Rensselaer Union, Volume 1, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 May 1869 — The Rail Boad Law. [ARTICLE]

The Rail Boad Law.

ttfittdk in tt»4 «M*Mf Jbnflfrhnr to Red BWtWN 1. Be M enacted by the denial AflbrtVv < u» 'Strtfi *f laritona. That ‘r’lj - a >Midbb than> prenented to tt»e H»wt rs C— lmltrienart es any ccautv In the State, al ant rejolor or npechl aescion there•r, signed by tent bnmirrd <*nerf Sweliold•raeC said eoenty, asking uid Board to m..ke •a of maney to aid a Railroad Company named la Meh petition, then duly orfwaiaed nnder the laws of this State, in the conetrnction of a Railroad 11 or through said county, or wlienerer tdch petition aha!! be presented to vith Board of Commiiwioiiera as atoreanid, signed by twenty -five freeholders es any township of such county, asking such township towroke an appropriation of money to sdda Haitmad Company named in such prtiltoa. and thou duly orranhod u aforesuld, in constructing a Kal'roaJ In or through such towipdsip, br Inking stock in, or donating moneylo snob-company ta an nmounl wpeciin such petition, not exceeding, however, I two yeverwtirm upon the amount of taxable property »f *weh oeunty or township, aa the ease may be, on the tax duplicate of liteconuty, deMservd to the Treasurer of lite county, for the pretMing year, it shall be the duty of such Board o(.Caii.n>Moners, after being satlafied titot suchgeUtloß bsyn properly signed by thejequlslle nOm’ier of Intoholders •fauch county or township ax aforesaid, to rouse the Rome to be entered st full length upon their records. 2. Tlte Boord of Commisriouer* ahsfl take said petition under advisement, end thereupon oid-r the polls at the several voting ptwm-s of the county)or of the particular towusbip, as the caae may be. to be opened nn a day to be named iu lire order, which shall uol be less <ms thirty nor mete than ixty days thereafter, end the votes of the legal voters of said counts, or ot the particular townihip named in euij petition, to be taken upon the subject ‘ es appropriating money by such county or ; by sueb township, for the purpose of aiding ' i n the tonstiuclpu of such Kail rood aa prayed for tn said petition The judges and insjiectors of election* shall be go re rued in the reception of votes by the laws I lien in force regulating general e.cctious. No speui <1 rejielry xliau t* cequired as preliminary to the eieclioua pmacribed by litis Act. but lire lost prcct dil-g election shall govern. r _.L

3. The Auditor, o! inch county, shall Immediately give notice, to be published for st least four weeks succesaively in aome newt-paper of general circulation ia the county, or, if none be published therein, in some c- wspapar most nnrronirer thereto, and by printed haudbifie to be posted ia three public p’aces* in each township of the county where a conntv appropriation is preyed for, «riu ten public places hi the particular towusbip where a township sppropriiliou io prayed for I j the petition; saiu handbills shall be posted by the .--heriff cl tbe county three weeks prior latte nay fined lor taking the vote of the county, or of tire particular township named I a uaid petition, as the case may be, as well as •aid newspaper publication shall notify the qualified voters of the county, or of the particular township, as the case may be, that the polls wIH be opened on the day r'xed by the order ol the Board of Commissioners at the erveral voting places in the county, or in the township, as the case may be, to take the veto «f - the lejjel voters thereof, upon the uflbject of such eounty urtownehtp atatag iu the so net ruction of the Raii- !• d named ia euch petition to an amount to bw specified in such notice; and the A unit or of lire county shall make bUoSeial certificate that avid notice was published; and said Sheriff spall make his like certificate that Baid hwudmlls Were posted as r- qatred by th-a Aet, which certificates shall be entered upon the records of tlie Board o! Commissioners, and shall be sufficient evidence of tlie facts therein slated- | d. The polls shall be opened at the several voting places In the ceauty or towusbip, as | the case may be, bythe proper judges sad in- : epactoreot election on tue day fixed by said . l omniasioLers, axd the board shall lie organ- ! teed, and poll booksand Uliy-vhects shall be kept,andtiie whole voting' and taking and 1 certifying of votes shall be conducted as i nearly as may be iuthe manner provided by law tor eejHtocilug the voting st the general ■ electron for-titate and County officer*. 6. Ite qaaiihqatiens of voters to vote at theyeilttto be openedas required by tdiis Act, abafi be asccctiuiiLd, and challenges shall be allowed sn the same manner as is now,or tn.-ir be provided by law for ascertaining the qrialiacattona us voters and uaking challanges at general' elections. S. The ballot utod al sntb voting as provided for ia this Act, shall t o written or printed; and there cast lor the appropriation by the county or lownvbip, as the case may be, to aid such RaiJroad Ci iupwny shall contain toe words “For the Railroad Appropriation,” and those cast against it shall contain the words “Against the Railroad Appropriation,'' and if two or more ballots aboil l>o louad purposely folded together they shall be rejected. 1. When the ballots shall be counted the Board us Judges shall make out a certificate under their hands stating in words the number of votes given for the appropriation to tee Railroad Company, and the number giveu against such appropriation, and such certificate. together with one of the list of voters or pflii-booke and oue of the taily-slieets shall be deposited with the Inspector or with one of toa judges selected by the Board of Judges. 8- The Inspector of each township or precinct, or judge of election, to whom such certificate. poll hook and tally sheets shall have been deliiered. shall when the question Isas to an appropriation by the entire county, constitute • board of canvassers, who shall canvaas end caunute the Ceriiflentes, poll books and Ulley sheets returned by each niembcr ot stid board, for which purpose they aball assemble at the Court House on Tbursdsy next.sflccee'iiug the dsy ot ouch voting; between the boars ot ten o'clock A. M. and Six o'clock P. M-, but when the question as to *■> appropriation by a particular township baring more than c-ne election preciaet, the Inspector Of each preeiact. or the judge of ; election to whom such certificate poll book and tally sheets, shall hiva been deliveied,, shall conalitute such board of canvassers, and shall meet at the time snd place aforesaid, if, however, such township shall have but one election precinct, then the Inspector and Jadgea thereof, ot any two of them shall const'l'tnte the board of canvassers, and shall meet wt the time and place aforeaaid and pet form the duties aloreeaid.

». Toe omiUii cf the board who shall | Maeteirie altucli time and fixer, shall select •n« of their Dumber rbairman, and the 4 editor shall art u their clerk. 10. Such board when organized, aba'l earetultjF ceaipxrs thA ejwnine the papers, and a hail prep..re audaigo a stUemcnt of the *h**e niuajter of voles cast and the Bomber tor Mich aamoyrhtioti to the railroad com-pusy,-snd the number ipiinStW. 11 The atatemeot of seek vote, as pro «ided tn thepreeed ; ag section shall be tiled ttitb tke said Auditor, who shall record die name at fall length hr the recerda of the Heard of Coaußtfaiauera o(|aid eoanty, and eeeefrtly tie aw»y sad pieserve the cerliticstet, wll bookaaßd telly sheens aforesaid. 11 ls» jwjorVy of tl.e totes cast slinll be *» °f ,»’«h railroad kpfirojiriatlon, the Board of Ctmhte Commissioners at tbeir anreraUw dose sension. ebalt grant tbe WMrer ol aald psvuiun, and shall levy a special . Sfesl ** taaat oae hall the amount specified the cwonty or townshlp. Mthe ease may be, liable to taxs ion for state and Cauaty purtWHMtei which tew afoul be collected in *U resperla es other taxes are cjecicu for State aed Conaty purposes; and if the mmeo levied aboil »M be eqsel to the snout Reified -la said peii ton then the residue thereof shall bp levUdtar aald Board of County Commieswmp jt J&e Jcps serrion of the foHowtng * It Xo tfonwy vt town ship shall heatehsifvedhythe prowtolnst of tln-i A<rt, to appropriate to rfolronfl pnrpsssa. -rto ratoeby so» s.-lon for each purposes, to exceed two per nU upon the tissbles of each county or townee ip <as said tMubles jetjnll appear on the TaxDei li« aie of the county,) in any one period uF two 9WM*s »--•** > 14. Baid Board of County Commissioners etey after the astoeimsnt herein provided for. Or any part thersof (ball bare been collected.

take stock in such railroad company from time to time, in the settle of the proper coenty or township, aa the caae may be, and pay therefor obett the same ia taken, out of say motteya an oolteufed as aforesaid, or may donate such moneys io Said oempaay lor the purpose df eldingitt the ootwtruetlon of such railroad and pay the Mme ovhr tr im time to time as the work progresses aS hereinafter provided. IA; if after the apeelal tax shall bars been tovied, aa provided in. ilia tweli lb accliou of tills Act, and before it has Iweu collected, the railroad company ahull have so far completed tbe road to be aided as to bo entitled to renaive the money which Iho Hoard of County Ortoiniaaiooen are authorized to donate, th« same may Im paid on Ihe order of the Board out of any money in the county trooaury not olbei wise appropriated, to be refunded to the ejnnty "when suca ipecfal tax ahall have been collected. Id. No donation of money ahall be made to any railroad Company- by suc.b Board us County CoflimlMioneis until the railroad to be ooniatrueted ahall bat e been permanently located, and work lliereoa done, and payed tor bi tbe company equal to the atnuunt us the donation llicn made, nor shall It be to exceed fifty yer rrntum of the money voted to be appropriated to aueh railroad tompany to be donated, and paid over to Uie company until ton iron ia laid npon the road and a tiain of cara aboil have passed over tbe entire length thereof iu sutlr county or township, as the case may be 17. After the money antborlxed by this Act tube appri'piated. shall have been levied and collected as aforesaid and subscription shall have been made on behalf of the county tsf township, as the case may be, tbe railroad company forwinvac aid the same shall have l oon so' levied and collected, having f Jly const ueled Vie railroad contemplated in said petition, so that trains of cars ahall pass over tlieMm', shall hive the right to demand and have said tnoucy paid over accoiding to th« Intent end meaning of this Act, and any one of said pctiUcnt-re or tax payers of the county or township, as the case may be, may compel lhe Mine to be dune by mandate against the ' Ct-nnty I'omtnissioDcrs 18. A lailuie on the part of the railroad company U- commence work upon the railroed in said county within one year from the levying of such special tax, or failure to complete such railroad ready for use within three years from such levying, shall forfeit tbe rights of such company to such donation, unless the Counly Commimioners for good cause shown shall give sot to exceed one year's further time in which to complete the same, and ibe money raised by special tax shall .go into the general fund of the county or township, as the cue may ue. and be used accordingly. 19. lhe officers conducting the elections provided in this A it. shall be allowed the sama pay aa allowed for like services in case of a general election. Should the election reanlt in favor of a railroad appropriation, the expennee of the election, after being paid by toe county cr t'-wnship, ns the case may be, ahall be charged against the railroad company benefitted, and deducted out of the first moneys collected by virtue of the appropriation. 90. Recites an emergency Approwd Afcy 12, 18U9— -