Chap. 174.—An ACT to provide for the improvement of public roads in Shenan-
doah county, etc.

Approved April 24, 1903.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That the board
of supervisors of Shenandoah county, Virginia, be, and they are hereby,
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authorized to issued bonds in the name and on behalf of the county of
Shenandoah, or any magisterial district therein, to be called road im-
provement bonds, for a sum not exceeding one hundred thousand dollars
for the county, or one-sixth thereof for any magisterial district, not bear-
ing a greater rate of interest than five per centum per annum, and to sell
the same, but in no case for less than par, and with the proceeds thereof
macadamize or otherwise improve such leading roads in said county as
shall be deemed best bv said board of supervisors, or in the said district
as the road board of said district shall deem best.

2. That the bonds issued under this act shall be coupon bonds for not
less than two hundred dollars, nor more than one thousand dollars, each
payable in not less than ten nor more than thirty years from date, bearing
interest pavable annually, at a rate not exceeding five per centum per an-
num, with the right to redeem any of said bonds after the expiration of
five years at the option of said board. Said bonds shall be issued in the
name of said county or district, shall be signed by the chairman of the
board of supervisors of said county, or the supervisors of said district,
and attested by the clerk of the county court. Said bonds shall be re-
ceivable at maturity for all claims and taxes of the said county and dis-
trict, except school taxes.

3. All moneys realized from the sale of said bonds shall be received by
the county treasurer of said county and drawn out on warrants of the
said board of supervisors, or the road board of said district.

4. Said bonds and coupons, issued under the provisions of this act, shall
be redeemable at the office of the county treasurer of said county, and
when paid by him or received for taxes shall be marked “paid” and can-
celled, and said bonds shall be also exempt from all county taxes.

5. The board of supervisors shall provide a fund for the payment of
the interest and create a sinking fund to be applied to the payment of
these bonds, issued under this act, at maturity, which fund shall be left in
the treasurer’s hands for that purpose. But said county treasurer shall
receive for his services under this act only one per centum on the funds
received on said bonds, and so held by him to meet the same.

6. But the board of supervisors shall not issue any bonds herein pro-
vided for until it has ordered a special election for the purpose, and sub-
mitted the question of issuing bonds under this act to the qualified voters
of Shenandoah county. They shall fix a time for holding said election,
publishing notice thereof for four successive weeks in some newspaper or
newspapers published in said county, and to be posted at each voting
place in said county.

7. It shall be the duty of the officers charged with conducting elections
in said county to hold an election when so directed by the board of super-
visors of said county in accordance with the provisions of this act. Said
election shall be by ballot, and shall he conducted as the board of super
visors shall prescribe. On each ballot shall be printed “for bonds,”

“against bonds.” Each voter shall be handed a ballot at the voting
places, and shall eX PTCss his choice by scratching from the ballot the
words “for bonds” if he wishes to vote against the issue and “against
bonds” if he wishes to vote for the issue.

8. The judges of each election precinct shall ascertain the wish of the
xeople by counting the ballots and certifying the result to the clerk of the
‘county court in the manner and form of other elections.

9. The commissioners of election shall canvass the returns Lhe second
lay after the election, and declare the results by magisterial districts.

10. The bonds provided for in this act shall be issued if the majority
yf the votes cast at said election is in favor thereof, otherwise the bonds
hall not be issued by the said county. But if there is a majority as afore-
aid in any one or more magisterial districts in favor of issuing said
yonds, then the board of supervisors shall issue bonds, but not exceeding
me-sixth of said one hundred thousand dollars for any one or more of
aid magisterial districts so voting for them.

11. If the bonds, or part thereof provided for under this act, be is-
ued, the county of Shenandoah shall not issue bonds for any other pur-
ose whatever, until at least one-half the bonds herein provided for have
een paid.

12. That the board of supervisors, in lieu of issuing bonds under the
onditions as heretofore provided, may, for the purpose of improving the
ublic roads of said county or building bridges, levy a tax each year not
xceeding fifty cents on each one hundred dollars of the taxable value
f the property of said county.

13. In the event, however, an election is ordered and the returns as
nade by the judges of election and as shown by the certificate of the com-
nissioners of election show that a majority of the qualified voters of said
ounty, or any magisterial district thereof, has voted in favor of the is-
uance of bonds as hereinbefore provided, then the said board of super-
isors shall be empowered to levy a tax of not lessthan ten cents on the one
undred dollars of the taxable value of the property of the said county,
hich: shall be applied specifically to the creation of the sinking fund as
ereinbefore described, and the payment of the annual interest on the
onds as issued, either by the county or districts, and, if the latter, then
he fund collected from that particular district or districts as levied for
he foregoing purposes shall be set apart for the creation of the sinking
und: and for the payment of the annual interest on said bonds as issued
y the said district or districts.

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