rate of tolls being paid, the bridge to be kept sufficiently lighted at all times, and of full sufficient width for a double track, and two foot paths not less than three feet wide each. The floor of the bridge shall not be less than eighty-five feet above low water mark at that point above the navigable part of the river for steamboats, and when erected said bridge shall not obstruct or impede the free navigation of the Mississippi river for any ship, steamboat, or other water craft; Provided, that if any obstruction is caused by the erection of said bridge, to any ship, steamboat, or other water craft, the said company shall forfeit their charter and pay all damages that may be sustained by any person or persons, by reason of said obstruction. state. by the § 8. The state of Illinois reserves the right to alter and regulate Rights reserv the rates of toll to be charged by said company, after the period of ed ten years from the time of its completion, but not to reduce the rates below the usual rates of toll charged in the United States for similar bridges. 9. The company shall commence the work of construction of Time. said bridge within two years from the passage of this act, and shall complete the same within ten years. § 10. The capital stock of said company shall consist of one million of dollars, to be divided into ten thousand shares of one hundred dollars each. Capital stock. and amount. § 11. The said bridge company shall cause the expenditure of Time to expend twenty-five thousand dollars in the erection of said bridge, to be made in work thereon, within two years from this time, or shall, on failure thus to do, forfeit their said charter. §12. This act shall be considered a public act in all courts of law and equity in this state, and shall be in force from and after its AN ACT to authorise the construction of a bridge across the Illinois river. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the people of the state of Illinois, represented in the general assembly, That Henry L. Owens and his associates, and his and their heirs and assigns, be, and they are hereby, authorised to build a toll-bridge across the Illinois river, at any point on the north-east fractional quarter of section twenty-one, of township number thirty-three north, of range number one, east of the third principal meridian, in the town of Salisbury, in La Sale county. In force Jan. 15, 1849. Trustees. § 2. The said Henry L. Owens and his associates, and his and To commence. their heirs and assigns, shall cominence the said bridge within two years, and complete the same within five years from the passage of this act. §3. The said Henry L. Owens and his associates, and his and Toll. their heirs and assigns, are hereby authorised, after the completion of the said bridge, to place a toll-gate at either end of the same, where he and they, and his and their heirs and assigns, may demand of every person crossing said bridge the following rates of tolls, to Piers. Destruction of bridge. Speed. Injury. Public highway wit: For each two horse wagon or carriage drawn by two horses, mules, asses, or oxen, twenty cents; for each additional horse, mule, ass, or ox attached to such wagon or carriage, five cents; for each one horse wagon, carriage, or cart, ten cents; for each man and horse, five cents; for each hog or sheep, under fifteen in number, two cents; and for fifteen, and all over fifteen in number, one cent each; for each head of horses, mules, asses, or cattle, under fifteen in number, three cents; and for fifteen and all over fifteen in number, two cents each; for each footman, five cents; Provided, that said Owens and his associates, and his and their heirs and assigns, may double the above rates after ten o'clock in the evening and before day light in the morning. § 4. Said Owens and his associates, and his and their heirs and assigns, are hereby authorised to erect as many piers of stone or other material in the bed of said river, as may be necessary for the support and construction of said bridge; Provided, a space of at least seventy-five feet from pier to pier, and embracing the channel of the river principally used for the passage of boats, be left and kept open at all times when steamboats or other crafts navigating said river may wish to pass said bridge. And in case of a failure on the part of the proprietor or proprietors, agent or agents, of said bridge, to comply with the above provision, except in case of extraordinary or unavoidable occurrence, such failure shall subject the proprietors to a fine of not less than ten dollars, nor more than one hundred dollars, to be paid to the owner of such boat or craft; to be recovered before any justice of the peace; and in case of unreasonable delay, this charter shall be forfeited; Provided, said bridge shall be so constructed as not to obstruct the navigation of the river. § 5 The proprietor or proprietors of said bridge shall always keep the same in good repair, so as to admit of convenient and safe passage for all persons and their property on payment of the tolls. § 6. In case the said bridge shall be destroyed by freshets or other accidents, and the same shall not be rebuilt or repaired within three years, the charter hereby granted shall cease and be at an end. § 7. Any person passing over said bridge with a horse, carriage, or other vehicle, in a faster gait than a walk, shall be subject, for each and every such offence, to a fine of five dollars, to be recovered before any justice of the peace in the county of La Salle ; Provided, that a copy of this section shail be kept fixed up in a conspicuous place at each end of said bridge. § 8. If any person shall wilfully or negligently do, or cause to be done, any injury to said bridge, the person or persons so offending, shall forfeit and pay to the proprietor or proprietors of the same, three times the amount of such injury,to be recovered by action of debt or action on the case, before any justice of the peace or other court having jurisdiction of the same. § 9. The said bridge shall be deemed a public highway within the meaning of the laws providing for the punishment of persons injuring, obstructing, or destroying public highways or bridges in any manner, or by any means whatever. § 10. This act to be in force from and after its passage. AN ACT to provide for the building of a bridge across Big Muddy river. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the people of the state of Illinois represented in the general assembly, That James F. Chinneworth, William Crain, Van R. West, and their associates, their heirs and assigns,be, and they are hereby, authorised to build a bridge across Big Muddy river, at a point to be designated by the county commissioners' court of Williamson county, on the road leading from the town of Marion to Pinckneyville and St. Louis. In force April 13, 1849. Trustees. § 2. The said persons so concerned in building said bridge, their Commence, heirs and assigns, shall commence the said bridge within one year from the time this act shall take effect, and shall complete the same within one year from its commencement. § 3. The said persons so concerned, their heirs and assigns, are Toll. hereby authorised and empowered after the completion of said bridge, to place a toll-gate at either end thereof, and to demand from every person crossing the same, the following rates of toll, to wit: For each two horse wagon or carriage, drawn by two horses, mules, asses, or oxen, twenty-five cents, and for each additional horse, mule, ass, or ox, five cents; for each one horse wagon, carriage, or cart, fifteen cents; for each man and horse, ten cents; for each hog or sheep, under fifteen in number, three cents, and for all over fifteen, two cents each; for each head of horses, mules, asses, or cattle, under fifteen in number, three cents each, and for all over fifteen in number, two cents each; for each footman, five cents; Provided, the said persons concerned as aforesaid, their heirs and assigns, may double the above rates after nine o'clock in the evening, and before daylight in the morning. Penalty. § 4. The said persons, their heirs and assigns, shall at all times, To keep in after the completion of said bridge, keep the same in good repair good order. and allow a speedy passage. And if at any time the said bridge shall be out of repair, so that the same shall be impassable for the space of six months at any one time, it shall be the duty of the county court of said county to sell the said bridge at public sale, to the highest and best bidder, for cash; giving such notice of the sale thereof as is now required to be given in cases of sheriff's sale of real estate under execution; and the proceeds of said sale, afterpaying all the necessary expenses thereof, shall be divided among the persons so concerned, according to the extent of their interest in said bridge respectively. § 5. If any person shall wilfully do, or cause to be done, any Penalty for injury to said bridge, he, she, or they so offending, shall be liablef to injury. indictment, and on conviction thereof, to be fined in a sum not exceeding four times the amount of injury so done; which shall be paid to the proprietors of said bridge, their heirs and assigns, and be imprisoned not exceeding six months in the county jail. § 6. The said bridge shall be deemed a public highway within the meaning of the laws providing for the punishment of persons injuring, obstructing, or destroying public highways or bridges in any manner or by any means whatever. § 7. Every person crossing said bridge with any beast faster speed. than a walk, shall forfeit five dollars to the proprietors thereof, to be recovered by action of debt before any justice of other court having jurisdiction of the same. the peace or Liability. Sell. § 8. The said persons so concerned in the building of said bridge shall not be liable, respectively, for more than the amount subscribed by each. § 9. The persons so concerned, and each and every one of them, may at any time hereafter sell, transfer, and convey all right, title, interest, and claim which they or either of them may have in and to said bridge. § 10. This act to be taken and deemed as a public act, and to take effect in like manner as other acts. APPROVED February 10, 1849. In force, April 13, 1849. AN ACT to amend an act entitled "an act to build a bridge across the Fox river at Ottawa, La Salle county." SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the people of the state of Illinois, represented in the general assembly, That the proprietors of the said bridge, their heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns, be, and they are hereby, created a body corporate and politic, by the name and style of the "Fox River Bridge Company," and by that name shall be, and hereby are, made capable in law to sue and be sued in the all courts of this state; and that all suits for penalties arising under the said act to which this is an amendinent may be brought as aforesaid before any justice of the peace; Provided, the amount does not exceed one hundred dollars. The act to authorise George H. Norris to build a bridge across the Illinois river at Ottawa, approved March the first, 1847, be and the same is so amended, as to extend the time for commencing said bridge one year, and the completion of said bridge one year, from the time contemplated by said act to which this an amendinent. APPROVED February 12, 1849. In force, Feb. 12, 1849. Public meeting. Notice. AN ACT authorising the building of a bridge and road in township thirty-six north, range ten east, in Will county. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the people of the state of Illinois, represented in the general assembly, That the legal voters of township number thirty-six north, range ten east, in Will county, shall meet in some suitable place in said township, after notice shall have been given by publication, and posting of notices in three of the most public places in said township, at least ten days previously, which said notice shall be given by George B. Martin, D. C. Baldwin, Patrick Fitz Patrick, I. M. Parks, and Comstock Hanford, or any three of them, a majority of whom shall constitute a board, to meet at the time and place designated in said notice, and when so met they shall open a poil-books to receive the votes for and against levying a tax of thirty cents upon every one hundred dollars worth of taxable property, both real and personal, situated in said township. § 2. Said polls shall be kept open at least seven hours, and Tulls. when closed, if it shall be found that a majority of all the votes given by the legal voters who voted at such meeting, and residing in said township, are cast in favor of levying said tax, then the said board shall certify the same to the officer whose duty it is to compute the taxes levied in said county, whose duty it shall be to make a computation of the amount of each item of taxable property in said township, and enter the same in a separate column in the tax books for the year 1849; and the collector shall collect the same, and be responsible upon his official bond, as for state, county and other taxes. § 3. The said legal voters shall, at the time and place provided Building comfor in section one of this act, elect three persons by plurality, who mittee. shall constitute a building committee; which committee, when so elected, shall receive of the collector the amount collected by him under this act, and pay out thesame for the construction of a bridge over the Des Plaines river at Lockport, and for improving the road from the canal bridge in said town to some suitable point at the opposite bluff; Provided, that said bridge shall be built over the Des Plaines river at the point where Ninth street in Lockport crosses the same. § 4. The said building committee, when elected, shall choose one Treasurer. of their number, who shall act as treasurer, whose duty it shall be to keep a full and accurate account of sums received and paid out by said committee. § 5. The said legal voters in said township may annually levy Tax. a tax, as provided in section one of this act, until the cost of constructing said bridge and road shall be fully paid. § 6. This act to be in force from and after its APPROVED February 12, 1849. passage. AN ACT to build a bridge across the Sangamon river. In force, April 13, 1849. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the people of the state of Illinois, represented in the general assembly, That James M. Ruggles, James Trustees. M. Robinson, and William Lynn, and their heirs and assigns, be authorised to build, or cause to be built, a bridge across the Sangamon river, at or near the Sangamon ford, on the road passing from Petersburg, in Menard county, to Bath, in Mason county. § 2. Said bridge shall be built of good material, in a safe and Materials. substantial manner, and shall be so constructed as to permit the free and safe navigation of said river by boats and other water craft. §3. It shall be the duty of the county courts of the counties of Repair. Mason and Cass, when completed, to keep said bridge in good repair, for the safety and convenience of all persons passing. § 4. The said bridge shall be deemed a public highway within Public highway the meaning of the laws providing for the punishment of persons injuring, obstructing, or destroying public highways or bridges in any manner or by any means whatever. |