have the right to reject any or all bids, if, in their opinion, good cause exists therefor, but otherwise they shall award the contract to the lowest bidder. The successful bidder shall give satisfactory evidence of his ability to perform the contract, and shall also furnish a bond for one-third of the amount of the cost of the construction of the work, conditioned that the work shall be performed in accordance with the plans and specifications and terms of the contract, and no member of the firm bidding on the work shall be accepted as a bondsman. When the contract is executed by the selectmen, the highway commissioner, and the successful bidder, a copy of the contract, with the estimated cost of the work, shall be forthwith filed with the highway commissioner. Whenever the selectmen shall neglect or refuse to carry out the vote of the town for the improvement of a public road under the provisions of this section and section 2088, after four months' notification by the highway commissioner so to do, the commissioner shall perform all the functions of the selectmen as expressed in the town vote in accordance with the provisions of this section and section 2088. Whenever the selectmen of any town shall desire, in behalf of such town, to do the work of improving a public road under the provisions of this section and section 2088, they shall submit their bids to the highway commissioner at least one day prior to the day specified for the opening of the other bids, as stated in the advertisement for bids; and all bids submitted in behalf of towns shall be subject to the requirements made and provided for in this section. No bids in behalf of towns shall be opened by the highway commissioner until after the other bids for the same work shall have been publicly opened and read by the selectmen, as required by this section, and forwarded to said commissioner. If the highway commissioner shall find, from the bids so submitted, that the bid in behalf of the town is the lowest, the commissioner shall thereupon award the contract to Such town, whereupon the selectmen shall forthwith file with the highway commissioner a statement setting forth the work to be done and the estimated cost of the same, and they shall fulfil all the requirements and terms of the specifications, according to the plans for said work under which their bid was submitted. SEC. 2. Section 2088 of the general statutes is hereby Payment; repair; inspecamended to read as follows: Whenever any road shall be con- tion; completion cost; structed under section 2087 in any town having a grand list of definition. over one million dollars, two-thirds of the cost of such construction shall be paid for out of the state treasury to such town, and whenever any road shall be constructed under said section in any town having a grand list of one million dollars or less, three-fourths of the cost of such construction shall be paid as aforesaid out of the state treasury, and the basis of award shall be the grand list last made and completed as revised by the board of equalization; but the whole amount so paid by the state shall not, in any one year, exceed the sum of two hundred and twentyfive thousand dollars. Any town with the consent of the highway commissioner may use the full amount of the appropriation of such town for the current and next ensuing year, whenever such town shall advance to the contractor the money required for the payment of that portion of the appropriation which otherwise would have been made in the second year. In such a case the state appropriation shall be divided and paid by the state as though said work had been done in the two years under separate appropriations. The highway commissioner is hereby authorized to purchase, if he deem it necessary, a portable stone crusher or crushers, not exceeding two, for the use of the highway commissioner in towns now remote from railroad facilities and in which the appropriation does not exceed one thousand dollars in any one year; and the sum of ten thousand dollars is hereby appropriated to purchase, equip, and operate said crusher or crushers and shall be paid by the state from the annual appropriation provided for in this section. When a road has been constructed in any town under section 2087, such town shall thereafter keep such a road in proper repair to the acceptance of the highway commissioner, and, in case of neglect to make such repairs, after one month's notice by the highway commissioner that such road is in need of repairs, the commissioner is authorized to make such repairs as may be required, and such town shall pay the cost of the same. The highway commissioner may appoint deputies and inspectors, if he deem it necessary, to supervise the construction of all roads built under section 2087, and shall prescribe the salaries which such deputies and inspectors shall receive; but the salaries and expenses of said deputies and inspectors shall not exceed ten thousand dollars in any one year, and shall be paid by the state from the amount appropriated for the inspection of roads to be constructed under this act. The inspectors shall require all provisions of the contracts and specifications to be strictly adhered to by the contractors, and, immediately after the completion of each contract and before the state appropriation is paid, the inspectors shall make oath that all plans have been completed according to contract. A certificate of the cost of every road constructed under section 2087 shall be filed with the highway commissioner by the selectmen or by the authorized authority over the work of the town in which such road shall have been constructed, and the highway commissioner shall, between December fifteenth and thirty-first in each year, certify to the comptroller the amount to be paid to each town for such year, and the comptroller shall thereupon draw his orders on the treasurer in favor of the respective towns for the sums certified as aforesaid, and the treasurer shall pay the same out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated; but no order shall be drawn by the comptroller except upon a certificate of the highway commissioner that the highway for which the payment is called for has been duly inspected and completed according to contract. If the improvements upon any highway shall not be completed before the close of the season in which they are commenced, the highway commissioner may order the same to be completed at the beginning of the following season, under the same provisions and conditions as were existing at the close of the preceding season; and, on certificate of the inspector and selectmen, approved by the commissioner, the comptroller shall draw his order in favor of such town for two-thirds or three-fourths, as allowed, of the amount that has been paid or is due from such town to the contractor at the time of the closing up of the work, and when said improvements are completed as ordered, said highway commissioner may make such certificates thereto as are required by this section in other cases, and the cost of making said improvements shall be charged, reckoned, and paid for as though they were completed in the year in which they were commenced. No sum exceeding in the aggregate forty-five hundred dollars shall be expended in any one town in any one year under the provisions of this section and section 2087. The term "public roads " as used in section 2087 shall be construed to mean and include only the main highway leading from one town to another. Approved, June 11, 1903. [Substitute for House Bill No. 30.] CHAPTER 165. An Act concerning an Examiner of Public Records. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in examiner. SECTION 1. The governor shall, on or before the tenth day Appointment of of June, 1903, nominate and, with the advice and consent of the senate, appoint a temporary examiner of public records, who shall hold office for two years from the first day of July, 1903, unless sooner removed by the governor for cause; and the governor shall fill any vacancy occurring during said term for the unexpired portion thereof. examiner. SEC. 2. It shall be the duty of said temporary examiner Duties of to take such action as may be necessary to put said records in the custody and condition contemplated by the various laws relating to such records to secure their preservation. 128 Report. Salary and expenses. Comptroller to provide rooms. TAKING OF FISH IN SPECTACLE PONDS IN KENT, ETC. [Jan., SEC. 3. The temporary examiner shall make a report in writing to the governor not later than the fifteenth day of January, 1905, of the results of his labors in accordance herewith, and shall compile and publish in said report a complete list of all the extant town and probate records of the state and all extant state records together with such church records in the state as may seem practicable, with such recommendations and suggestions as may seem important for the safety and benefit of said records. SEC. 4. The annual salary of said temporary examiner shall be one thousand dollars. Said temporary examiner may expend such sums for traveling, clerical, and other expenses as may be necessary in the performance of his duties, but the total expenditure for such expenses shall not in any one year exceed one thousand dollars. He shall keep proper accounts of all his expenses, and shall submit the same, together with proper vouchers, to the comptroller within five days from the first day of each month, and, upon the comptroller's approval of the same, said comptroller shall draw his order upon the treasurer for the payment thereof. SEC. 5. The comptroller shall provide suitable rooms for said temporary examiner in the capitol or elsewhere and shall properly furnish the same, and shall provide all such books, blanks, and stationery as may be necessary to enable him to perform properly the duties of his office. SEC. 6. This act shall take effect from its passage. Taking of fish in Spectacle [House Bill No. 494.] CHAPTER 166. An Act concerning the Taking of Fish in Spectacle Ponds in Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in SECTION 1. No person shall take or assist in taking or atponds and War- tempt to take any fish from Spectacle ponds in Kent or from Waramaug lake in Litchfield county between March first and July first. amaug lake. Taking of bass restricted. SEC. 2. Black bass less than eight inches in length shall not be intentionally taken from said Spectacle ponds or from said Waramaug lake at any time, and, if taken, shall, without avoidable injury, be immediately returned to the waters whence they were taken. SEC. 3. So much of section 3164 of the general statutes as Repeal. relates to Spectacle ponds in Kent or to Waramaug lake in Litchfield county is hereby repealed. SEC. 4. Any person who shall violate any of the provi- Penalty. SEC. 6. This act shall take effect from its passage. [Substitute for House Bill No. 381.] CHAPTER 167. . An Act relating to the Examination of Trust Companies by the Bank Commissioners. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened: sioners shall SECTION 1. The bank commissioners shall examine each Bank commisdepartment of every trust company chartered by or doing busi- examine trust ness in this state. All reports required by chapter 211 of the companies. general statutes to be made to the insurance commissioner shall be made to the bank commissioners when made by such trust companies. All the powers and duties relating to surety companies conferred or imposed by said chapter upon the insurance commissioner are hereby conferred and imposed upon the bank commissioners when they relate to such trust companies. SEC. 2. This act shall take effect from its passage. [Substitute for Senate Bill No. 104.] CHAPTER 168. An Act concerning Reserves for Insurance Companies Writing Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in SECTION 1. Every insurance company, incorporated under Amount of the laws of this or any other state of the United States, or under reserve to be the laws of any foreign country, which in this state insures per premium maintained. |