The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-03-09
THE NEW ROAD LAW
Effect of County Act.
Commissioners in
Session.

The Boar of County Commission
ers were again in session yesterday,
their time being taken up with rou-
tine work. mainly in the hearing of
matters growing out of the road sys-
tenn of the county.
Under the provisions of the new
road law passed by the General As
sembly there will be an almost COM
plete revision of the system of caring
for the public highways, the work be-
ing performed from a different basis,
the unit being the township. instead
OF the county, although the work will
of course be under the general man
agement of the road superintendent.
To effect this system there will be
nineteen instead of three supervisors
as at present and the work will be
divided into highways, branch or
townships roads and cartWays.
Besides providing for the appoint
ment of a supervisor for each town
ship, other provisions of the new act
that the days of compulsory labor on
the roads are reduced from 6 to 4,
an exemption being permitted to any
person who will pay therefor the sum
of $3.50. This exemption may be paid
by the party liable to road duty at
any time prior to the 9Th of May, in
heretofore been the rule
The act abolishes the three road
districts into which the county is now
divided. The supervisors for the re-
spective townships are to have con-
troll of the roads. cart-ways and
bridges in their different townships
and are to make report monthly to
the Board of County Commissioners.
The superintendent Of roads is to
of hicrl1X n,
convict force, which he is to work in
such parts of the county as the Board
of Commissioners may determine.
While there is no increase in taxes
made by the. act, the amendment to
the Watts act under which $40 of
the net profits of the Raleigh Dispen-
sary will be devoted to the county
roads, will materially assist the work
of road extension, the estiamted
amount being about $4,000, figuring
the net profits at 100000, which is
likely to be exceeded
The supervisors provided for in the
act will be elected by the Board of
Commissioners at the regular meeting
in April. 1t has not yet been determ-
ined what their salaries will be. The
board is anxious to procure good men
from each township.
1t was stated yesterday that the
policy of the board would be to de-
vote the convict force of the county
principally to work on the principal
highways, which will be put in the
best possible condition.
Business Transacted.
Action of the commissioners at the
present session has been as follows:
The sheriff was ordered to summon
jury in the matter of the claim of
damages sustained in the laying ont
of the road from Mrs. Lena b. RAYS
to the Falls road.
Mrs. I. B. Yancey was granted n
rebate on 1898 valuation in error OF
lister for 1903 and 1904.
j. ID. Castlebury was granted a re-
bate on $4,000 of solvent credits, his
claim being that the lister neglected
to take off 49, of liabilities
NJ. II. Horton, of Little river. put in
a claim for damages sustained by the
laying out and changing of the Tar
boro road. The matter was referred
to Commissioner Terrell to investigate
and report.
The report of the county home and
the treasurer giving receipts and dis
bursements for January and Febru-
airy, 1905, were received.
ID. r. Barnes presented his claim
for damages to his land on account of
change in the Culvert and Fayette
vile road.
w. l. Womble renewed his appli-
cation for damages on account of be-
ing quarantined for smallpox. his
school beirg stoDped and his. means
Of support stopped. His claim is for
$50.
w. M. Scott was allowed SO dam
ages to land by laying off of the new
road in 8uekhorn township.
number of claims for damage TO
lands by spring reads in Buckhorn
township were referred to Road SUI
perintendent James Robbins
There was further consideration of
the report of the jury to assess dam