The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, March 10, 1917, Image 2
Pastod By General Assembly Allow* Townships
flfr Ys*e Bonds for Rood Improvement and Automo?
bile Tu WH1 Go Towards Paying Interest and
Hinjfjajg Fund?Provisions of Bill.
The following bill was Introduced
by the Surater delegatlo-i in the leg?
islature and passed during the re?
cant session. The only changes from
the bill, en drawn up. were mude by
Senator R d Eppu, who had it
emended so that only the licenses un
nUtomobllee of persons living withi.i
a township issuing bonds would go
towards saying Interest on the bonds
and creating a sinking fund to ro
deem the bond at maturity. A fur?
ther amendment w?s made that,
afcaulu the State Highway measure
pans and the State issue automobile
i3"a. preventing the county from
them, the eighty per cent of
license tax on the automobile re?
turned to the county should be used
to pay interest, or towards a slnklmr
fund. If the township where tho own?
er of the automobilo lived had issued
tarring bonds, on the paving bonds
leaned, or towards Improving the
roads In that township, if paving
bends were not Issued.
v A BILL
To Authorise and Provide for the Is?
sue of Bonds by (he Towns hi pti in
flumter County for Improvement to
Highways, and to Provide for th*
Expenditure of the Proceeds There?
of, and for Vehicle Licenses and a
Property Tax to Pa, the Same, the
Total Issue for Any Township Not
to Exceed Eight Per Centum of the
Total Assessed Value o; the Prop?
erty Therein.
Bo It Enacted by the General As?
sembly of the State of South Caro?
tin. 1. That upon a petition there
far, submitted to the Commission ?r
hereinafter provided for, signed by
?of less than twenty per cent of the
qualified electors of any township in
flumter county, the said commission
shall order an election to be held tn
said township upon three weeks'
publication, whereat there, shall be
submitted to the qualified electors of
such township the question of wheth?
er or not such township shall Issue
bonds not exceeding in amount eight
per centum of the total assessed val
ue of the property therein, for the
pu po?e of permanent highway lm- i
provement; that the said election shall!
be held tn each township petition.nj
therefor, respectively, in the saruv
manner as the utst general election
for the State ofnoers, and tho Com
mlsstoners of Election appointed to
serve la the last said general election
shall act as Commissioners of Klo ?
tten for tho election herein ordered;
that tho form of the ballots in such
election for these tn favor of said
Issue shall be. "Shall thU town
Issue bonds, not exceeding In
amount eight per centum of the as
sensad value of the property herein,
fur the perpoee of pemanent highway
improvement??Tea." And the form
of the ballots In such election for
those opposed to said bond Issue shall
be, "Shall this township issue bonds,
not exceeding in amount eight per
centum of the assessed value of the
property herein, for the purpose or
permanent highway Improvement * -
No." That the said election shall be
held at the same polling places as
wars used st raid last general elec?
tion, and all p?rsons qualified to vote
In said last general election shall be
qualified to vote therein: Provided*
however, That each qualified elector
shall vote In the nearest polling pbice
In the township wherein he rest.lei.
Irrespective of the polling pla <? at
which he formerly voted, and that
no person ?hall vote at any polling
place located without the bOIWdaftaf
of the township wherein he resides.
Sec. 3. That each township where
la said election shall result in favor
of tho Issue of said bonds, shall same
coupon bonds for permanent highway
improvement In said township; the
bonds to be of such denominations,
and to be Issued at such time or times
and to such an amount, or to *u??b
amount*, as tho cornmlnsion herein?
after provided for nay determine In
Us judgment and discretion, such Is?
sue not to exceed for each township
eight per centum of the assjsasjsd ml
ue of the taxable property in such
township at the time said bonds nr*
Issued: Provided, That the proceeds
from the bunds Issued by each town ?
snip shall be used solely for the per?
manent Improvement of the highway
In such townships; except that should
mid bonds be Issued bf Sumte/ tonn
ship, In said county, the said com?
mission may. In thol?? discretion, ap?
ply a portion of the proceeds there?
from to the Improvement of tb.<
sjsstirn half of the road known at
tho Bishopvllle road, where it divlle*
gumter township from Provident
township,
flag* I, Tho persons, herflnaittr
named shall constitute a Board of
Commissioners, to he known as "The
Sumter County Commission for High?
way Improvement," and shall have
chuige of the carrying out cf tho
provisions of this Act. In case of a
I vacancy on said commission by death,
resignation or otherwise, such va?
cancy shall lie filled by appointment
by the governor, upon recommenda?
tion of the majority of the members of
the General Assembly from Sumter
County, and the governor shall have
power to remove any member for
cause and u nil the vacancy as above
provided for. The commission shall
serve for a term of three years, and
until their successors are appointed
and qualified. Each member shall
give bond in some approved company,
doing business In this State, under the
laws thereof, In the sum of ten thou?
sand dollars, from time the bends are
issued to the time the proceeds there?
of nre expended and accounted for;
and the commission may require
bonds of its employees, In its discre?
tion, the premium of all bonds to bj
paid from the funds derived from said
bond issues, and to be charged up
against each township in proportion to
tho amount issued thereby. Upon
the expiration of the term of office of
the members of said commission the
governor shall appoint their suc?
cessors upon the recommendation of
the majority of the members of th*
General Assembly from Sumter coun?
ty.
Sec. 4. The commission shall hnv
power to elect a secretary with such
duties as the commission may Impose,
and to employ an attorney and aay
other persons whose services be re?
quired for the purposes of this Art,
at compensation to be fixed by the
commission, and shall employ an en?
gineer or engineers, with such super*
lntendents and assistants as may be
deemed advisable, who shall be sfcll!?
ed and experienced in scientific .-on J
construction, and who shall be pa hi
such salaries an may be fixed by the
commission, all compensation here?
in provided for to be paid from the1
proceeds of said bonds, and such ex?
penses or salaries as relate to the
construction or improvement of toads
In each township shall be charged
against the bonds Issued by that
township, and such salaries as rstfttS
to the general operation of this A?'t
and of such commission shall be
charged to each of the townships In
proportion to the amount of bonos Is?
sued by them, respectively. The mem?
bers of said commission shall re?
ceive no compensation for their du?
ties thereon. The commission shall
not employ In any capacity any p??r
son related by blood or marrlago tu
any member of the commission wit h?
in sixth degree: Provided, furies*.
Thst the commission may accept the
service of road experts tendered 1 v
the Federal government.
Sec. D. The commission shall lo
cate or relocate each of the hier';
ways to bo Improved under the pre
visions of this Act, with due regard
to distance and grade, and shall have
full power to condemn lands and ac?
quire rights of way in the same man?
ner as tho County Boards of Com?
missioners are now auth rh.jd by law
to condemn lands and acquire rights
of way. (
Sec. C. Tho commission may build
or Improve any section of road or
roads now existing in any of the
townships of the county of Sumter
Issuing said bonds, or may open HOW
roads or parts of roads therein by
contract or with hired labor, under the
supervision and direction of Its em?
ployees. Before letting any contract
for work, material or supplies it Shfttl
advertise for bids, and shall let the
rame to tho lowest responsible bid?
der, or may reject any or all bids.
Sec. 7. The commission shall have
full discretionary powers SI to What
highways are to be built or improv?
ed, and in what tMMttter such high"
ways shall be built ??r improved, and
of what material *aid highways .?h?ll
he ballt or improved: Provided,
That such material used shall he
brick, cement or o*her peimav-nt
road material: Provided, farther,
That the proceeds from the issue of
bonds by one township shall not be!
used within another towmhip. M< cpt
as to the Blshopville road, above re?
ferred to.
Sec. I. The Commission shall, ftl
the close of each fiscal year, make a
full report of its transactions during
thr-t year, Including an itemized State?
ment of the moneys resolved ami rile
burned for whatever purpose-, said re
port to be filed with the Clerk of Court
for Sumter county, and to be sub?
mitted by the Clerk of Court to the
Circuit Judge presiding at the next
No matter how good your car may be?
ft * i V ! S i't I I ft
you must have
Good Service!
First of all, of course,
you want to get the very
best car obtainable. But it
is also as important that
you get a car backed up by
the right kind of dealer
service.
There is certain to be
more or less attention
needed in time?accidents
may occur ? and when
such things do happen you
want to know that your
car will not be put out of
use for any length of time.
We keep an adequate
supply of replacement
parts on hand at all times.
Also any part that we
might not have may be se?
cured by us from the Max?
well Motor Company
within twenty-four hours.
This Service makes sure
that your Maxwell Car
gives you the perfect satis?
faction it is capable of giv?
ing. It removes any doubt
about your finding the
Maxwell as remarkable in
performance as thousands
of other owners are report?
ing.
A good car?we believe
the very best in the light
car field?backed by Good
Service ? these are worth
while reasons why you
should consider the Max?
well Car before you buy.
We are also prepared to
take care of owners of
former models of the Max?
well
CONSOLIDATED AUTO COMPANY
$
635
F. O. B. DETROIT
ensuing session of the Court of ( ion- I
eral Sessions for said county, and by
him submitted to the grand jury for
investigation. The grand jury ahull
make an examination of the books,
papers and accounts, and the work of
he said Commission, as now required
by law to be made of the county of?
ficers, and shall appoint a certified
accountant to assist in said examina?
tion, if they deem It advisable.
Sec. 9. The Commission shall of?
fer the bonds issued under this Act
for sale in such manner as they may
deem to the best Interest of the re- j
spective townships issuing; them. Said
bonds may be issued partially or en?
tirely as terminal coupon bonds, ma?
turing in forty years from the date
of issue, or partially or entirely a
serial bonds payable annually In such
series as the Commission may de?
termine: Provided, That the Com?
mission shall have full power, if
deemed advisable, by it, In the issu?
ance of terminal coupon bonds, to
provide the same may be called ii
after a period of years, which period
of years shall be set forth In said J
bonds. Said bonds of either or both
classes as aforesaid, shall be signed by
the members of the Commission, or
a majority of them as such Commis?
sion, and countersigned by the Sec?
retary: Provided, That the signatures
may be lithographed or engraved up?
on the coupons of the said bonds.
Said bonds are to be made pa yah 1
at such place or places as the Com?
mission may determine, and shall he |
exempt from taxation. The bonds to'
be Issued by any of said townships!
shall show upon their face for what
township said bonds are issued, and
? he liability incurred thereby shall
extend only to the township named
therein, except the liability for th<
license tax on vehicles hereinarte
provided.
Sec. 10. The funds arising from
the ?alle of said bonds shall he held
subject to the warrants Of the Com?
mission. Paid warrants Shall be
signed by the Commission, or by such,
member thereof as the Commission
may designate, und countersigned bv
the secretary, Of shall be signed DH
may be Otherwise provided by the
Commission, and shall be drawn pay?
able to the person or poisons to
whom funds muy from time to time
re due under this Aet, as said work
prasjreeeeS) and Is approved by the
i Commission and its engineer, and
each warrant shall show the items
for which payment Is made.
Sec. II, In order to pay the inter?
est on said bonds und provide for the
I redemption of the same af maturity,
{ the County Auditor for Suinter county
is hereby directed and required to
assess and levy, immediately, upon
the Issuing of the said bonds by an>
township, and each year during the
period of said bond issue, or such
I other bonds as may be subsequently
I issued tinder this Act, and any Act.*
amendatory hereto, a license fco on
alt resident owners of all horse
drawn vehicles (which term shall in?
clude all vehicles drawn by live stock)
and of automobiles, motorcycles or j
other power vehicles in the county of I
Su niter, said license fee to be titty j
cents per horse power per year. Fori
the purpose of this Act in the case j
of horse-drawn vehicles, "horse-pow- |
er" shall be deemed and construed to'
mean the number of horses ordin?r-:
ily used in drawing the vehicle so 11-1
censed, one-horse power being assess- J
ed and collected for each horse used
to draw such vehicle subject to such
assessment and license; and in case
of automobiles, motorcycles and oth?
er power vehicles, such horse power
is to bo determined by the standard
j tables for rating horse power on each
of said vehicles. Every license so as?
sessed shall be a first Hen upon each
of said horse-drawn vehicles, auto- J
mobiles, motorcycles, or other power
vehicles, and upon all the other prop?
erty of the owner . against whom It
may have been levied as an assess
J ment for a license and the County
j Treasurer, upon tho failure of the
I owner to pay said license, shall issue
execution therefor as in the case of
other assessments and taxes; and it
shall be the duty of every resident
owner of any and every horse-drawn
vehicle, automobile, motorcycle of
t other power vehicle in said county to
? report such vehicle or vehicles
j owned and not to use the same until
j so reported lor license assessment, and
any resident owner failing to m;'!<'*
such report, giving the name or names
thereof, and the rated horse power a*
hereinbefore provided, or using any
such vehicle in said county without
I having reported the same, as afore
I said, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor,
j and, upon conviction, shnll he lined j
not less than ten dollars, and not |
more than one hundred dollars, '*r
be imprisoned for not leas than tell
days nor more than thirty days, tho;
fine to go to the road fund herein pro
vlded for, and to he credited to the,
township issuing bonds in proportion
to the. amount of bonds issued: Pro
! vided, That any regular dealer in j
I horse-drawn vehicles, automobiles, j
I motor cycles or other power vehkk . |
resident in the county, and having a
license to sell the same therein, shall
not be required to pay a license on
such vehicles that are for sale, and
not in actual use: Provided, That the
term "resident owners" herein shul!
Include any and every person, firm or
cotporation, whether resident or non?
resident, owning or operating regular?
ly within the said county any such
vehicle: And provided, further, That
such report of ownership and horse
power of any and every such vehicle
shall be made to the County Auditor
before the first day of May next suc?
ceeding the Issuing of bonds by any
township, and thereafter each and
every year within the time provided,
by law for the return of personal
property for taxation.
Sec. 12. It shall be the duty of tho
Auditor lor Sumter county, after
making uf the statement of tho to?
tal number of horse-drawn vehicles,
automobiles, motorcycles and other
power vehicles licenses for the coun?
ty, to ascertain whether or not the
proceeds will be a sum sufficient to
paj* the interst on the outstanding
bonds and to provide eleven dollar?
for each thousand dollars of outstand?
ing bonds as sinking fund for the re?
tirement of the same at maturity, and
in making such statement and com?
putation the said County Auditor
shall distribute and divide the total
amount of said licenses among tht
townships issuing bonds in such man?
ner as to credit the same to sali)
townships in proportion to the amount
of outstanding bonds; and in case the
amount distributable to any township
falls short of such sum or fails in
whole or In part for any reason what?
soever arising out of the provisions of
this Act of any and every nature
whatsoever, or otherwise, then It *htu1
be the duty of the County Audito:
each year to levy upon the property
taxable in each of such township*
wherein the shortage occurs, respec?
tively, a tax sufficient to make up
such deficiency or failure in amoiuu
and to provide the total sum require!
for the payment of the current an?
nual interest on the outstanding
bonds, and the sum of not less than
eleven dollars as an anneal ?taking,
fund for every thousand dollars <?f
principal of outstanding bonds f<??
the payment of interest as the sanp
shall fall due, and for the accumn
latton of a fund sufficient for tlie pay
ment and redemption of said bond
at maturity, in each of said townships,
respectively. Said licenses or taxes,
er licenses and taxes, shall be col?
lected annually by the County Trous
urer at the time when other State
and county taxes are din* and'cei
lectible, and placed by him to the^
credit of each township issuing bonds'
in proportion to the amount of bonds
outstanding and applied by him in
I the payment of the interest on said
bonds as the same may fall due, and
the surplus shall be preserved as a
fund for the payment and redemp?
tion of the said bonds, and such sink?
ing fund shall be Invested by the said
j County Treasurer by depositing the
I same in one or more banks of the
city of Sumter, such bank or banks
to be selected by him as will pay the
highest interest on the deposit.
Sec. 13. It shall be the duty of
the Commission to make a com?
plete census of all of the resident
owners of all vehicles as aforesaid,
within the county, and of such ve?
hicles as soon as practicable after this
Act goes into effect, and each year,
I while the Commission continues, it
I shall check the work of the County
I Auditor and Treasurer, and see that
the full vehicle license fees are levied
and collected; and the Auditor shall
take a census each and every year of
all the resident owners of such ve?
hicles, and of the vehicles, and shall
ascertain whether they ?ave made
proper returns of their liability for
the said license fees, and shall prose?
cute, criminally, all owners using
such vehicles without having prop?
erly returned the same for license
fees as aforesaid.
Sec. 14. Should, at any time in the
future, twenty per cent, of the quali?
fied electors of any of said townships
petition for an election upon the ques?
tion of issuing bonds for road im?
provement, or for increasing an exist?
ing issue, within the limitation passed
by the Constitution, the Commission
herein provided for, or a majority
thereof, shall order the same, and said
election shall be held, and should It
result in favor of tho issuing of said
bonds, then all of the provisions of
this Act shall attach and apply
Profided, however, That said election
should not be held in any township
oftener than once in two years.
Sec. 15. That the Commission here?
in provided for shall consist of L l>.
Jennings, Chairman, and J. P. Dooth,
and \V. Lt. Parier and O. V. Keels a*
Commissioners, and County Supervisor
of Sumter county.
Sec. lt>. That all Acts and parts of
Acts inconsistent with this Act are
hereby repealed.
Sec. 17. That this Act shall ge
into effect immediately upon its ap?
proval by the governor,