Chap. 290.—An ACT to provide for the maintenance and repair of the
roads and bridges in the county of Buckingham.

Approved March 4, 1884.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
the public roads and bridges now existing in the county of
Buckingham, and such as shall hereafter, from time to time,
be opened or built therein according to law, shall as to their
maintenance and repair, be under the control, direction,
and management of district boards of road commissioners.
Said boards shall consist, in each magisterial district, of the
supervisor, a justice of the peace of said district, to be
designated and removable by the county court, and a road
commissioner, who shall be a discreet. freeholder of the dis-
trict, and shall be chosen by the said supervisor and justice.
Should they fail to agree in such selection, the county court
shall choose between the two persons respectively designated
by them. The said board is hereby declared to be a body,
politic and corporate, under the name and style of the board
of road commissioners for district, in the county of
Buckingham, and in such name may sue and be sued, and
exercise all powers necessary for the performance of the
duties hereby imposed upon them, and be charged with the
performance of all the duties. The said boards shall be
authorized to assess upon all property in their respective dis-
tricts, such an amount of road tax annually, not exceeding
ten cents on the one hundred dollars of assessed value of such
property, as, with the labor hereinafter provided for, may be
necessary to keep all the public roads and bridges in such
district in good repair; and they shall have full power and
authority to enter into and execute agreements with the
proper authorities of adjoining counties, and with the boards
of adjoining districts in the county of Buckingham, for the
joint maintenance of such bridges and roads as may be partly
in the one, and partly in the other of such counties or districts ;
and where any county road is the boundary between two or
more road districts for any portion of its length, it is to be
maintained either in common, or one portion allotted to one,
and another to the other district or districts, as may be
agreed between them. If no agreement is made, it shall be
decided by the county court as to the proper allotment.
The said boards shall have authority to alter, establish, or
discontinue road precincts, and generally to adopt such rules
and regulations regarding the time and manner of working
the roads of their districts respectively, as to them may seem
best, and may, in their discretion, discontinue the public
maintenance of such local roads as may to them appear of no
general public use, but only desirable as private easements,
leaving such to be maintained by the individuals for whose
benefit they are kept open. The board shall designate such

number of overseers to work the roads as may be necessary,
and may cause any of the work on the roads or bridges in
the district to be let to contract from time to time. The
road commissioner shall bave general supervision of all the
roads and bridges of all road overseers and road contractors,
and see to it that the work on both bridges and roads is
thoroughly and properly done, and from time to time report
to his board as to their condition, and as to any neglect of
duty by either overseers or contractors.

2. Every male citizen of the district over sixteen years of
age, and under sixty years of aye, not considered by the
board physically incapable of service, shall be required to
work on the roads of his precinct or vicinage two days in
every year, and if he shall neglect, when notified, to render
this service, be shall be fined fifty cents for each day he shall
so fail, to be recovered on warrant before a justice, who may
commit the delinquent for ten daysif said fine, together with
the costs, be not sooner paid; but no such warrant shall issue
until demand and reasonable time given to pay the said fine:
provided that ministers of the gospel, practicing physicians,
and persons actually operating corn or flour grist mills, shall
not be liable to work on the public roads.

3. The members of the board of road commissioners shall
be authorized to receive for their services one dollar and a
half a day: provided that their pay for service on the board
shall not exceed nine dollars a year, and the road commis-
sioner shall be allowed a per diem of one dollar and fifty cents
for actual service upon the roads and bridges, on account
verified under oath, but not to exceed eighteen dollars. Said
board may allow one of their number an extra amount for
services as clerk, not to exceed five dollars, and they shall
provide him with such books and paper as may be needod.

4. The commissioners of the revenue for the county of
Buckingham shall be required to list the personal and real
property and tithables of the several districts separately, and
extend upon their books the amount of road tax assessed in
the respective districts each year. For which service they
shall have such allowance made them by the board of super-
visors as they shall deem reasonable.

3. The road tax is to be collected by the treasurer and his
deputies at the time and in the manner that other taxes and
levies are collected, and he shall account for the same to the
respective boards of road commissioners.

6. Should the board of road commissioners for any district
neglect or refuse to perform their duties under this act, they
shall be liable to presentment, or civil damages therefor, not
to exceed a sum proportionate to the means at their command,
for maintenance of roads, and so forth, and may by manda-
mus from the county court be compelled to perform their
duties.

7. Should the means provided by this act prove in any
manner deficient for the proper maintenance of any of the
bridges or roads in the county of Buckingham, the board of
supervisors of the county shall have power and authority to
supplement the district road tax out of the general levy, or
otherwise take such action as may guarantee to the people of
Buckingham good and safe roads and bridges.

8. The general road law of the state, so far as not in con-
flict with this act, shall continue in force in the county of
Buckingham.

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