Year: 1859

The bill introduced into the Assembly some
weeks ago, by Mr. Young, entitled, "an act
concerning roads and highways in Nevada. a.coun-
ty," has become q law. We did think that II
was not possible to invent worse system Of
collecting and disbursing the road tax than
that which has heretofore been in force. In
this we were mistaken. The new law is draft
ed in careless, bunging manner, will be in-
operative this year, and if an attempt should
ever be made to carry out its provisions, it will,
if possible, be found less suited to the wants Of
the people than the old law.


By this act, the Board Of Supervisors are re-
quired to appoint a Road Tax Collector for
each township in the county, before the first
Monday of March of each year. AS that day
has passed, the act cannot, of course, be COM
piled with this year, aud as the old law is re-
pealed, the citizens Of this county will have no
road tax to pay during this year, and the cOun-
ty roads will remain in statue quo. .al f..


The Township Collectors are required to pay
to the County Treasurer the amount Of road
tax collected, after deducting twenty per cent.
for collecting, and it can only be paid out ae-
cording to the provisions Of sections IL and IA
of the act, which we copy below:


SEC. 13. Upon presentation of petition to
the Board OF Supervisors, signed by at least
twenty-five resident property holders of the
township, praying that road or bridge may
be made, or private road or bridge may be
purchased, the same being within said town
ship, giving the metes and bounds thereof, or II
such road, bridge or purchase be within any
two townships, then said petition shall be sign
ed by at least twenty-five resident property
holders OF each township wherein such road,
bridge or purchase is to be made. The Board
Of Supervisors, upon the filing Of such petition
or petitions, shall give notice by publication
for four successive weeks, in public newspa-
per in the county, OF the time and place of
hearing of such petitions; and, if such petition
be granted. the Board of Supervisors shall, If
for making new road or bridge, order the
County Surveyor to survey such road or bridge,
fling q plan thereof with the Board Of Super
visors, whereupon said Board shall advertise
for four successive weeks, in public newspa-
per in the county, for proposals for the making
of such road or bridge, and all contracts shall
be awarded to the lowest bidder, the Board OF
Supervisors taking bonds for the faithful per-
formance Of the contract; prOvided, there be
sufficient sum of money in the fund or funds Of
the township or townships wherein such work
is to be done, to pay such contract. cost Of ad-
vertising, surveying, and such other costs rs
may be necessary to the completion Of such
work, and not otherwise. And the Board Of
Supervisors shall make no purchase of any pri-
vate road or bridge until, by publication in o
public newspaper, giving notice Of said petit
ton, for four consecutive weeks prior to such
purchase. @


Sec. IA. Upon application to any one Of the
Supervisors, by petition Of not less than ten
resident property holders of any township, set
ting forth that any public road or bridge needs
repairing. the cost Of such repairs not to ex-
ceed one hundred dollars, any one Of the Su-
pervisors shall appoint some suitable person, q
resident of the township, as Overseer, who shall
be allowed for his services such compensation
as the Board may deem just. not to exceed Eve
dollars per day whilst actually employed. And
it shall be the duty Of such Overseer to employ
a sufficient number of persons to perform the
repairs required, but the total expenditure for
such work shall not exceed the sum specified in
this section.


A more cumbersome plan than the above Of
making contracts for improving roads, could
scarcely be imagined. All things considered,
It is, perhaps, well that nothing can be done
under the new act until another year; the Su-
pervisors will have ample time to study and
digest its provisions before putting them in
force.