Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-07-27
TO MAKE COUNTIES
PUT UP ROAD SIGNS

Before the special judiciary committee
of the house OF representatives there is
pending one of the most important meas
ures that will come up this session. II
is the bill by Mr.. Chandler of Franklin
perfecting the old state law requiring
counties to erect signboards on their
roads and providing a specific penalty for
noncompliance with the law.
This measure is aimed at a condition
that is from now henceforth to be rele-
gated further every year into the OBJ
security of things archaic. Its intent is to
make the public roads of Georgia an open
book to the multitude of travellers who
traverse them daily.
A man may know the roads in his own
county pretty WELL If he lives in a coun-
try town. II he lives in a city he knows
as little of them as he does of roads on
the other side of the world. And whether
he lives in city or country If he would
drive in a buggy or an automobile to a
point even twenty miles away. he must
inquire for every mile of the road, must
feel his way along as though he were
blind.
The Chandler bill was introduced in
the house last Monday morning, was
read for the first time, and was referred
to the committee. Here is its text:
"A bill to be entitled an act to amend
section 554 of the code of 1895 of Georgia,
to make it a misdemeanor for any over
seer to fail or refuse to put up and place
signboards at all forks of the public
roads in the counties of this state, and
for other purposes.
AMENDS OLD LAW.
Section 1. Be it enacted by the gen.
eral assembly of Georgia, and 1t is hereby
enacted by authority of the same, that
from and after the passage Of this act,
section 554 OF the code of 1895 be and the
same is hereby amended by striking out
of said section the following words: for
feits not exceeding fifty dollars, to be
imposed and collected as other fines
against him. and inserting in lieu thereof
the following words: shall be guilty of a
misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof
shall be punished as provided in section
1899 of the penal code of Georgia. so that
said section when amended shall read
as follows: 'Overseers Failing to Put Up
Posts and Boards. If any overseer fails
to comply with the provisions of the two
preceding sections, he shall be guilty of
a misdemeanor and upon conviction there
of shall be punished as provided in sec
ton 1899 of the penal code of Georgia.
JUDGES TO GRAND JURIES.
Section 2. Be It further enacted that
it shall be the duty of the judges of the
superior courts of this sta to give the
provisions of this act especially in charge
to the grand juries of the counties of this
state at each term of the superior court. >"
Section of the bill is the repeating
clause.
That the measure introduced by Mr..
Chandler of Franklin is directed toward
the correction of a vC-y deplorable condi-
ton in the roads of Georgia, will be clear
70 those who have had occasion tn travel
the states highways. When the provis-
ions of the law are made effective, as this
bill intends to make them, the roads of
Georgia will be an open book for short
distance and long distance travellers, and
inter communication will be encouraged
as never before. 1t is confidently antici-
pated that the bill will get a favorable
report from the special judiciary commit
tee, and that there will be no opposition
to its enactment in either branch of the
general assembly.