Chap. 393.—An ACT for the permanent improvement of roads in Stevensburg
magisterial district of Culpeper county, and in such other districts as may
adopt the same.

Approved February 19, 1896.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That when-
ever not less than five land owners interested in macadamizing or
otherwise improving a public road of not less than one mile in
length shall petition. the road board of Stevensburg magisterial dis-
trict, in Culpeper county, to have said road macadamized or other-
wise improved, and shall consent that the real estate owned by them
in said district and designated in said petition shall be taxed under
a special levy at a rate not exceeding two dollars on the hundred
dollars, but sufficient to secure the payment of the cost of improve-
ment in five years, said road board shall give said road a name by
which it shall subsequently be known, and at the cost of the district
road fund cause a survey of the said road to be made with an esti-
mate of the cost of properly macadamizing or otherwise improving
said road.

2. If the cost of macadamizing or otherwise improving said road
does not exceed ten dollars on the one hundred dollars of the
assessed real estate of the petitioners said road board shall then
issue its bonds for the amount considered necessary, to be signed by
the chairman and clerk of the board, payable in one, two, three, four,
and five years, bearing interest from date and not exceeding six per
centum per annum, and designated as (name of road) road bonds,
and use the same or the proceeds in macadamizing or otherwise
improving said road as hereinafter provided, but said bonds are not
to be sold at less than par.

3. Said road board shall then levy a special tax upon the said real
estate of the petitioners at such rate, not exceeding two dollars on
the one hundred dollars, as shall in five years pay off the cost of
macadamizing or otherwise improving the said road, which said levy
shall be collected as other district road taxes are collected. If, how-
ever, said taxes are not paid by the first of December of each year a
penalty of five per centum will be added as on other taxes, which
penalty shall go to the treasurer. Said taxes shall be paid by the
treasurer to the said road board, which is required to keep the same
on special deposit, to be known as the (name of road) road improve-
ment fund, and to be paid out on the order of said road board, and
to be applied to the payment and extinguishment of the bonds as
aforesaid. The lands owned by the petitioners and set out in their
petition shall be liable to the lien of said taxes so assessed for the
five years, and a copy of the said petition recorded in the deed
books of the clerk’s office of the county and indexed in the name of
each petitioner shall be notice of such lien, and shall bind the said
lands in the hands of subsequent purchasers and be good against
creditors, no charges to be made by the clerk for services under this
section, and no tax to be collected for the state.

4. Said special levy not to exceed beyond five years, and to cease
before that time if said bonds shall be previously paid.

5. The petitioners shall select two persons, who, with the super-
visor for the said district, shall have full power in contracting for
and supervising the construction and acceptance of said work,
employing such persons and contracting for such things as may be
necessary. Said three persons shall be a body politic and known es
(name of road) road commissioners, and by such name may sue and
be sued in all matters pertaining to the contract, improvement, and
acceptance of the work; the bonds or proceeds of said bonds, as
aforesaid, only to be delivered or paid over to the contractors upon
the written direction of a majority of the said road commissioners.
No compensation shall be made to the persons representing the peti-
tioners, but the road board for the said district shall, out of the road
fund, pay to the supervisor such compensation for his services as the
two remaining commissioners shall certify he is entitled to, not to
exceed one dollar per half-day for the time engaged.

6. The cost of macadamizing or otherwise improving any road
under this act shall not average less than five hundred dollars per
mile, nor exceed two thousand dollars per mile.

7. Said road commissioners shall have power to let said road to
contract to be done according to specifications, or have the same done
by day labor, and to have full authority to do whatever may in their
judgment be necessary for the proper execution and completion of
the work.

8. The regular county and district road and bridge taxes assessed
against said petitioners on the lands set out in their petition are to
be retained by them annually until the amounts of the special assess-
ments and levies paid by them under this act are paid in full, with
interest thereon.

9. Said district road board may agsist in the improvement by fur-
nishing any of its road or rock machinery without compensation.

10. Any other magisterial district, or districts, of Culpeper county
may adopt the provisions of this act and make it apply to said dis-
trict, or districts, by the unanimous vote of its road board.
11. The road law now in force in Culpeper county is not repeale:
except as it may conflict with this act.
12. This act shall be in force from its passage.