vided that nothing herein contained shall be construed to authorize the said Jacob Gardinier to contract any debts for or on account of this Board. Resolved that the above powers and authorities as also the use of the ten morgans of Land to the said Jacob Gardinier continue only for the present year.

Ordered that the Clerk furnish Mr. Gardinier with a certified copy of the above Resolutions.

May 7. A Letter dated the 4 May ins', signed by Hugh Mitchell, Abraham Wempel, Abraham Fonda, Henry Glen and Myndert M. Wempel of Schenectady, seting forth the expediency of having Scouts to observe the approach of the Enemy from Canada and requesting a meeting on the subject.

Resolved that this Board will meet the said Gentlemen or any of them to devise ways and means for the purpose aforesaid, as the safety of this City and the Town of Schenectady requires a measure of that nature to be pursued.

Resolved therefore that the said Gentlemen be desired to meet this Board at this City as soon as possible.

Whereas it is deemed necessary for the public safety and the safety of this City that the fort in this City should be immediately repaired,

Resolved that application be made to General James Clinton and a Committee he appointed to confer with him on the subject.

Resolved that Mr. Recorder, Mr., Visscher, Mr. Fonda and Mr. Swits be a Committee for that purpose.

Upon application of Mr. Peter Sharp and considering the debt due by this Board to the said Sharp,

Resolved that the Lot late Comfort Seevers's be sold to the said Peter Sharp for the same consideration and same annual reservation as the same was heretofore sold to said Seever's.

May 11. Resolved that there be a vacancy of the Academy and that the same continue for the space of three weeks from Tuesday the 15th instant.

Hugh Mitchell, Abraham Outhoudt and Myndert W. Wemple Esquires appeared before the Board on the subject mentioned in their Letter of the 4th instant, and after some consideration

Resolved that a Committee of three be appointed to take the same into consideration and report a plan how and in what manner Scouts shall be employed, and in what manner the money necessary for their support is most expedient to be raised. The Committee chosen for the purpose are Mr. Recorder, Alderman Yates and Mr. Fonda, or any two of them.

An account of John A. Lansing was laid before the Board amounting to four pounds which was allowed and ordered that the Clerk draw an order on the Treasurer to pay the same, and that he deduct therefrom the wheat he has received.

May 12. Received a Letter dated 26 April last, signed Gerrit Putman and others respecting the Lands of Tiononderoga.

Resolved that the Clerk write Letters to Jacob Gardinier and Gerrit Putman and others requesting the said Jacob Gardinier, the said Gerrit Putman or any two of the subscribers to come down with all possible speed, and that he also inform them, that it is the intention of the Board not to exact any rent from them for the present year.

Whereas it has beeen suggested to the Board that Colo John Van Rensselaer has leased the right of ferriage from Greenbush to this City, to which this Board claim an exclusive right and it is apprehended that the Corporation will be reduced in consequence thereof to the necessity of instituting suits at Law, to defend their right to the said Ferry if Colo Van Rensselaer shall persist in his claim.

Therefore resolved that Egbert Benson, Peter W. Yates, Stephen Lush, John McKesson and John Lansing Junior, Esquires, be retained as attornies to manage all disputes and controversies that may arise respecting the

same.

Resolved that the Clerk inclose copy of the said Resolution to each of the Gentlemen named therein and request them to inform the Board whether they accept of the retainer.

Mr. Recorder from the Committee appointed to confer with Gen. James Clinton on the expediency of repairing the fort in this City, reported that in obedience to the order of this Board they had waited upon Genl Clinton and that upon conferring with the Gen1 upon the subject, he concurred with this Board in opinion, that the Fort ought to be repaired and that he would afford all the assistance in his power to compleat the business.

The Committee also reported the quantity of Timber necessary to repair the same in such manner as to make it defensible against small arms, and to compleat the houses therein for the reception of such Officers as may be stationed in this City. The Report of Committee on file.

Resolved that this Board agree with their Committee in the report, and thereupon

Resolved that every taxable person in this City be and they are hereby requested to furnish one days labor of a man towards the repairs necessary to be done to the said Fort. That the rotation of the persons to render the said labor be according to the tax Lists last formed by the Assessor, and that the persons to perform said labor be taken alternately from the three wards in this City.

Resolved that Isaac D. Fonda and Peter Sharp be and they are hereby appointed to superintend the said work and that they cause the Marshall of this Board to notify so many of the said persons as they shall conceive necessary from time to time to be employed in the said business.

Resolved that the Clerk write to General Schuyler requesting him to furnish this Board with three hundred inch and a half plank and three hundred two inch plank for the repairs of the Fort and Bridges in this City.

Resolved that the persons appointed to superintend this work do from time to time call upon General Clinton for all the iron work and nails that shall be wanted about the work.

Alderman Yates from the Committee to whom were referred the manner of employing Scouts to gain intelligence, and to propose a method of procuring money for the payment of the said Scouts.

Whereas the present exposed condition of the northern and western Frontiers of this State renders it absolutely necessary immediately to set on foot a Scout in order to obtain intelligence of the approach and motions of the Enemy from the northard and westard, that the Inhabitants in the Frontiers may be duly notified and the militia called out in due season to repel the Enemy. And whereas no method but that by voluntary subscription can be at present adopted in order to raise monies for

the purposes aforesaid nor until provision be made in the premises by the Legislature, which will it is expected undoubtedly refund to the subscribers by way of tax the monies which shall be subscribed for the purposes aforesaid and to which end application will be made to the Legislature at their next meeting.

And whereas it is intended that the Commissioners of conspiracy residing in the township of Schenectady are to procure six white men and four Indians to scout as aforesaid and are to have the superintendance and direction of the said Scout.

We the subscribers do therefore promise to pay to the said Commissioners on demand the sum opposite to our respective names. Dated this 12 May, 1781.

Resolved that the Board agree with their Committee in the said report. May 15. Whereas there has for a long time a dispute subsisted between the heirs of Peter Douw deceased and this Board relative to a piece of Ground now in the possession of Geertruy McIntosh, and it being suggested to the Board that the said heirs were anxious to have the same determined,

Therefore resolved that this Board will submit the same to the determination of Robert Yates and John R. Bleeker Esqrs and Mr. Jacob Roseboom or any two of them, and that both parties enter into bonds to abide the determination of the said Robert Yates, John R. Bleecker and Jacob Roseboom, or any two of them.

Resolved that Aldermen Yates and Hun and Mr. Visscher be a Committee to draw the bonds of arbitration and to manage the said dispute on behalf of this Board.

An Ordinance entitled "An Ordinance for regulating the running at large of swine within the limits therein mentioned," was this day published.

Ordered that the Clerk send copies of the subscription to the several districts in this County enclosed in a Letter to the Supervisor thereof. An account of Anna Fryer was laid before the Board amounting to £1:14 which is allowed and ordered to be paid.

Also an account of Isaac Fryer amounting to £1:6.
May 28

Messrs. Van Sant, Quackenboss, Jacob Seeber and William Colon appeared before the Board in consequence of the Letter of the Clerk to them, and severally complained of the partiality shown by Jacob Gardinier in parceling out the Lands at Tiononderoga and threatning to take away such as had been sowed by them.

Resolved that as Jacob Gardinier is not present that they be informed the Board will give them their determination in the matter as soon as they have heard the said Jacob Gardinier.

July 7. It being suggested to this Board that in the general orders issued yesterday by General Clinton, illiberal reflections were cast upon the Inhabitants of this City, whereupon Mr. Recorder moved and was seconded that application be made by Letter to General Clinton for a copy of said orders, which was carried in the affirmative.

Resolved that Mr. Recorder prepare the said Letter. Mr. Recorder brought in the said Letter, which being read was agreed to and is in the following words, to wit:

Sir: It has been represented to the Corporation that the general orders