The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1903-11-21
THE GOOD ROADS MOVEMENT.
The Draft of the Bill That Will be Sub
mitted to the Convention at its
Meeting Next Month.

Mr.. Samuel NJ Shoemaker, of Baltimore
county, chairman of the committee appointed
by the State road convention to draft good
roads" law to be presented to the next Legis-
lature, will submit the result of the COM
mittee's labors at a meeting to be held in
Baltimore, on the I'd of December.
The road convention held its first meeting
in August last and under the terms of the
resolution passed at the time it was agreed to
receive any suggestions. from any person in
the State in reference-to bill that would be
acceptable to all and remedy the evils of the
present system of bodybuilding.
When the association was in session Mr.. W.
W. Crosby, roads engineer for Baltimore
county, who was present by invitation, recited
the results of bodybuilding in this county,
and presented the committee with the draft OF
what he considered a model BILL to the end
that when the committee met and agreed upon
the terms of the new bill it was almost pre-
cisely along the lines of the draft submitted
by Mr.. Crosby.
A quiet canvass of the members of the next
Legislature has been made and it is certain
that good roads bill will be passed without
any serious objection. At this meeting COM
mittee was appointed from each county to
ascertain the needs of the respective interests,
and their objections have been met in the bill.
For this reason the sponsors of the new legis-
lation do not anticipate any opposition when
the bill is introduced, and Governor Warfeld
has announced that he is in favor of new
system of road building, so that it is pretty
sure to receive his approval and become law
The bill Is described as an act for the inn
provement of the public highways of the State
and to require the State Geological and Eco
nomic Survey to perform certain additional
duties; All net revenues which may hereafter
sition of the oyster grounds of the State shall
be applied to reduce the amount appropriated,
the amount which may become available for
highway construction from the sale, lease or
other disposition Of the oyster grounds.
The proposed bill provides that whenever any
Board of County Commissioners shall have de-
clared their intention to cause any particular
road or section thereof to be built or improved
under provisions of this act, such Board shall
notify the State Geological and Economic Sur
vey, through its superintendent, in writing, on
or before the first day of March in each year.
and shall request of said survey plans and
specifications and an estimate of the cost of the
proper performance of said work according to
these plans and specifications; and whenever
there shall be presented to the Board of County
Commissioners of any county petition signed
by the owners of at least two thirds of the lands
and real estate fronting or bordering on any
public road or section of road in such county,
not being less than one mile in length, or the
continuation OF a road already properly, i'm
proved, and setting forth that they are willing
to be assessed an amount equal to 10 per cent.
of the entire cost of the improvement, it shall
be the duty of the Board of County Commits
sioners, if they decide to make any application
under this act, to include such road in their re-
quest to the State Geological and Economic
Survey, as hereinbefore set forth, and the said
10 per cent. of the cost shall be assessed on and
collected from the petitioners as any other
county. taxes are, If the survey decides that
the said road will be an improvement, and if a
sufficient amount is appropriated the survey
shall have made the necessary surveys and shall
cause to be drawn up the plans and specifca-
vey the Board of County Commissioners so re-
questing plans and specifications shall pay the
county funds, provided the expense is not
greater than $50 per mile.
Sealed bids for such work will be received up
to a certain date. the Board reserving the right
to reject any and all the bids, The contract
shall be awarded to the lowest bidder, provided
by the survey, and if all bids exceed the amount
no contract shall be awarded and the bids will
be thrown open again. The successful contrac-
tor will be compelled to enter upon contract
with the said Board and to give bond in sum
of not less than the total amount of the con-
tract. with surety company of which the
Board may approve. All contracts and contrac-
tors shall be subject to the approval of the sur
vey, and in order to assure proper execution of
the work 1t shall be the duty OF the State Geo
logical and Economic Survey to maintain i'm
mediate supervision over the execution of the
contracts, the cost of such supervision to be
paid to the said survey by the Comptroller of
the State out of the appropriation provided for
by this act When the work has been completed
in any instance the survey shall report the same
to the Comptroller, who shall pay to the Board
of County Commissioners one-half of the total
cost.
No one county shall receive in any year a
larger proportion of the total amount appro-
priated by this act for said year than the pro-
portion which the then existing miles of public
road in said county bears to the then existing
miles of public road in all the counties apply
ing for State aid unless a balance remains unal-
lotted under the arrangement described, IN
+Ia1a
ed among the counties which have not received
the full amount of their application. The sur
vey will determine the merits of all applications.
Any road constructed in this manner will for
ever thereafter be county road and the duty
of keeping it in repair will devolve upon the
county. The survey shall notify the County
Commissioners of all repairs needed, and upon
refusal or neglect of the Board to make such
repairs the survey may refuse to furnish such
county with further assistance until the repairs
are made. The Board may also be made to make
these repairs upon the application of any five
citizens applying to the Circuit Court for a
audo