Preemption right to cer tain lots of land granted to John Woods. Mode of appraising the lots. CHAPTER XVIII. An ACT granting to John Woods certain lots therein mentioned. WHEREAS it appears that John Woods has settled and made considerable improvement on three of the reserved lots opposite the town of Pittsburgh, which lots remain yet unsold, and as it would be reasonable to grant to the first settler the preemption right of said lots, at such price as may be thought proper: Therefore, SECT. 1. 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 there is hereby granted to John Woods of Allegheny county, the following lots of ground that remain unsold of the reserved out lots, opposite the town of Pittsburgh, No. 1, 209, & 210, in the general plan of said reserve, now in the secretary's office, at such price as it shall be valued by three disinterested persons, to be chosen by the court of common pleas of Allegheny county, who shall on oath or affirmation, make a just and true valuation according to their worth, at the time of said valuation of the lots aforesaid; saving always to the said John Woods, the value of any improvement or improvements he may have made upon the same; and the value found due to the commonwealth, as aforeAmount of va- said, shall be paid in three equal yearly instalments, with interest, paid in three to becomputed from the time of said valuation; and on the receipt instalments. of the last instalment, the officers of the land-office shall issue a Patent to is- patent to the said John Woods, his heirs or assigns, in the usual form, without costs or charges: Provided, that nothing in this act contained shall be construed to divest any legal right or title already obtained by any other person or persons, to said lots, or any of them. luation to be sue free of expense. Proviso. JOHN TOD, Speaker of the House of Representatives P. C. LANE, Speaker of the Senate. APPROVED the twenty-eighth day of January one thousand eight hundred and twelve. SIMON SNYDER. CHAPTER XIX. An ACT granting a tract of donation land, to the beirs of James WHEREAS a tract of donation land was by patent bearing date the twentieth day of September, jone thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven, granted to John Downey, a private in the late army of the United States, and was by the said John Downey, by indenture dated the first day of March, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-six, transferred to James Gordon of Westmoreland county, which said tract has since been found to lie in the state of New-York: Therefore, SECT. I. Be it enacted by the senate and bouse of representatives of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in general assembly met, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That as soon as the heirs of James Gordon, late of West- Tract of domoreland county, shall, by themselves, or their lawful attorney, nation land to deliver to the officers of the land-office, to be cancelled, the pa- the heirs of be granted to tent granting a tract of donation land to John Downey, private James Gorin the late army of the United States, and shall produce such den, upon other documents as shall satisfy said officers that the title is now in the said heirs, it shall be the duty of the secretary of the land- one. office to issue to them a patent for two hundred acres of donation land, out of those lots yet undrawn. JOHN TOD, Speaker of the House of Representatives. P. C. LANE, Speaker of the Senate. APPROVED the twenty-eighth day of January, one thousand eight hundred and twelve. their releas ing a former SIMON SNYDER. CHAPTER XX. An ACT to authorize the guardians of Phebe Wadhams and Lydia Wadhams, minors, and heirs of Moses Wadhams, late of Luzerne county, deceased, to convey certain lots of land to the pur chaser. WHEREAS it appears that Moses Wadhams, late of the county of Luzerne, deceased, was seized in his demesne as of fee in his life time, of two several lots or pieces of land in Plymouth township and county of Luzerne aforesaid, distinguished by being lot number ten, in the first division, and lower tier of house lots, containing ten acres and sixty-eight perches and an half, in the aforesaid township; and part of lot number fifty-one in the third division in said township, containing thirty-six acres, being the south-westwardly part of said lot, which he in his life time did exchange with George P. Ransom, for lot number two, in the mountain tier of meadow lots, in the said township of Plymouth, containing nine acres and fifty perches, but of which exchange there is no written evidence to enable the administrators of the deceased to make and execute a deed to the purchaser, consis tent with the laws of this commonwealth: Therefore, SECT. 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 up- Ellen Wright on the said George P. Ransom's conveying, by sufficient deed to and Noah Ellen Wright and Noah Wadhams, guardians of Phebe Wadhams Wadhams au thorized to and Lydia Wadhams, minors, and heirs of Moses Wadhams, late convey a cer- of Luzerne county, deceased, in trust for the said Phebe Wadtain lot of land to G. P. hams and Lydia Wadhams, and their heirs, lot number two, in Ransom. the mountain tier of meadow lots, in the aforesaid township of Plymouth, and county of Luzerne, containing nine acres and fifty perches, the said Ellen Wright and Noah Wadhams are hereby authorized and empowered, by sufficient deed, to convey to the said George P. Ransom, his heirs and assigns, the aforesaid lot number ten, in the first division and lower tier of house lots, in the township and county aforesaid, containing ten acres and sixty-eight perches and an half; and part of lot number fifty-one (being the south-westerly part of said lot,) in the third division in said township, containing thirty-six acres. JOHN TOD, Speaker of the House of Representatives. P. C. LANE, Speaker of the Senate. APPROVED-the third day of February, one thousand eight hun dred and twelve. SIMON SNYDER. The marriage of John and Mary Smith annulled. CHAPTER XXI. An ACT to dissolve the marriage of John Smith and Mary his wife. WHEREAS it appears to the legislature that Mary Miller, of the county of Adams, did, upon the twenty-fifth day of April, one thousand eight hundred and eleven, upon oath before one of the justices of the peace of the said county, charge the said John Smith with being the father of the child with which she was then pregnant; and whereas the said John Smith, confiding in the veracity and integrity of the said Mary Miller, did on the twenty-fourth day of May following, intermarry with the said Mary; and on the twentieth day of July following their intermarriage, the said Mary was delivered of a mulatto female child which she confessed to sundry respectable persons, was begotten. by a negro man; And whereas, the marriage contract above all others, should be free from fraud or imposition : Therefore, SECT. I. Be it enacted by the senate and house of represen tatives of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in general assembly met, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That the marriage contract entered into by the said John and Mary Smith, be and the same is hereby declared to be null and void, and the parties respectively, set free and discharged from the marriage contract, and all the duties arising under the same, as fully and absolutely, as if they had never been joined in marriage. JOHN TOD, Speaker of the House of Representatives. P. C. LANE, Speaker of the Senate.. APPROVED the third day of February, one thousand eight hundred and twelve. SIMON SNYDER. CHAPTER XXII. A further SUPPLEMENT to the act, entitled " An act to authorize the governor of this commonwealth to incorporate a company for the purpose of making and erecting a bridge and road over the north east branch of the river Susquehanna, in the county of Northumberland, from the public highway, opposite the plantation of Thomas Grant, to Shamokin island, through the public highway of Shamokin island, to the shore opposite Northumberland, and from thence to the town of Northumberland." towards the SECT. 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 When the apthe sum of fifty thousand dollars subscribed for on behalf of the propriation state, in the stock of the bridge to be built across the east branch bridge shall of the river Susquehanna, opposite Shamokin island, and the town be paid. of Northumberland, shall be payable at the times, and in the manner and proportions hereinafter limited and appointed; to wit: the sum of twelve thousand five hundred dollars, when it has been certified to the governor, by three persons, to be named by him, that the abutments and piers between Northumberland and Shamokin island, have been constructed; and the further sum of twelve thousand five hundred dollars, when the superstructure to the same has been raised; and in like manner, the further sum of twelve thousand five hundred dollars, when the piers and abutments have been constructed from the east side of Shamokin island, to the shore on the Sunbury side of the river; and the remaining sum of twelve thousand five hundred dollars when the superstructure has been raised thereon: Provided always, that Certificates upon the payment of each and every of the said instalments, the of stock to be president, managers and company aforesaid shall deliver to the delivered. treasurer, for the use of the commonwealth, certificates for shares of stock in the said company, amounting to the sums so to be paid from time to time by the commonwealth. bers shall form a quo SECT. II. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, Three mem That instead of five members being necessary to form a quorum according to the provisions contained in the sixth section of the act to which this is a supplément, in future, three members shall rum. 2 Empty carriages to pass for half toll, and those car be sufficient to form a quorum for transacting the business of the said company. SECT. III. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That all teams or carriages of burthen, passing the said bridge, empty, may and shall be allowed to pass the same for half toll; rying more and that a proportion of the tolls specified in the act to which this than two tons is a supplement, be added to the sums chargeable for carriages of to pay in pro- burthen, laden with more than two tons. portion. SECT. IV. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, Waggoners, That all waggoners, and drivers of carriages of all kinds, whether &c. to keep to the right. of burthen or pleasure, crossing the said bridge, shall keep their horses and carriages on the right hand side of the said bridge, of which, notice shall be given by a printed or written label, in legible characters, and affixed at each end thereof, in a conspicuPenalty for of ous place, and if any driver shall offend against this provision he fending. shall, at the suit of the said corporation, forfeit and pay any sum How recover- not exceeding ten dollars nor less than two dollars, to be recovered before any justice of the peace as debts of like amount are recoverable: Provided always, that no suit shall be brought unless brought with- within thirty days after such offence shall have been committed. in thirty days. SECT. V. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, Repealing That all such part or parts of the laws to which this is supplementary, and all such part or parts of the law, passed the second of April, one thousand eight hundred and eleven, as are hereby altered or supplied, be and the same are hereby repealed. able. Suits to be section. JOHN TOD, Speaker of the House of Representatives. P. C. LANE, Speaker of the Senate. APPROVED the third day of February, one thousand eight hun dred and twelve. SIMON SNYDER. CHAPTER XXIII. An ACT to authorize the governor to incorporate a company for erecting a bridge over the river Susquehanna, at the Great Bend, where the ferry is now kept, opposite the bouses of Abrabam Dubois and Sylvanus H tcb, in the district of Willingborough, and county district of Susquehanna. SECT. I. BE it enacted by the senate and house of representatives of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in general assembly Commission- met, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That Samers appointed. uel Hodgdon and John B Wallace, of the city of Philadelphia; and William Thompson, Sylvanus Hatch, Robert H. Rose, Minas Dubois, and Richard Barnum, of the county district of Susquehanna, be and they are hereby appointed commissioners to do and perform the several duties herein after mentioned; that |