The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-03-19
WHAT TIE NEW WEST VIRGINIA
ROlD Law WILL ACCO1HAI|P L||55H

CHARLESTON. ". Va West Nir-
,lni:I's nnw gr"d roads LAYS viii 60 into
Z effect May -. hy virim" "t IN" act of
, ar,, IGir rrEuIHr %"Ssiun uf tn" l"E1SIA'
, 1Ero. II will h.r"In" 81 law without hav-
/ ing had Ihr approval Of Governor II. ID.
! Hatfield who was AZ tho head OF Inc
sta" :rlniuiSt ration ut tho time Of its
! rHSSHG".
! Thl,; act OF IN" legislature amends
: and rr-"nnrt. chuu;rrS AZ, 43 A and - h
/ If tho cod" Of 1918. and chapter s. acts
! nf tho srC0nd extraordinary session at
! the legislature IF 1915. 1t aeS"nyS 10
! The pr"rsions of m nc; Of congress. re-
! laIinG Ia past roadS, creates Il state road
! tErh and makes appropriations for tina!
! fund. aside from creating Il stat" road
! commission and defining It's powers.
Th" commission shall. consist or two
members. one . Democrat. tho other a
Republican. one must he n prhtical
! civil engineer. and tho other Of known
Successful business qualifications. Each
shall! b" appointed /" serve from juno l..
1917. on. for Il period of two and tn"
other for four years.
Tho power nf appointing assistants
and fixing their compensation rests WI
the commission. Tho salary not to he
ir excess Of The amount appropriated for
. The purpose hy the Legislature. County
courts demanding OF the commission ser
Vic" nf any assistant or agent, must pay
tho expenses incident to tho service per-
gate rules and regulations for IN" guild
ancc OF III" county roads engineers. MI
If which Tust he rnmpatihl" with the
general statutes. li"adGuHrt"rS Of the
commission shal he in Charleston. ana
IL shall lie the duty OF the commission
10 ana lYHc tho mn tcrialS used In the con-
StructInn Of all class -" roads. and may
be called upon by any county court 10
make analysis OF the materials used in
class r. roads MS we'll.
IN. "TOnip
iy.' federal mid" or state all" roads.
Glass "B" roads include those known as
district roads 80.
The method Of establishing the main
county court roads calls for map pre-
pared by the road department showing q
suggested state wide system Of inter
county ronds. Tho respective county
courts are tn designate two or more
main oughfares extending through
the counties 10 the border lines. The
courts designation of such rout<i may
be approved or rejected by the commits
sion. II 4 county court refuses or falls
to comply with the provisions OF the act
the county In which refusal Is made
shall not participate in the distrlbu ton
Of tho federal or state aid funds.
In the location and establishment OF
main county roads, the county court
shnll have the power In exercise the
right II eminent domain for condemna-
ton OF rights Of way.
Al AuuIilDii 10 the general county ana
district levies for road purposes, the
county court shall lay county road
levy not to exceed 25 cents on each 500
valuation Of all taxable property in the
county, and tho proceeds. Of this levy
shall he known as the county road
fund" IT shall he expended only for the
Improvement and maintenance Of main
county roads and its bridges. Tho OK
penditurcs shall be under direction OF
the county court except where state or
Fn1A
shall be under the direction OF the COM
mission.
state road fund Is provided by the
act. This shall consist OF the net pro-
ceeds Of all state license taxes imposed
on omobilea. motor of steam driven
vehicles and tho registration fees i'm
posed on chauffeurs on or after Jan.
l. 1917 Appropriations by the legIs-
lature or by congress may also become
part OF this fund.
AT the beginning OF each fiscal year
the commission will apportion to tho
counties Of the state which have COM
piled with the provisions OF tho law In
the establishment OF main county roads.
and which agree 10 supplement tho ap-
portionmcnt tho state fund by q like
sum, in proportion to the number OF
miles of this road approved by tho com:
mission.
Provision is made by the act for
the laying of additional levies when tho
various road funds are inadequate.
The validity Of no bond issues mado
prior to the time the new law Soes into
effect will not be questioned by reason
OF tho act. and the money derived from
bond issues made prior to it's enactment
shall he expended as originally stipu-
lated under tho conditions Of the issues.
For the creation OF a district road
fund tho county court. under this law.
shall lay levy not exceeding fifteen
cents on tho 500 valuation Of all taxa
bio property. This fund shall be used
in the building or improvements Of dis
trict roads. In addition to this and
the other lcvics prescribed. the county
court may in event of flood or other
disaster which destroys roads or bridges.
lay a special levy when written approval
Is had from the state tax commissioner
for such TO DO done.
Provision is made for tho appointment