Acts of 1907 Chapter 496

SECTION 1. That the County Courts in counties having a population of not less than 42,700 nor more than 43,000 according to the Federal Census of 1900 or any subsequent Federal Census be, and the same are hereby, empowered to establish the office of County Chemist and Mineralogist for said counties; and, further, said County Courts are authorized to elect at their quarterly session on the first Monday of July, 1907, and every two years thereafter a competent person to perform the duties of such office.

SECTION 2. That the County Courts of said counties may provide such compensation as they may deem proper, not to exceed fifteen hundred dollars ($1500) per annum, for such person elected to perform, and performing the duties of said office at the time of his or her election; that the same shall be paid quarterly out of the county treasury of said counties upon the order of the County Judge or Chairman.

SECTION 3. That the duties of said County Chemist and Mineralogist shall be to examine, test, or analyze all minerals from the soil of their county presented to him by citizens of their county and report the result to such persons, firms, or corporation presenting said minerals for his opinion, test, or analysis; that for all analyses actually made said Chemist and Mineralogist shall be entitled to collect $1 fee for each analysis from the person, firm, or corporation for whom said analysis is made. Said fees shall be applied as the County Courts may provide.

SECTION 4. That said Chemist and Mineralogist shall keep his office at some suitable place at the county seat of his county, and shall, without favor or partiality to any person, firm, or corporation, perform the duties of his office as public Chemist and Mineralogist for said county.

SECTION 5. That the County Courts of said counties are here empowered and authorized to make rules and regulations not in conflict with the provision herein to govern the conduct and business of said office.

SECTION 6. That the office of County Chemist and Mineralogist shall be, and is hereby, declared to be a county office, and the person elected to and performing the duties of said office shall be amenable to all the general laws governing the conduct of county officers, and shall, before entering upon the duties of said office, take and subscribe to an oath to faithfully perform the duties of said office as provided for other county officers.

SECTION 7. That the person elected to said office and performing the duties thereof shall be a person versed in chemicals and minerals and experienced in assaying and analyzing the minerals of the soil, and that no person shall be eligible to said office who is not thoroughly competen (sic) to correctly assay or analyze and report upon any minerals common to the State of Tennessee.

SECTION 8. That this Act take effect from and after its passage, the public welfare requiring it.

Passed: April 13, 1907.