tion.

hands and seals, the names of the persons so elected, to fix on a proper site for the said building, and the names of the directors so chosen to the clerk of the court of quarter sessions of the Certificate. said county, who shall file the said certificate in his office, and And notice forthwith give notice in writing to the said persons and direc- of their electors of their being elected; and the said directors shall meet at the court-house in the said county, on the first Monday in No- Meeting of vember next ensuing their election, and divide themselves by lot the directors into three classes, the place of the first to be vacated at the expiration of the first year, of the second at the expiration of the second year, and of the third at the expiration of the third year, so that those who shall be chosen after the first election, and in the mode above described, may serve for three years, and one third be chosen annually.

and rotation

of service.

SECT. II. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That every director elected in manner aforesaid, or appointed Qualification as is directed by the twelfth section of this act, shall within ten of directors, and penalty days after he is notified of such election or appointment, and for neglect before he enters on the duties of the said office, take an oath or or refusal affirmation, which any justice of the peace of the said county is to qualify. hereby authorised to administer, that he will discharge the office of director of the poor for the said county, truly, faithfully and impartially to the best of his knowledge and ability; and in case of neglect or refusal to take the said oath or affirmation within the time aforesaid, he shall forfeit and pay the sum of ten dollars, for the use of the poor of the said county, which fine shall be recovered by the directors for the time being, as debts of equal. amount are, or shall be by law recoverable.

Its immuni

SECT. III. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the said directors shall for ever hereafter, in name, and in Directors infact, be one body politic and corporate in law, to all intents and corporated. purposes whatsoever, relating to the poor of the county of Bucks, and shall have perpetual succession, and may sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded by the name, style and title, of " The Style of the Directors of the Poor and of the House of Employment for the corporation. county of Bucks;" and by that name shall and may receive, take ties and duand hold any lands, tenements and hereditaments, not exceeding ties. the yearly value of ten thousand dollars, and any goods and chattels whatsoever, of the gift, alienation or bequest of any person or persons whatsoever, to purchase, take and hold any lands and tenements within their county, in fee-simple or otherwise, and erect suitable buildings for the reception, use and accommodation of the poor of said county, to provide all things necessary Treasurer of for the reception, lodging, maintenance and employment of the said poor, to appoint a treasurer annually, who shall give tion, his bond with sufficient surety for the faithful discharge of the du- qualification ties of his office, and that at the expiration thereof, he will and duty.

the corpora

Steward,

matron, Physician, &c.

tices.

well and truly pay and deliver over to his successor, all monies, bonds, notes, books, accounts and other papers, to the said corporation belonging, which shall then be remaining in his hands, custody and possession, to employ and at pleasure remove a steward or stewards, matron or matrons, physican or physicians, surgeon or surgeons, and all other necessary attenOf binding dants for the said poor respectively; to bind out as apprentices, out appren- so that such apprenticeship may expire, if males, at or before the age of twenty-one years, if females, at or before the age of eighteen years, such poor children as shall come under their notice, or as may now be bound apprentices by the overseers of the poor, and to exercise and enjoy all such other powers now vested in the overseers of the poor, as are not herein granted or supplied; and the said directors shall be empowered to use one common seal in all business relating to the said corporation, and the same at their pleasure to alter or renew.

Estimate to be made of

the expence

of erecting

the building, &c.

How the

be raised

SECT. IV. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the said directors, as soon as may be after their election and organization as aforesaid, shall make an estimate of the probable expence of purchasing the lands, erecting the necessary buildings and furnishing the same, and maintaining the poor within the said county for one year; whereupon the county commissioners of the said county shall, and they are hereby authorized money is to and required, to increase the county-tax by one-fourth part of the sum necessary for the purposes aforesaid, and shall procure on loan on the credit of the taxes herein directed to be levied, the remaining three-fourths thereof, to be paid in instalments with interest out of the county taxes: Provided always, That if such loan cannot be made, the whole amount of the sum necessary for the purposes aforesaid, or such part thereof as may be deemed proper, shall immediately be added to the county tax; to be paid by the county treasurer to the directors aforesaid, on orders drawn in their favour by the county commissioners, as the same may be found necessary.

for defraying the same.

missioners

SECT. V. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, Directors to That it shall be the duty of the said directors, on or before the furnish the first day of November in each and every year, to furnish the county com- commissioners of said county, with an estimate of the probable annually, expence of the poor and poor-house for one year; and it shall with an es- be the duty of said commissioners to assess, and cause to be coltimate of the lected the amount of said estimate, which shall be paid to said pences of the directors by the county treasurer, on warrants drawn in their poor house, favour by the county commissioners as the same may be found necessary; and the said directors shall at least once in every year, render an account of all the monies by them received and expended to the auditors appointed to audit, and settle the county accounts subject to the same penalties, rules and regulations as are by law directed respecting the accounts of the county

probable ex

&c.

To account nually

the

commissioners; and shall also, at least once in every year, lay Exhibit to before the court of quarter sessions and grand jury of the said the court of county, a list of the number, ages and sexes, of the persons Quarter ses. maintained and employed in the said house of employment, or turn of the supported or assisted by them elsewhere, and of the children by persons in them bound out to apprenticeships as aforesaid, with the names the poor of the masters or mistresses, and their trade, occupation or cal- house, &c. ling; and shall at all times when thereunto required, submit to the inspection and free examination of such visitors as shall from time to time be appointed by the court of quarter sessions of the said county, all their books and accounts, together with the rents, interests and monies, payable and receivable by the said corporation, and also an account of all sales, purchases, donations, devises and bequests, as shall have been made by or to them.

of this act.

SECT. VI. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That as soon as the said buildings shall be erected, and all ne- How and cessary accommodations provided therein, notices shall be sent, when the signed by any two of the said directors, to the overseers of the poor are to be removed poor of the several townships of the said county of Bucks, re- to the buildquiring them forthwith to bring the poor of their respective ing erected townships to the said house of employment, which order the in pursuance said overseers are hereby enjoined and required to comply with, or otherwise to forfeit the cost of all future maintenance, ex-Exceptions cept in cases when by sickness or other sufficient cause, any poor as to the person cannot be removed, in which case the said overseers shall sick, and how represent the same to the nearest justice of the peace, who be- they are to be provided ing satisfied of the truth thereof, shall certify the same to the for. said directors, and at the same time issue an order under his hand and seal to the overseers, directing them to maintain such poor, until such time as he or she shall be in a situation to be removed, and then to convey the said pauper, and deliver him or her to the steward or keeper of the said house of employment, together with the said order, and the charge and expence of such temporary relief, and of such removal, shall be paid by the said directors at a reasonable allowance.

SECT. VII. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, The direcThat the said directors shall from time to time, receive, pro- tors revide *for and employ, according to the true intent and meaning quired to of this act, all such poor and indigent persons as shall be entitled provide for, to relief, or shall have gained a legal settlement in the said coun- and employ the poor. ty of Bucks, and shall be sent there by an order or warrant for that purpose under the hands and seals of any two justices of the peace, directed to any constable of the said county of Bucks, or to the overseers of the proper township in any other county of this Commonwealth, and to the said directors of the poor and of the house of employment of the said county of Bucks, and "for" omitted in the original.

his warrant

Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty, purchased at public sale of the agents appointed for the sale of confiscated estates, a messuage and lot of fifty-eight acres and thirty-five perches of land, situate in the Nothern Liberties in the county of Philadelphia, as the estate of Joseph Griswold, which aforesaid lot of land with the appurtenances was afterwards purchased of the aforesaid Thomas Laurence, James Budden and John Dunlap, by Charles Thompson, in anno Domini one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three, the then Secretary of Congress, subject to the payment of thirty bushels of wheat annually, to the trustees of the University of Pennsylvania: And Whereas, The said Charles Thompson was on the fourteenth day of April, anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and six, by due course of law, evicted from the premises by a title paramount in a certain Joseph Griswold, a citizen of New York: And whereas it is just and reasonable, that the said Charles fhompson should be indemnified for the loss he has sustained in consequence of the said eviction from his property: Therefore,

SECTION I. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in General Assembly met, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That the The Gover. Governor of this commonwealth, be, and he is hereby authoriznor authori- ed and directed to draw his warrant on the State-treasurer in zed to draw favour of Charles Thompson of the county of Montgomery, and in favour of state of Pennsylvania, for the sum of two thousand dollars, as a C. Thomp. full compensation for all costs and damages which he has sustained in consequence of his being evicted by due course of law from a certain lot of land with the appurtenances, situate in the township of the Northern Liberties and county of Philadelphia, containing fifty-eight acres and thirty-five perches which was purchased by the said Charles Thompson, and was held by him under a title derived from the commonwealth, until the eviction aforesaid.

son for
$2000, &c.

SIMON SNYDER, Speaker

of the House of Representatives. P. C. LANE, Speaker of the Senate.

APPROVED the tenth day of April, in the year one thousand eight hundred and seven.

THOMAS MOKEAN.

CHAPTER CXXXI.

An ACT declaring the middle of the river Monongahela, the division line between the counties adjoining the same.

SECTION I. BE it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa tives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in Gen

declared the

neral Assembly met, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That the middle of the river Monongahela shall be, and is here- The middle by declared the division line between the counties adjoining the of the river same: Provided nevertheless, That when an offence may be com- line of divi -mitted on said river, and it may be doubtful on which side of said sion. line the offence was committed, the offender or offenders may be prosecuted in either of the counties adjoining said river, in* which he, she or they may be found.

SIMON SNYDER, Speaker

of the House of Representatives.

P. C. LANE, Speaker of the Senate.

APPROVED-April the tenth, in the year one thousand eight

hundred and seven.

THOMAS McKEAN.

CHAPTER CXXXII.

An ACT to provide for the erection of a poor house, for the better relief and employment of the poor in the townships of Oxford and Lower Dublin, in the county of Philadelphia.

the town

SECTION I. BE it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa tives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in General Assembly met, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, Poor house That there shall be a poor house erected in the townships of to be erectOxford and Lower Dublin, in the county of Philadelphia, for ed within the more convenient and comfortable accommodation and em- ships of Oxployment of the poor, settled in either of the townships afore- ford and said, where they shall be supported at the common expence of Lower Dubthe same, without regard to residence or settlement in either of the particular townships.

lin in the

county of Philadel

directors of

SECT. II. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, phia. That there shall be eight citizens and inhabitants of the said Four persons > townships: that is to say, four out of each township, appointed from each as hereinafter mentioned, for directors of the poor, and of the township to house of employment of said district, who shall for ever there- be chosen as after in name and in fact, be one body politic and corporate in the poor. law to all intents and purposes whatsoever relating to the poor Directors of said townships; and shall have perpetual succession, and may incorpora sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, by the name, style and ted. "title, of "The Directors of the Poor, and of the House of Em- Style of the ployment for the Townships of Oxford and Lower Dublin, of corporation. →Philadelphia County;" and by that name shall and may receive, Its immunitake, hold and possess, any lands, tenements and hereditaments ties and pow. whatsoever, not exceeding the yearly value of five thousand dol- ers

%

«* in" not in the original