-05-06
NEW ROAD LAW.
Measure Passed by the Last Legfsiature 70
Provide Revenue fer Building
Roads and Bridge.


House bill No. 3e6. an act TO provide
for levying a road tar, etc, passed both
branches of the general assembly and
is now a law. 1t vas introduced BY Mr..
Cotton. of Franklin. As the law is OF
general interest. it is given below;
The county court. together with majority
Of the justices of peace IN any county, when
majority of lie ouslfned electors Of such eoaz-
" shaH Fotz q public road tar 81 the general
election. stall. 81 the time Of making the levy
OF taxes for roads, bridges and other county
purposes appoint 8 road commissioner, VINO
shall not receive more than q per day for the
tine actually engaged In the discharge OF Dis
duties. 70 be paid out Of the county treasury.
20 the credit Of the road district
The county court shall divide the county into
as uauy road districts as deemed most adFan-
,ageous for the purposes Of this act the boun-
daFies 70 remain as established unless tae
said county court. together with majority OF
ife justices OF she peace In attendance upon
any regular October term Of said county court.
shall change the same
The commissioner shall be appointed Tor
term Of one year, and shall give boud IN the
sum Of $50, 10 be approved By the county court,
for the faithful discharge Of bis duties
The county court shall have the power 70
olen new roads, make such changes IN old
roads as deemed necessary. and classify the
roads and bridges for the purposes OF this act
and when any change shall be made or any new
road opened, the same shall be located on sec
tion lines as nearly as possible, with conFen-
ience to public travel, and all frst-class roads
hereafter established shall be not less than ~
feet wide: at each term thereof, the county
court shall examine and approve or reject the
reports Of the road commissioner and the var
ious oyerseers. which reports. together with al
proceedings relating TO roads. shall be spread
upon the county court record. The county
court may, at the regular term for making ap-
proprialions aud leyying taxes for the ensuing
year, appropriate and levy not TO exceed three
mills Oh the dollar as road and bridge tax, on
all OF the taxable property Of the county, the
collector 10 receive IN payment OF said tax
United States currency or county warrants
legally drawn on said road taI fund; provided.
collectors shall keep such road and bridge
taxes collected on the property Of each OF the
various road districts separate; and shall pay
the same into the county treasury and take
receipt for the same as SO much paid 70 the
credit Of such road districts on account
Of roads and bridges; and II such taxes be not
paid as provided, such property shall be sold
in same manner as for non-papment OF other
taxes.
When road tax shall have been voted BY
the electors Of any county. In addition thereto,
each person In said county subject to road duty
under the present law shall be subject TO four
days work on said roads and bridges; provided,
each person may pay 70 cents for each day he
| Is warned 70 work, to be collected as other
taxes are collected; provided further, that each
taxpayer shall be allowed 70 work out his tar
at Is cents per day, said oFerseer TO give his
receipt showing the amount and time said per
son worked. which receipt shall be accepted
by the tax collector in payment Of the taxes OF
! SAID person IN any amount not to exceed the
| total amount Of his road tar.
The county treasurer shall keep separate
| account with each road district. and present TO
] the county court annually statement OF all
| moneys received from each district, and the
| amounts disbursed. County clerks shall keep
a separate account with each district by num-
bers, Of all matters pertaining 70 said districts
| required 70 be Of record.
All public roads and highways running most
centrally through the county, and most used
| By the public shall be designated as frst-elass
| roads, and all others as seoond-class roads,
| those OF the irst-class to be worked first, and
those Of the second class as the court may
order, bridges Of the first-class 10 be built and
| repaired BY the county, as provided In chapter
II. Sandels & Hills digest; bridges OF the Sec
| ond class TO be built and repaired by the road
| commissioner and road hands OF the district In
which the bridge is situated or 10 be built, un-
der direction Of the county court the cost to be
| paid out OF the fund In the county treasury to
the said District provided. the court may
| in It's discretion, let the building OF second
| class bridges out on contract 10 the lowest bid
der, the bridge when completed to be EXAM
| ined by the commissioner and approved IL con.
| structed according to plans and specifications
| notice giving said plans and specifications. and
| location Of said bridge. TO be published in the
county for 30 days. Bridges Of the third class
| shall be built and repaired under direction oi
| the road commissioner, the cost to be paid ou'
OF the fund the credit Of the district In which
| such bridge is located
| 1t shall be the duty OF the road commissioner
TO examine all first and second class roads and
| bridges. give estimates Of work TO be done anc
| cost Of same: also report at each october tern
OF court, or oftener II required, the amount ol
| work done on roads and bridges In the county
said report to be IN writing and sworn TO.
The county court shall appoint one overseel
| for each road district. for term Of one year
who shall receive not TO exceed sl.o per daJ
! for the time he is actually engaged in the dis
| charge OF his duties. the overseer TO be resi-
| dent Of the district for which he is appointed
| He shall be required TO give bond for tht
| faithful performance OF his duties IN the sun
OF GOO The county clerk shall furnish to escf
overseer copy OF the road law, and copy
showing the boundary Of his district
The overseer shall cause to be removed al
obstructions and make needed repairs. with
| as little delay as possible, and for that purpose
| may empty such hands and teams as necessary
| at the expense Of the district; said overseel
not to work more than 12 hands at a time. un'
| less otherwise directed by the commissioner
county Judge or county court
The overseer, or any person under him, fol
the purpose OF building any bridge or cause
why is suthorized to enter upon the neares
uneultiysted lands, and cut any timber, anC
quarry and haul such rock and ground as MAJ
be necessary for the purpose, and unless tht
owner shall consent to the use OF such mater
ial the overseer shall call on TWO householder
TO appraise the same; and II the owner shal
think proper he may choose two other house
holders, and II they fail to agree, the four u
appoint a afth, and the five, or a majority o
them, shall make out their award, sign ant
swear to the same Said sum to be paid out o
any moneys TO the credit Of the district
The overseer OF each district, at each tern
OF the county court, shall make full report o
all work done in his district since the last tern
OF court the number OF bridges built and de
scription OF each; wagon and teams used, anC
number Of days each was In use; all changes IL
roads and new roads established. For failur'
to make such report the overseer may be finee
in any sum not TO exceed go
The oYerseer shall see that all roads ans
bridges In his district are kept in repair built
all causewsys and bridges OF the third class
build and repair all seeond-class bridges, un
der the direction OF the road commissioner
erect and keep In repair guide posts at fork
and crossings OF every public road In his dis
trict, with plain inscription thereon in larg
letters and figures giving the distances to th
most noted places TO which said road may lead
and shall employ such hands and teams as th
the road commissioner may direct no tools be
longing TO the district TO be used on any othe
work but road word; provided, always. tina
the commissioner or oyerseers hire or buy, a
the case may be, the cheapest and best; and /
is the duty OF the county court to see that thi
provision IS carried out
The road commissioner shall superintent