Chap. 253.—An ACT to amend and re-enact sections 24 and 25 of an act
entitled an act to provide the establishment, proper construction, and
permanent improvement of the public roads and landings, for building
and keeping in good order and repair all public roads, bridges, cause-
ways, and wharves in the several counties of the State, and to repeal
chapter 43 of the Code of Virginia approved March 12, 1904. [S B 232]

Approved March 15, 1918.

Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That sec-
tions twenty-four and twenty-five of an act entitled an act to pro-
vide the establishment, proper construction, and permanent im-
provement of the public roads and landings, for building and
keeping in good order and repair all public roads, bridges, cause-
ways, and wharves, in the several counties of the State, and to
repeal chapter forty-three of the Code of Virginia approved March
twelfth, nineteen hundred and four, be amended and re-enacted to
read as follows:

24. The board of supervisors of one county may notify the
board of supervisors of any other county that a road is necessary
from the line of the former to a place in the latter, or that a
bridge and causeway, or either, is necessary over a place between
the two or more counties. If the board, or boards, to which such
notification is sent concurs, or concur, in this opinion, it shall, in
the former case, proceed in like manner as when a person applies
to have a road established; and in the latter it shall appoint three
commissioners to meet at such place between the two or more coun-
ties, on a certain day and agree with commissioners of the other
board, or boards, as to the manner and conditions of doing the
work. Upon this order being communicated to the former board,
it shall make a similar appointment.

The persons so appointed shall, after such conferences, report
the result thereof to the board of supervisors by which they are
respectively appointed. Upon such report being made, each of the
boards shall direct the same, or any other commissioners, not ex-
ceeding three from each county, to unite with commissioners of the
other board, or boards, in receiving proposals for doing the work
in such manner and on such conditions as may have been agreed
on by the commissioners, or in any other manner, or upon any
other conditions, that may be concurred in by the boards.

25. If the board, or boards, to which such notification is sent,
fail to appoint viewers, or commissioners, or if any board fail, in
any respect, to do on its own part what should be done towards
the work, the remedy by mandamus shall lie before the circuit court
of the other county, and the circuit court shall compel the board,
or boards, of supervisors complained of to do what ought to be
done in the matter. If it appears from the report of the commis-
sioners of either or any of the counties that it would not be equit-
able for the counties to bear the expenses of said bridge equally, the
board of supervisors of said counties may agree upon an equitable
division of such expense. If, however, the said boards cannot apree,
the board of supervisors of either or any of the counties may take
an appeal of right from the action of the board of the other county.
or counties, to the circuit court of said first named county, which
circuit court shall hear evidence and determine, first whether the
bridge is needed; and, secondly, in what manner the expense thereof
should be divided between the counties; provided, that any pro-
ceedings heretofore commenced in any county court looking to the
establishment of a bridge between counties shall be proceeded with
by the board of supervisors of the respective counties, subject to
right of appeal or mandamus as herein set forth.