The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-07-14
THE REPUBLICAN,.
BENZ H. sINCELL, Editor and Proprietor

The instructive pamphlet upon
the state aid road law to be issued
about July 18th, by the Maryland
Geological Survey TO meet the re-
quests for information which comes
from various sections of the state,
will show clearly to the County Com
missioners and individuals interest
ed, how to proceed under the law
to early obtain the advantages of the
act.
As stated in a previous publica-
ton, 100000 of state funds will be
available under this act to assist the
counties to build good roads by pay
ing one half the cost, each county
receiving such proportion of this
money as the public road mileage of
the county bears to the total road
mileage.
A feature of the law which has
been much misunderstood and which
will be explained with unusual pains
in the pamphlet is the section regard
ing the payment of 10 per cent of
cost by the property-holders. Many
of the latter have been frightened by
thinking that the two.thirds of the
property-holders of any section of
road can compel the remaining one
third property-holders to help pay
the 10 per cent. levy, but such is not
the case. In no instance does anyone
who does not wish the road, have to
pay any part oflthe cost.
The County Commissioners of a
county petition the State Commits
sion for aid to.build certain piece of
road. If it is found upon eXamina-
ton by the Commission that the road
in question lis one of general public
convenience and a proper one to con-
struct, an estimate of the cost of the
Improvement is made, together with
plans, pecitications, etc. for doing
the work. This is undertaken by the
County Commissioners either by con-
tract, or, if the prices for doing it in
this manner are considered too high,
then in other ways that they mey
deem best.
In the event that the County Com
missioners fail to petition for state
aid under this law it is provided that
tho OwparC of tuo +birJc &c +Io Io,1o
binding upon any public road or sec
ton of road, not less than a mile
long, can compel the County Com
missioners to petition for the con-
struction of the piece of road provided
that the owners petitioning have paid
or pledged 10 per cent. of the work.
Those who have paid or have pledg-
ed to pay 10 per cent. of the cost can
not, however, compel any other prop
erty-holders along the road to bear
any of the cost The work then pro-
ceeds as already described except
that the County Commissioners can
not be compelled by this payment Of
10 per cent. by property holders to
contract for work to an amount
greater than one-fourth of the road
levy of the county.
Amy expense due to the payment
for land that may be necessary to Sc
cure proper location for the road or
any damages that may arise through
the construction of the road will not
be paid by the state.
After the work is done according to
the specifications and the State Com
mission has so certified to the Comp
troller, then one half of the cost of
constructing the road will be paid by
the state to the county budding the
road; but in no case is the amount
paid by the state to exceed one half
of the cost as shown by the estimate
of the cost of the work as at first
made by the Commission.