draw Interest. of the Circuit Court of the county, and the bills filed in the office of the Treasurer of said county, who shall pay them out of the moneys collected by virtue of this act, and not otherwise. (1412.) Sec. 14. Whenever any order drawn by the Com- When orders may missioners shall be presented to the County Treasurer, and there shall be no funds in his hands applicable to the payment thereof, the County Treasurer shall endorse thereon the date of such presentation, with his signature thereto. Such orders shall draw interest from and after such presentation and endorsement. open. (1413.) SEC. 15. Whenever any drain shall be laid upon any Keeping Drains public road, or where drains have been laid, and roads shall hereafter be laid out beside said drain, it shall be the duty of Commissioners of Highways and Overseers of their respective districts to keep said drains opened and free of all obstructions. (1414.) SEC. 16. All claims arising under the preceding sec- By whom claims tions of this act, whether on contract, labor performed, or any whom paid. other services, shall be audited by the Commissioners (except for their services as Commissioners), and paid on their order by the County Treasurer of the county out of any funds in his hands created by this act, and not otherwise. audited and by be paid in Warder this Act. (1415.) SEC. 17. All bids made for any of the lands which Bids at Sale may may be sold for taxes assessed under the provisions of this rants drawn unact, may be paid in warrants drawn under the provisions of this act, by the Commissioners, on the Treasurer of said county in which the lands sold are situated, if drawn for the construction of the said ditch, or Commissioner's service, for which said lands are to be sold, and such warrants shall, if tendered, be received by the Auditor General, or Treasurer of the county in which they were drawn, in payment for any such tax that may be returned delinquent. "Commissioners. (1416.) SEC. 18. For the information of all persons concerned, Annual Report of the said Commissioners shall make a full report in writing to the Board of Supervisors of the proper county, at the next and each annual session thereafter, setting forth as near as practicable: 1. What proportion of the ditches or drains for the construction of which a tax has been levied, are completed, and the amount paid therefor; 2. What proportion is under contract and not completed, and the amount to be paid therefor, and whether such contract or contracts are likely to be performed; also the proportion not yet under contract, and the estimated cost of their con Powers of Boards of Supervisors Commissioners and Drains. struction; and whether there is a sufficient amount of unexpended funds created by such tax to complete the work; 3. What amount of such funds had been expended and for what purpose, exhibiting the items of such expenditure as fully as may be practicable; and also what amount of warrants has been drawn by them against such fund, and shall also report all such other matters in relation to the subject as they may deem necessary, or said Board of Supervisors may require. (1417.) SEC. 19. The Board of Supervisors of the several with respect to counties in which such Commissioners shall be appointed, shall have full power and authority to control the action of such Commissioners, and may make any order in relation to such ditches or drains, or other matters relating thereto, not inconsistent with the public interest or the rights of individuals, which order shall be binding on such Commissioners. The Board of Supervisors shall also have power and authority, for any cause by them deemed sufficient, to remove any or all of such Commissioners, and appoint others in their stead, with like powers and subject to the same liabilities: Provided, That nothing contained in this act shall be construed as to affect any contract, vested right, or interest existing, made or created at any time previous to the passage of this act. All acts or parts (of acts) contravening the provisions of this act, are hereby repealed. This act is ordered to take immediate effect. TITLE XIII. OF THE SUPPORT OF POOR PERSONS. CHAPTER XXXIX. Of the Support of Poor Persons by their Relatives. CHAPTER XXXIX. OF THE SUPPORT OF POOR PERSONS BY THEIR RELATIVES. to support Poor (1418.) SECTION 1. The father, mother, and children, being Certain Persons of sufficient ability, of any poor person who is blind, old, lame, Relations. impotent or decrepit, so as to be unable to maintain himself, In case of failure, Superinten Circuit Court. shall, at their own charge, relieve and maintain such poor person, in such manner as shall be approved by the Directors of the Poor of the township where such poor person may be. (1419.) SEC. 2. Upon the failure of any relative to relieve dents to apply to and maintain any such poor person, it shall be the duty of the Superintendents of the Poor of the county where such poor person may be, to apply to the Circuit Court for the county where such relative may dwell, for an order to compel such relief; of which application at least fourteen days' notice in writing shall be given, by serving the same personally, or by leaving the same at the dwelling place of the person to whom it may be directed, in case of his absence therefrom, with some person of sufficient age. Court to make Order in which Relations are liable. be Contribution, when to ordered. Order what to specify: may be cases. (1420.) SEC. 3. The Court to which such application may be made, shall proceed in a summary way to hear the proofs and allegations of the parties, and shall order such of the relatives aforesaid of such poor person, as appear to be of sufficient ability, to relieve and maintain such poor person, and shall therein specify the sum which will be sufficient for the support of such poor person, to be paid weekly. (1421.) SEC. 4. The said Court shall also in such orders direct the relative or relatives who shall perform that duty, in the following order: the father shall be first required to maintain such poor person, if of sufficient ability; if there be no father, or he be not of sufficient ability, then the children of such poor person; if there be no such children, or they be not of sufficient ability, then the mother, if she be able to do so. (1422.) SEC. 5. If it shall appear that any such relative is unable wholly to maintain such poor person, but is able to contribute towards his support, the Court may, in its discretion, direct two or more relatives of different degrees to maintain such poor person, and shall prescribe the proportion which each shall contribute for that purpose; and if it shall appear that the relatives liable as aforesaid are not of sufficient ability wholly to maintain such poor person, but are able to contribute something therefor, the Court shall direct the sum, in proportion to their ability, which such relations shall severally pay weekly for that purpose. (1423.) SEC. 6. Such order may specify the time during varied in certain which the relatives aforesaid shall maintain such poor person, or during which any of the said sums so directed by the Court shall be paid, or it may be indefinite, or until the further order of the Court; and the said Court may from time to time vary such order, whenever circumstances shall require it, on the application either of any relative affected thereby, or of any Superintendent of the Poor, upon fourteen days' notice being given in the manner aforesaid. and expenses, forced. (1424.) SEC. 7. The costs and expenses of any application Payment of costs under the provisions of this chapter, shall be ascertained by etc., how en the Court, and paid by the relatives against whom any order may be made, and the payment thereof, and obedience to the order of maintenance, and to any order of such Court for the payment of money as aforesaid, may be enforced by process of attachment from such Court. Action may be brought by Superintendents in case of neglect, (1425.) SEC. 8. If any relative who shall have been required by such order to relieve or maintain any poor person, shall neglect to do so in such manner as shall be approved by the etc. Directors of the Poor of the township where such poor person may be, and shall neglect to pay to the Superintendents of the Poor of the county, weekly, the sum prescribed by the Court for the support of such poor person, the said Superintendents may maintain an action against such relatives, as for moneys paid, laid out and expended, and shall recover therein the sum so prescribed by the said Court for every week the said order shall have been disobeyed, up to the time of such recovery, with costs of suit, for the use of the poor. tendents may rant to seize es absconding. (1426.) SEC. 9. Whenever the father, or the mother being a when Superinwidow, or living separate from her husband, shall abscond from apply for Warhis or her children, or a husband from his wife, leaving any of tate of Person them chargeable, or likely to become chargeable upon the public for their support, the Superintendents of the Poor of the county where such wife or children may be, may apply to any two Justices of the Peace of any county in which any estate, real or personal, of the said father, mother or husband may be situated, for a warrant to seize the same. to issue, and duty dents thereon. (1427.) SEC. 10. Upon due proof of the facts aforesaid, the when Warrant said Justices shall issue their warrant, authorizing the said of Superinten Superintendents to take and seize the goods, chattels, effects, things in action, and the lands and tenements of the person so absconding; and the said Superintendents, by virtue of such warrant, may seize and take the said property, things in action, and effects, wherever the same may be found in the same county, and they shall be vested with all the rights and title to the said property, things in action, and effects, which the person so absconding had at the time of his or her departure. |