The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1906-04-05
THE NEW ROAD BILLS
Their Features Explained by Hon.
G. R. Swift.


Spots,lyania C. II Monday To- explain
f6e road bills passed hy the Legislature.
stated that to enter into details a. To
the several road bills passed 10y The Leg
islatup would require several houIS' mn
be stated briefly the substance oi the hiu
creating a State highway commission
and the three companion bills, known a.
the Withers Lsssiter bills The stat"
highway commission will be- composed
.of four members. 90 be- appointed ny ln.
Governor. and who must De- civil en-.
eineer and we'll yersed ln road hniidils
the professors of civil engineering oil lht
University of irgiuia Virginia MILITARY
Institute and Virginia Agricultural Co.
lege Only the commissioner L. saAtilru
officer
Ii shall be- the duty OF this commission
10 tabulate information and statistics
on road building and improvement anc
TO disseminate the same throughout the
State
Whenever the local road authorities of
any county propose 90 improve p'rma
nently any main road or pare thereof 30
their county they may apply to th".,dt,
highway commission Tor "a coup tent
civil engineer 90 VIEW the proposed road
4 blank form ciici,ing information as to
the proposed Improvement viii he iur.
nished II the commissioner Is nouhru
that the improvements ave 90 hr prrun
nent and the plans iu his Judgment AIDE
luate. hr or one ~ hls assistants WuI
view such road and prepare plans ana
estimates of cost. with material agreed
upon between road authorities and com
missioner. and submit the plans 90 the
local authorities
II the local authorities then decide 90
improve or construct given road ar-
cording 20 the plans recommended ano
submitted 10y commissioner. they may
Apply 10 the State highway commission
Tor such State AID for tae improvement
IS is provided 10y the road acts.
Should the county agree % adopt th"
proposed plans OF the commissioners ana
agree to supply the necessary material
tool- and teams and have the woihd ic
under the supervision OF q civil engineer
to he supplied by the commission. whose
salary shall NOT exceed $1,000 per year.
% Boz paid by the county for The length
of time It requires Dis service. then TIE
commissioner will make rfQuisiton upon
the Superintendent of the peui,ruraN
for snch State convict road force.
The county SECURES tl.r advice and as.
Sistance Of the state highway coWinl--
sion in making plans and estimates OF
cost without charge and - Only put 10
the expense of paying am engineer ioi ile
supervision and direction OF the convict
road force Whileeugaged nroad building
HOW ,oNyICr~ ARB Supplied.
Judges may i'm their discretion in cas"-
of conviction of felony. instead az impo>-
mo sentence of confinement in penIten-
tary. sentence the person convicted 90
hard labor on tie public roads. AH lrI
sons convicted and imprisoned ln lalis
aud those sentenced for nou-paymeut ~
tine may also bee required 20 work on
road. The superintendent OF tHr pcuiten-
tiarv is required by law, whenever con
yicts for the road force are needed. to-
notify the Judges through the state oi
such need. and the Judge Of r. circuit OBJ
coru0ratiou court may order any person
confined In ms county 0r city and Liable
to work iu chaiugdug- cr roads 90 ie
delivered by the jGi.or TO the suprrntci
dent of peuiteutiary o WORK urdfD~'
convict road force needing COM .t~
Persons who are charg vita
crime and refused or unable to iurnl-.
bail may elect 10 labor in the state cou
Wet road force with the written consent
Of attorney for Commonwealth, AMI
convicted. the time employed ON ro"o
force % be- deducted FROM his ~snteu.
and Il required 20 be- paid by the count
80 cents FOR each lay Dr. worked ON OIL,
road force
TRANSPORTATION. CARING fotANh GUARD
lNo CONvlCr>.
The State pays for tine transportation
of the convict road force. The Stat'
paws for feeding couyicts serving under
a Jail sentence, amount equal 10 tlai
now allowed iailrrs for their board. The
feeding Of members OF the road force.
serving for the violation OF some city or
finance. il borne toy the city under WHOSE
ordinance they were convicted. ln thD
case of all cOnvlcts sentenced 10 serve oh
road force in lieu of ternlnpeniIentlary
the cost of ali clothing. food quarters
and guard is paid by the state.
The movable quarters, which are 20 De- /
constructed by convict labor, and an
camp equipments are furnished bf tie /
State.
This is a brief statement OF the main /
features of the four companion road bili- /
passed at the last session OF the Legisla- /
ture The legislation i not perfect, mo- /
egislatiOn Is, nor will it meet the View /
IF all of our citizens, but believe 1t a. |
be a step in the right direction. 1t Is |
beginning and the condition OF our road |
today certainly are proof positive that /
we need 70 commence permanent and /
substantial road Improvement. It's lei'
90 the county OF SpOtsylvania to deter
mine whether she viii avail of the bene-
tit OF the provisions OF these several bills
The county can secure, free OF cost, the
advice of the highway commissioner.
plans. specifications and estimates OicOst
or any permanent road improvement /
The state will supply cOnvicts, furnish /
and equip movable quarters feed. cloth /
Ani guard the cOnvicts. The county VIII /
nave to paw the engineer salary, who |
directs the work and superyises this
orce. furnish the material, tools and /
teams necessary to carry forward t.,
work.
Judge Sims prepared AMI secured the
passage Of two road bills containing |
many excellent features, but the law EN- /
bracng these bills has not yet beer
printed. These bills provide for a more !
expeditions method OF condemning land |
for roads. for sub-dividiug the presen' |
road districts, for the bonding OF magis
terial districts for road Improvements.
HENRlC0 COUNTY