| 1791.
CHAP.
LXX.
Penalty on overseers
for
neglect of duty,
&c. |
LAWS of MARYLAND.
VI. And be it
enacted, That if any of the said overseers shall not well and
sufficiently clear and amend the said public roads within his proper districts,
of
not less than the breadth of two rod, nor more than three rod, within a
reasonable
time after the same shall be out of repair, or shall not streighten the
said
public roads as marked and bounded by the commissioners hereafter appointed
and empowered, when directed, or shall permit or suffer any fallen tree,
or other
obstruction within his power to remove, to lie in or be across any of the
said
public roads, whereby any waggon, cart, or other carriage, may be obstructed,
for the space of five days together, he having notice thereof, or shall
neglect to
fall, or cause to be fallen, all dead trees on each side of the said public
roads
whose limbs hang over the said road, and may, by their falling, injure
travellers,
or shall suffer any of the bridges or causeways in his said district to
be out of
repair, or in any other manner fail in the performance of the duty
of overseer of
the public roads, after having accepted such office, he shall forfeit and
pay the
sum of thirty shillings current money for every offence, to be recovered
and applied
as aforesaid. |
Overseers to
give ten days
notice, &c. |
VII. And be
it enacted, That the said overseers shall and they are hereby required,
before they begin to streighten, amend or repair, any road within their
several and respective districts, or to make or repair any bridge or causeway,
to
give at least ten days notice of their intention to the inhabitants of
their districts,
by advertisement set up at the most convenient, public, and frequented
places in
such district, in order that the said inhabitants may have an opportunity
of hiring
labourers to the said overseer, or labour themselves in and upon the said
roads,
bridges or causeways; and each overseer shall be entitled to six shillings
per day
for each day he shall attend. |
Justices to apportion
the
money levied,
&c. |
VIII. And be
it enacted, That the said justices, at their said meeting in
March, and at their levy court in every year thereafter, shall apportion
the sum
of money levied as aforesaid in such proportion as they shall think proper,
and
have such sum expressed in the several warrants issued as aforesaid, and
no overseer
shall be responsible or punishable for any neglect of the said public roads,
after expending
such proportion as expressed in his warrant; and the said overseers
shall
render a true and perfect account, on oath or affirmation, of all persons
employed
by them respectively to labour on the said public roads, and of the
wages allowed,
and the number of days they attended respectively in discharging of
the said trust,
and other expences; and the said justices, or a majority of them present,
at their
levy court aforesaid, having examined and approved of the same, shall draw
their
order on the collector, requiring him to settle and pay, by discount for
public
taxes or otherways (as the case may be) to every person mentioned in such
order,
the sum due him, and such collector shall be allowed such order or
orders in his
settlement with the said court; and if any surplus shall remain of
the assessment
for the public roads aforesaid, after allowing the account produced by
the overseers
aforesaid for monies by them expended, such remainder shall be applied
to
the use of the county. |
Commissioners
appointed,
&c. |
IX. And be it
enacted, That Alexander Rigdon, John Stump, John Carlile,
John Weston, Samuel Raine, John Tredway and James Johnson, be and they
are hereby appointed commissioners for the purpose of laying out the roads
aforesaid;
and the said commissioners, or a major part of them, appointed as aforesaid,
may proceed to lay out the aforesaid roads, and streighten, mark and bound,
the
old roads, and execute all the powers and authorities of commissioners
under this
act; and if any of the said commissioners should die, or refuse to act,
the said
court, or any two justices of the peace most convenient , in the recess
of the said
court, may fill up the vacancy. |
Who shall examine
the
roads, &c. |
X. And be it
enacted, That the said commissioners shall examine, survey, lay
out and sufficiently mark, the roads before expressed in this act, and
may employ
a fit and proper person as surveyor for the purpose, not allowing such
surveyor
more than ten shillings per day for his services; and such public
roads shall be,
by the said commissioners, laid out, streightened, marked and bounded,
not less |
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