276 COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. [ART. 25

shall be taken to mean that no vehicle of any kind, as above enumerated,
weighing, with or without any load which may be in or upon the same,
more than the number of pounds specified on said signboard, shall pass
or be drawn, driven, propelled or in any other manner taken over said
bridge or culvert, and that no such vehicle of any kind as above enumer-
ated shall pass or be drawn, driven, propelled or in any other manner
taken over said bridge or culvert at a. greater rate of speed than that
specified on said signboard; provided, however, that no such sign or
signs shall be posted as above without authority in writing from the
chief engineer of the State Roads Commission having first been had
and obtained; and it is hereby made the duty of said chief engineer
of the State Roads Commission, upon receiving a request for such
authority, to cause an investigation of the carrying capacity of such
bridge or culvert and to furnish to the applicant his authority in writ-
ing to erect and maintain signboards as aforesaid. Any individual,
firm, co-partnership, corporation or other person, whether the owner
of such vehicle, the person in charge and control over the same, or
employee or agent of any such, who shall draw, drive, propel or in any
other manner take or cause to be taken, drawn, driven or propelled
over any such bridge or culvert posted as aforesaid any wagon, truck,
road engine, road roller, traction engine, threshing machine or other
vehicle of any kind, weighing, with or without any load which may
be in or upon the same, more than the number of pounds specified on
the signboard so erected at the entrances or approaches to such bridge
or culvert, or at a greater rate of speed than that specified on said
signboard, without a permit in writing from the owner or authorities
in control of said brige or culvert, shall be deemed guilty of a misde-
meanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be fined not less than twenty-
five dollars nor more than one hundred dollars for each such offence,
puch fine to be paid to the owner of or public body having control over
said bridge or culvert; in addition to which the owner or person in
control of such vehicle shall be liable to the owner or authorities in
control of said bridge or culvert for all damages which may be done
the same by the violation of the regulation so prescribed, and shall
have no redress against the owner or authorities having control over
said bridge or culvert in the event of the breaking down or giving away
of the same and consequent injury to such vehicle. Any owner of any
such bridge or culvert, or public officer or board, or member of such-
board, or employee or agent thereof, who shall cause any such sign-
board to be posted without the authority in writing from the chief
engineer of the Good Roads Commission as aforesaid shall be deemed
guilty of misdemeanor, and upon conviction be fined not less than
twenty-five dollars nor more than one hundred dollars. In any trial
of any person charged with a violation of any of the provisions of this
section oral proof of the existence of such signboard posted as herein
provided, and its contents, shall be accepted as prima facie evidence of"
the validity of the regulation thereon prescribed.