Chap. 302.—An ACT to provide for the permanent improvement of the public
roads of Charlotte county, and to authorize the issue of bonds for that purpose.

Approved May 20, 1903.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That B. P.
Eggleston, G. W. Watson, Lee W. Morton, 8S. D. Morton, 8S. C. Adams,
and W. D. Rice, citizens of Charlotte county, be, and they are hereby,
appointed commissioners to carry out the provisions of this act. Said
commissioners shall constitute a board known as Charlotte county road
board. They shall organize by the election of one of their number
chairman, and another secretary. A majority shall constitute a quorum
for the transaction of business. As compensation for his services, each
member of the board shal receive the sum of two dollars for each day
he is actually employed in the discharge of duties imposed by this act.
Vacancies occurring on said board shall be filled by appointments made
by the judge of the circuit court of Charlotte county, so that there
shall be at least one commissioner resident in each magisterial district.

The circuit court of Charlotte county shall have authority to remove
any or all of said commissioners for cause.

2. On the application of said board, the county court of Charlotte
county, before February first, nincteen hundred and four, or the circuit
court of said county after that date, shall order a special election to be
held in the county of Charlotte to take the sense of the qualified voters
of said county on the question of the issue and sale of the bonds of
the county for the purposes set forth in this act. The order of court
shall specify the amount of bonds to be issued, which shall not be less
than one hundred thousand dollars, nor more than one hundred and
twenty-five thousand dollars, the amount to be specified by the board
in their application. Such election shall be held and the returns shall
be made and canvassed in the manner prescribed by law. The tickets
to be used shall be prepared and distributed by the electoral board of
the county, and shall have printed on them, in one line, the words, “for
road improvement by bond issue,” and in another line the words,
“against road improvement by bond issue.” An abstract of the vote
cast at such election, together with a copy of the findings of the com-
missioners who canvass said vote, shall be certified by the clerk of the
county court of Charlotte county to the judge of said court. If such
election be held after February first, nineteen hundred and four, then
said abstract of the vote and copy of the findings of the commissioners
shall be so certified to the judge of the circuit court of said county.
Said judge, on consideration of said abstract of vote and findings, cither
during term or in vacation, if he shall be of opinion that at said elec-
tion a majority of the votes cast were so cast in favor of the proposition
submitted, shall so declare and so certify to the board of supervisors.

3. If it shall be so determined that a majority of the votes cast in
such election were in favor of the issue of bonds for road improvement,
then the board of supervisors shall proceed at once to issue the bonds
of the county in the amount specified in the order of court submitting
the question to a vote of the people.

4. Said bonds may be cither registered or coupon bonds, shall bear
interest at a rate not excceding four per centum per annum and pavy-
able semi-annually, and the principal shall be made payable in not less
than twenty nor more than fifty vears. from the date thereof. Said
bonds shall be signed by the chairman of the board of supervisors. at-
tested by the county clerk, and have affixed thereto, or impressed thereon,
the seal of the county court of the county, which seal, for the pur-
poses of this act, shall be deemed the seal of the county.

In all other respects, the terms and form of said bonds shall be such
as the board of supervisors shall prescribe.

All bonds issued under this act shall be made exempt from taxation
for all county purposes.
5. All of said bonds may be issued and sold at once, or they may be
issued and: sold in series as the proceeds thereof may be needed for the
purposes of this act, but said bonds shall not be sold at a price less than
the par value thereof. If issued in series, the time of payment of the
bonds of the several series may be different.

G. The board of supervisors shall levy an annual tax to pay the in-
terest on said bonds, and provide for the payment of the principal sums
thereof when dug, by creating and maintaining a sinking fund for that
purpose.

7. The proceeds of said bonds shall be held and used as a fund for
the construction of permanent roads in the county of Charlotte, and
shall be known as the permanent road fund.

8. The Charlotte county road board shall select certain roads in the
county running, as near as may be practicable, through the length and
breadth of said county, and cause the roads so selected to be constructed
of stone, gravel, or sand in a substantial and permanent manner. It
shall prepare and adopt specifications for such road work, and may buy
machinery, tools, and materials for the work, employ engineers, super-
intendents, and laborers, and make contracts for the construction of
the roads. It may change the location of roads, and upon its appli-
cation to the board of supervisors the said board of supervisors shall
proceed, under the present road law of the county, to acquire the right
of way necessary to make such changes of location. The entire work
shall be placed under the supervision of a competent engineer.

9. All proper bills contracted by the road board under this act shall
be first audited and approved by it and transmitted to the board of su-
pervisors, who shall order the payment thereof out of the permanent
road fund, if found proper and correct.

10. When work under this act is completed the road board shall turn
over to the board of supervisors all tools, machinery, teams, and mate-
Tial on hand.

11. The permanent road fund may be placed in such repository, or
repositories, as the board of supervisors, with the concurrence of the
Toad board, may select: provided, however, that if such fund is de-
posited elsewhere than with the county treasurer, then the person or
corporation receiving said fund shall, before receiving the same, enter
into bond with security to be approved by said boards, payable to the
Commonwealth, in a penalty equal to the largest sum which may he
so received or held at any time, and shall receive no compensation for
recelving or paying out the said fund.

If said fund is deposited with the county treasurer, then that officer
shall receive as compensation for receiving and paying out the same
such commission as may be agreed upon with the board of supervisors,
which shall not exceed one per centum of the amount so received,

12. This act shall not be deemed or construed to interfere with or
suspend the operation of the road law for the county of Charlotte now
in force.

13. This act shall be in force from its passage.