Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1913-11-06
COUNCIL Will
MANDAMUS THE
commissioners
PROCEEDING HAS Been begun
To Compel Board to Comply
With Law

The city council of Americas has
been compelled to resort to mandamus
proceedings to the end of enforcing 4
compliance upon the part of the boar l
of county commissioners with the re-
Gently enacted special bill put throul
the legislature which requires that the
county changing forces be employed
upon the streets of AmerIcus during
a stipulated period in each year, under
the direction of the county road super
intendent, and city engineer.
This step was necessitated because
of the refusal of the majority of the
county board in recent meeting, by vote
o. three to two, to order che county
changing to Americas to perform road
duty here-the working If certain
county roads leading into Americas !;
the same work, identically, as the COM
nissioners have always ordered done
H. all the smaller towns OF Sumter
county.
City Attorney Hollis Fort was in
structed by the council to prepare the
nandamus at once for presentation 70
Judge z. A Littlejohn, who will issue
rule nisi against the commission ers
i to show cause why the mandamus
should not be sustained. Mr.. Fort is
authorized to secure assistant counsel
should he so desire, and the legal fight
will be pushed to its last inality.
The request of Commissioners Hooks
and Rylander to have the county gang
ordered to do certain work in Ameri-
bus was based upon the following les
islative act, known as House Bill No.
sc.
Section /. Be it enacted by the
general assembly of the state of Geor-
gia, and it is hereby enacted by the
authority of the same, that the boa Il
of commissioners of roads and reven-
ues of Sumter county be, and they are
hereby authorized and required to
work the county changing of said
county of Sumter upon the streets OF
the city of Americas for not exceed
ing three months in each year after the
passage Of this act, beginning with the
present year 1913, except that said
board are not authorized and require :
to work longer than forty days dur
ing the present year upon said streets.
"At such times, all mules, riows, wa
CONS, scrapes, utensils, guards and
all other things pertaining to the con-
victs and to- the roads equipment, shall
be used if necessary, upon the streets
OF the city of Americas free of charge
to said city
The county convicts and road fore f,
shall do such work at such time as may
be- suitable to said board and at such
places as may be designated by the
mayor and city council of the city of
Americas, or its authority. The streets
shall be worked and graded under the
direction of such person or persons as
are authorized by the mayor and city
council of Americas, and the mayor
and city council of Americas shall not
be called upon or required to pay
any portion or any part of the eX
pense of feeding, maintaining, guard
ing or caring Cor the county convicts.
Section 2. Be it further enacted,
that all laws and parts of laws in con
f1ict with this act be and they arr
hereby repealed.
Approved, August II, 1913"
The above special act was passed By
the recent general assembly. The city
council feels that the law is good
and just one, as residents of the city Of
Americas pay three-fourths Of the en-
tire tax of Sumter county, and there
fore should be accorded equitable
rights as citizens.
inyiqorating to the Pale and SickIy