CHAP. 563.—An ACT to provide for cleaning out and removing
obstructions from the Appomattox river, between the county
oo Vrince Edward and the counties of Buckingham and Cum-

rland.

Approved March 1, 1892.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia,
That it shall be lawful for the board of supervisors of
Prince Edward county, and for the board of supervisors
of Buckingham county, and for the board of supervisors
of Cumberland county, Virginia, each to impose, levy and
cause to be collected an annual tax of twelve cents per
acre upon all lowlands subject to overflow lying within
their respective counties on Appomattox river, from the
point where said river begins to be the dividing line be-
tween the county of Prince Edward and the county of
Buckingham, to the point where it begins to be the di-
viding line between the county of Cumberland and
the county of Amelia, and apply said taxes so col-
lected to the purpose of cleaning out and removing the
obstructions from said river along its course as it flows
between the county of Prince Edward, on the one side,
and the counties of Buckingham and Cumberland on the
other. ,

2. The said board of supervisors shall cause the said
river, where it is the dividing line between said counties,
to be laid off and divided into such numbers of districts
as they may deem best, and upon the application of a ma-
jority of the owners of the lands on either side of said
river subject to taxation under section first of this act,
shall appoint one or more persons as overseer or overseers
of river improvement, and shall ascertain and determine
what portion of said river such person or persons 80 ap-
pointed shall have in charge for the purpose of cleaning
out and removing obstructions from the same. The said
boards of supervisors, for the purpose of laying off said
river into districts and appointing said overseer or over-
seers of river improvement, may meet annually jointly at
some convenient place in either of said counties previously
agreed on, or may appoint committees of their respective
boards so to do; the action of such joint meeting or the
report of said committees, when made to their respective
boards and approved, shall be recorded in the minutes of
such boards.

3. It shall be the duty of such overseer or overseers of
river improvement, when so appointed, to ascertain the
owners of lands in their respective districts which are
liable to overflow by said river, and the number of acres
owned by each, and make report thereof in writing to the
board of supervisors of the county in which such land lies.

4. The said board of supervisors shall, upon receiving
said report, cause to be made out against each of said
owners of land so reported a tax ticket at twelve cents per
acre for each acreof land so reported, and deliver the same
for collection to the overseer of river improvement making
said report, and take his receipt therefor. But such over-
seer of river improvement shall not receive said tax tickets
until he shall have entered into bond, with approved se-
curity before such board of supervisors, payable to them,
in a penalty double the amount of all of said tax tickets
so received by him, and conditioned faithfully to account
to said board of supervisors for all collections to be made
by him on said tax tickets, and faithfully to discharge the
duties of his office.

5. The said overseer or overseers of river improvement
shall proceed to collect said taxes, and may levy for the
same on any personal property, not exempt by law, found
upon the land of the owner of lands so taxed, and shall,
out of the moneys so collected, proceed to remove from the
Appomattox river, within his district, all obstructions in
said river and clean out said river.

6. The compensation of said overseer of river improve-
ment shall be one dollar and fifty cents per day for every
day in which he shall be actually engaged in ascertaining
the number of acres of land and the owners thereof, in col-
lecting said tax, and in removing the obstructions and
cleaning out said river in his district. Each overseer of
river improvement shall annually, or oftener if so re-
quired, file before the board of supervisors of each of said
counties an itemized account, verified by his affidavit, of
his receipts and disbursements under this act, and return
therewith any tax tickets not collected by him.

7. Any person so assessed with taxes may pay the same
in work or labor, or materials for use by such overseer of
improvement, at prices to be agreed upon between such
overseer of improvement and such land owner, and when
this is done the report of such overseer, provided for in the
sixth section of this act, shall show the terms of such con-
tract and the manner in which it was complied with.

8. Any person felling trees or putting obstructions in
said river where it is the dividing line between the county
of Prince Edward and the county of Buckingham or the
county of Cumberland, and who shall fail to remove the
same within ten days after notice by the overseer of river
improvement in which such tree or obstruction may be,
shall be, upon conviction, fined not less than one nor
more than five dollars by a justice of either of said coun-
ties for each offence, which fine shall be collected by such
overseer of river improvement, which fine shall be used by
him in removing such obstruction.

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