Chap. 267.—An ACT to Authorize the Board of Supervisors for Craig
County to Contract for Keeping in Repair so much of Price’s Turn-
pike Road as lies in said County.

Approved March 28, 1873.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly, That it shall be
lawful for the board of supervisors of Craig county, from time
to time, to advertise that they will, on a specified day, receive
proposals for keeping in repair, for a period not exceeding two
years at a time, so much of the road known as Price’s turnpike
road as lies within the county of Craig, extending from the
Craig and Botetourt line, at or near the top of Caldwell’s
mountain, to Mrs. Scott's, at or near the eastern base of Price’s,
or (a3 it is sometimes called) the Seven mile mountain; said
road to be kept in such tollable repair as was required by the
original act or acts of incorporation, and the contractor to be
also required to keep, maintain and operate, at the crossing of
Craig’s creek on said road, at all times when the said creek is
not easily and safely fordable, a ferry boat or boats suitable
for the easy and safe transportation of all passengers, freights,
wagons and other vehicles, and all live stock which may travel
said road. And for the purpose of obtaining funds to defray
the cost of keeping said road in repair, and maintaining and
operating said ferry boats, the said supervisors may authorize
the contractors, or other persons appointed by them, to erect
on said road not exceeding two toll gates—one at some point
east of Craig’s creek, and the other at some point west of said
creek and not within less than five miles from the former gate,
and to receive such tolls as the said supervisors may prescribe:
provided, the said tolls shall not, in the aggregate, exceed at
any time the amount necessary to be expended in repairs and
in defraying the reasonable expenses of levying such tolls, and
maintaining and operating said ferry boats; and provided, also,
that they shall in no case exceed at either gate the rate of tolls
that were allowed to the original proprietor of said road. Upon
the receipt of such proposals, the said supervisors are autho-
rized to accept the bid which they deem best for the interest
of the people. The said board may thereupon enter into con-
tract with the party or parties whose proposal may be accepted,
to keep the said road in repair, and keep, maintain and operate
said ferry boats according to agreement, requiring proper bond
and security for the performance of the stipulations, which said
contract, before it shall be binding, shall be subject to the
ratification or disapproval of the county court of Craig county.
If the court disapprove thereof, it shall be set aside; but the
contract may be altered or modified, with the consent of the
parties thereto, until ratified by said court, and thereupon it
shall have the force and effect of a legal obligation, and suits
may be instituted and maintained thereon against said super-
visors or contractors for any breach thereof.

2. Any contractor or other person authorized to receive tolls
under this act shall have the same remedies against persons
who fail or refuse to pay the tolls legally charged against them
that were provided by law in behalf of the original proprietor
of said road.

3. Every such contractor shall at the end of each year render
an account, under oath, of the tolls received by him, including
such as he may not have collected; and also an account, under
oath, of all the expenses necessarily incurred by him in keep-
ing said road in repair and maintaining said ferry boats, and
shall settle with the said board of supervisors ; which accounts
and settlement shall by the supervisors be returned to and
filed in the office of the clerk of the county court.

4, If such contractor shall at any one time fail, for the space
of ten days, to keep any part of his said road in tollable order,
or shall at any time fail to keep and maintain in operation the
said ferry boats at the crossing of Craig’s creek when the said
creek is not easily and safely fordable, his right to receive and
collect the tolls herein allowed, at either toll gate, shall cease,
and shall not be revived without an express order of the county
court of said county.

5. This act shall be in force from its passage, and shall at all
times be subject to modification or repeal at the pleasure of
the general assembly.