Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1913-02-28

adopt such system of working, laying
out, draining and repairing the public
roads in said county as it may deem best,
and from time to time said court NAV
change its plan or system of working.
Said commissioners court shall nave
power to purchase such teams, tools and
machinery as may be necessary for the
working of its roads. Said court shall
have the power to construct, grade or
otherwise improve any road or bridge
by contract. In such case, said court,
if they deem it necessary, or the county
Judge, may advertise in such manner as
the court may determine for bids to do
such work, and the contract shall be
awarded to the lowest responsible bid
der who shall enter into bond payable
TO the county judge of said county for
the use of the road and bridge fund, with
good and sufficient sureties, to be ap-
proved by said court III such sum as said
court may determine for the faithful
tract, but said court shall have the
right to reject any and all bids. The
said court shall have authority to en-
plOy any hands or teams to work OH
said road, under such regulations and
for such price as they may deem best.
Sec. 3. The commissioners court of
county shall require all county cOnvictS,
not otherwise employed, to labor upOn
The public road under such regulations
as they may prescribe and each convict
50 worked shall receive Il credit of fifty
cents OH his fine and costs for each day
he may 50 labor. Such commissioners
court may provide such reasonable regu-
%lations and punishment as may be nee
tsSary to require such c%Onvicts to per
form good work, and may provide a re-
ward not exceeding $1,000, to be paid
out of the road and bridge fund, for the
recapture and delivery of any escaped
convict, to be paid to any person other
than the guard or person i'll charge or
said convict at the time of his escape,
which reward shall be taxed against
such convict and worked out or paid by
him as Il part of the costs. The com
mlsSIOners may grant Il reasonable com
mutation of time for which 4 convict is
committed as 4 reward for faithful ser
vices and good behavior, in no case to
exceed One-tcnth of the whole time, Said
court may provide the necessary houses,
prisons, clothing, bedding, food, mcdi-
cine, medical attention and guards for
the safe and humane keeping Of convicts.
The commissioners court may, at regu-
lar term, allow to the officers such
,,p, ,f tbaip ,.nrt- fnYtb ~, npr.-t ,,l
conviction of said convict as it may
deem best; provided that it shall not al
low to any officer a greater amount han
he is now or may hereafter be allowed
by general laws; provided further, that
this shall not be construed SO as to re
lieve any convict from the payment Of
all costs for which he will be liable un-
der the general laws of the state.
Sec. 4. Each county commissioner
shall have control of all road Overseers
in his district, and road work and bridge
building in his district, and he may de
liver to the road Overseer such tools and
machinery as may be necessary in work
ing the roads i'll his district so far as
he has been supplied Herewith by the
commissioner court, taking receipt of
said Overseer therefor, specifying each
item and given its value which receipt
shapp be Il full answer of the liability
of the commissioner, and shall fix the
liability of the Overseer; and any com
missioner or OverSeer who shall have
been entrusted with any teams, tools or
machinery belonging to said county,
shall be liable for any damage that may
occur to the same while in his posses
sion caused by his negligence or want
of due care Of same, and shall not use
or permit the same to be used for private
purpose sWithOut the consent of the
commissioners court. lit shall be the
duty of the road OverSeer when he has
finished work on his road, to return to
said commissioner all teams tools and
machinery received from him, and take
up the receipt given therefor.
Sec. >. 1t shall be the duty of the
county commissioners when acting as
road OYcrSecrS or rOad commissioners to
inform themselves of the condition of the
public roads of his district, and shall
determine what character of work shall
be done upon said roads. and shall direct
the manner of grading. draining or
otherwise improving the same, and his
direction shall be observed and obeyed.
Sec. 6. Each county commissioner as
compensation as county commissioner
be entitled to, and under the dircc-