Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1908-03-27
Compromise Road Bill.

directed to appoint promptly upon the pass
age of this act three competent persons, cti-
zens and residents of this State, and t
designate two men from the Maryland
Geological and Economic Survey, or ii
officers or employees, who, with the Gov
ernor ex offlcio, shall constitute special
commission, to be known as the Estate Road
Commission" and who shall continue in
office until the work of said commission
shall have been completed, as herein pro
vided. The Governor shall have the power
to remove, for just cause, to be stated in the
order of removal, any member OF said COM
mission at any time, and to appoint another
person in his stead, and to fill any vacancy
In said commission occasioned by the resig.
nation, removal, death, incapacity, perma-
nent absence from the State OF any member
OF said commission, or by reason Of any
other cause creating vacancy. The ma
jority of the members of said commission
shall be lawful quorum Tor the transaction
of business. The chairman of said commits
sion shall be designated by the Governor
from the members thereof, and the Governor
shall also have power to remove such chair.
man and to appoint another in his stead in
his discretion.
The chairman is to receive salary Of
g. 5U9 gss mum. The three members Of
the conn, ssion other than those of the
Geological Survey and the Governor re-
eeive 40 aanual salary Of $4,000 each.
The commission is to appoint secretary
a. o salary of 81 800 per annum. His books
are open at all times to public inspection.
The commission has power to take over
turnI.ses; and thereafter all highways, how
ever acquired hereunder, shall be State
highways and shall be constructed, improved
aud maintained by said commission for the
State and at its expense.
The rate at which the bonds are to be
issued was changed from to 81 per cent.
This was done because Of the splendid way
in which the last sale of Baltimore City
stock was made, aud it encourages the franz
ers of the bill to believe that the road loan
will be disposed OF at the lower rate Of in
terest, as it, too, will be exempt from taxa
ton.
Another change was made by inserting
in the bill powers of condemnation.
A third change was one by which the
turnpikes within the city OF Baltimore are
to be improved from the loan.
1t shall be the duty of the members OF the
,tnio ion IN frou nd
inspect the public highways in the several
parts of the State and the work being done
on the same, in order that they may have, as
far as possible, personal knowledge Of the
requirements Of the several sections of the
State in reference to the matter of roads as
well as of the progress from time to time of
the work of said commission.
The said commission shall reach its con
lusons as to the selection of the roads to
be improved on or before May 1, 1909, and
shall on or before that date file with the
County Commissioners of each county for
public inspection certified copy of map
of the State showing plainly thereon the
adopted system OF main roads to be improved
under this act.
Amendment No. 5-S,rike out Section
BE and insert the following:
"That said commission shall keep all
State highways reasonably clear of brush
and maintain the same in good condition
shall cause suitable shade trees to be planted
thereon, if practicable. and may establish
a nd mi Mt In far ho oaid
highways. No opening shall be made in
any such highway, nor shall any structure
be placed thereon, nor shall any structure
which has been placed thereon be changed
permit from the commission, which shall
exercise complete control over such high
ways, except as herein otherwise provided.
No State highway shall be dug up for
laying or placing pipes, sewers. poles, wires
or railways, or for other purposes, and no
trees shall be planted or removed or OBJ
struction placed thereon without the writ
ten permit of the State Roads Commission
or its duly authorized agent, and then only
in accordance with the regulations of said
commission and the work shall be done
under the supervision and to the satisfaction
OF said commission; and the entire expense
of replacing the highway in as good con-
dtion as before shall be paid by the persons
to whom the permit was given or by whom
the work was done; provided, however,
that no electric railway company in opera
ton upon any public or private road or ex-
listing or abandoned turnpike when acquir-
ed bereinunder shall be deprived of its right
th reon, but the maintenance of its roadbed
and overhead construction and all necessary
repairs, together with the maintenance OF
the space between its tracks and two feet on
each side thereof, shall be performed by such
railroad company under the supervision and
to the satisfaction of said commission. Said
commission may give suitable names to the
State highway and may change the name
OF any highw way which becomes part of a
State highway. They shall erect suitable
guideposts at convenient points along State
highways.
Sec. 32G. The commission herein provid
ed for is authorized, in its discretion. to call
upon the State Geological and Economic
Survey Commission for such plats, surveys
and information as it may desire, and may
also, with the consent of the Maryland Geo
logical and Economic Survey, turn over TO
said survey the work of awarding any con-
tracts for work under this act, together with
the supervision of such work under such
contracts so awarded by said Maryland
Geological and Economic Survey, or the
State Road Commission may authorize said
State Geological and Economic Survey
with the consent Of said survey, in accord.
ance with the powers already in IL vested
to itself perform any work determined upon
by said commission, without an award OF a
contract for the same 10 contractor, If, in
the Judgment of the commission, such work
u n.