Page:1887 Compiled Laws of Dakota Territory.pdf/4

 ACT AUTHORIZING THE COMPILATION.

[Chapter 83, Session Laws of 1887.]

AN ACT to Provide for the Compilation, Publication and Distribution of the Laws of the Territory of Dakota.

, There has been no legalized compilation of the laws of this territory; and, , The sessions laws of many sessions of the legislature are practically out of print, so that to ascertain the law on many subjects is attended with great labor and difficulty; therefore,

Be it Enacted by the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Dakota:

§ 1. That there shall be appointed by the governor, by and with the advice and consent of the council, a compiler and assistant compiler of the laws, one of whom shall be an attorney admitted to practice in the courts of this territory, whose duty it shall be to compile, arrange, publish and distribute the general laws of this territory which may be in force on the fifteenth day of March, 1887. in such compilation there shall be, so far as practicable, an arrangement according to the general method of classification adopted in the revised code of 1877. Each chapter or subdivision of a chapter shall be headed by a syllabus of its contents, and shall have brief and comprehensive marginal notes, which shall state, in addition to the subject matter, the date of its enactment and the original number of the chapter and section. The laws so compiled shall be comprehensively and accurately indexed, and prefaced with a general table of contents, and such directions as shall serve to facilitate reference. In an appendix to the volume of general laws, as compiled, shall be printed the congressional act for organization of the territory and any subsequent acts of congress amendatory thereto. Such appendix shall also contain a list of the titles of all general and special laws passed since 1877, arranged by years, with the general and special laws classified separately, with notes showing obsolete and why. The said compilers shall report to the next session of the legislature any contradictions, inconsistencies or omissions found in existing laws, for the information and action of that body. The current expenses of said compilers, for copying, stationery, postage and other incidental matters pertaining to the compilation, publication and distribution of said laws, shall be paid out of the territorial treasury on verified accounts, approved by the governor, and the territorial auditor is hereby directed to draw his warrants for the amounts of each verified accounts approved as aforesaid.

§ 2. When such compilers shall have completed said compilation as above required, they shall cause the same to be published in one octavo volume, bound in law sheep or in heavy paper covers. Said compilers are authorized to make a contract, subject to approval by the governor, for the printing and binding of said volume, and to supervise the execution thereof. Such contract shall be made with the lowest and best bidder for such work, after advertisement for proposals in at least three newspapers printed in this territory, for one month prior to the letting of such contract, which advertisement shall designate the quality of paper and binding and style of type to be used in the work. Said compilers shall have the right to reject any and all proposals for the execution of the work, and to readvertise and secure further bids. The compilers shall certify to the governor the amounts which may become due under such contract for said work, and, upon the governor's approval thereof, the auditor shall issue his warrants upon the treasurer for payment of the sums so certified; provided, that no amount to exceed four thousand dollars shall be paid out of the territorial treasury for the compilation herein authorized, including salaries and expenses of compilers.

§ 3. There shall be printed of such volumes such number as shall in the judgment of compilers, be sufficient to supply the following: One hundred copies shall be by them placed at the disposal of the secretary of the territory, to be by him distributed to the library of congress at Washington, to the president of the United States, to the heads of departments at Washington, to the president of the senate and speaker of the house of representatives of the United States, and the state and territorial libraries. One copy shall be given to each of the territorial officers and boards, to each of the justices of the supreme court of the territory, to each district attorney, to each clerk of the district court, and to the United States attorney and the United States marshal for the district of Dakota. There shall be forwarded by the compilers to the clerk or auditor of each county a sufficient number of volumes for distribution as follows: One copy to the judge of probate court, to each county, township, city, town or village justice, to the sheriff, register of deeds, auditor, treasurer, coroner, county superintendent of schools, chairman of the board of county commissioners, and to the clerk of the board of supervisors of each civil township in the county for use and reference of township officers not otherwise herein specified. There shall also be forwarded one copy each as follows: To