No. 233.

AN ACT

To confirm the title to certain real estate in West Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia, incorporating the Odd Fellows' Hall Association of the borough of West Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia, legalizing investments of bonds or certificates of debts created by the county of Allegheny, the city of Pittsburg, and the city of Allegheny, in certain cases; authorizing William Darrach, guardian of Mary Skinner, a minor, and James H. Bradford, guardian of Charles F. Bradford and Samuel F. Bradford, to sell certain real

estate.

Title to certain real estate in

SECTION 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 all the right, title, and interest of the Commonwealth of, to, and in a certain tract of land situate in the borough of West Philadelphia, in West Philadel the county of Philadelphia, extending from the western end of the phia confirmed. ancient city plot of Philadelphia westward along the southerly side of the late Marshall road the distance of ninety-six perches more or less, and in depth southwardly from the centre of the said late Marshall road about twenty-two perches, being the same which William Penn, proprietary, et cetera, by deed poll dated the twelfth day of September, Anno Domini, one thousand seven hundred and four, recorded in patent book A, volume second, page seven hundred, et cetera, demised interalia to Philip England for the period of twenty-nine years, is hereby vested in the several parties now owning the fee in all of the lots of ground embraced within the limits of the said tract.

Corporators.

SECTION 2. That John M. Pugh, Samuel R. Reed, Philip Lowry, junior, A. T. Morris, G. Beishlag, junior, Silas Suplee, Washington Garnet, Thomas Danley, William Betterton, and Amos Suplee and their successors, and all persons who now are or hereafter may be associated with them, and they are hereby created and erected into a body corporate and politic in deed and in law, by the name, style, and title, of The Odd Fellows' Hall Association of the borough of West Phila- Style. delphia, and county of Philadelphia," and by that name shall have perpetual succession, and be able to sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, in any court of law or equity, and to take and hold to them Privileges. and their successors either by grant, gift, devise, or lease, any lands or real estate, for the purpose of erecting thereon a suitable building or buildings for the use of said association, and also to take and hold for the use of said association any goods or chattels, sum or sums of money, by gift, grant, bargain, sale, will, devise, or bequest, from any person or persons whatsoever capable of making the same, and the same at their pleasure to grant, bargain, and sell for the use of said association, and generally to do all and singular the matters and things which it shall be lawful for them to do for the well being and due management of the said association: Provided, That the real estate of which the said incorporation shall be at any one time possessed shall not exceed the clear yearly value of three thousand dollars.

SECTION 3. That the persons hereinbefore named are hereby ap- Commissioners, pointed commissioners to do and perform the several acts and things duties of.

Organization.

Object.

Seal.

hereinafter mentioned, that is to say, they or such of them as shall
act in the premises, being not less than five, shall as soon as conveni-
ently may be, and within three months next after the passage of this
act, procure and open a suitable book or books at such time and place
as they may designate in the borough of West Philadelphia, of which
time and place at least fourteen days' previous public notice shall be
given in one or more newspapers published in the city of Philadelphia,
in which book or books they shall enter as follows: "We, whose names
are hereunto subscribed, do promise to pay to the trustees and company
of the Odd Fellows' Hall Association of the borough of West Phila
delphia, and county of Philadelphia, the sum of five dollars for each
and every share of stock set opposite our respective names, in such
manner and proportions and at such times as shall be determined by
the trustees of said association. Witness our hands and seals the
day of
Anno Domini, one thousand eight hun-
dred and fifty-one;" and at the time and place so designated and named
in the public notices to be given as aforesaid, the said commissioners
by themselves or by committees to be by them appointed, shall attend
for the purpose of opening the books to receive subscriptions for stock;
and the said books shall be kept open at least eight hours on such day,
at the time and place designated in the public notices to be given as
aforesaid; and in case one thousand shares of stock (it being the capi-
tal stock to be isued by said association) be not all sold on the day of
the first opening of the books, the number remaining unsold may after-
wards be disposed of at such time and place and under such regulations
as the trustees for the time being may order: Provided, That no
subscription for such stock shall be valid unless the party or parties
making the same shall at the time of subscribing pay to the said com-
missioners, or to committees by them appointed, one dollar on each and
every share for the use of the association.

SECTION 4. That the said commissioners, or at least five of them acting in the premises as aforesaid, shall as soon as conveniently may be after four hundred shares of the stock are subscribed, appoint a time and place for the subscribers to meet in order to organize the said association, and shall give at least fourteen days' previous public notice thereof in one or more newspapers of the city of Philadelphia aforesaid, and the subscribers when met shall by ballot elect by a majority of the voters present three trustees residents of said borough and citizens of said county, to conduct and manage the affairs and business of said association until the first Friday in January of the next following year, and until others are chosen, and shall annually thereafter at such time and place as the by-laws of said association shall provide, elect three trustees as aforesaid, and the three commissioners first named shall be the judges of the election of said trustees, and the judges of all future elections shall be appointed by the trustees for the time being, and notice of such elections shall be given in such manner as the by-laws shall provide.

SECTION 5. The object of said association shall be to provide, erect, and furnish a hall or suitable building or buildings in the borough of West Philadelphia, for the accommodation of the lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows' established there, for other beneficial societies and societies, and suitable also for a room to be used for a town library or other public purposes.

SECTION 6. That it shall and may be lawful for the said corporation to have a common seal, and the same at will and pleasure to change, alter, and renew, as they shall think proper, and shall have and exer

cise all the rights, privileges, and immunities necessary for the purpose of the corporation hereby constituted and as herein expressed.

SECTION 7. That the trustees for the time being, or a majority of Trustees, powthem, shall have power to carry out the objects of the association as ers of. herein before expressed, and to conduct and execute the business and affairs of association, to provide for the investment of the funds of the association in such manner as they shall deem most safe and beneficial, to provide for paying all the necessary expenses of conducting the affairs of said association, to give bond with security for the faithful paying over to the treasurer such funds of said association as may come into their hands, such bond and security to be approved of by a majority of the members present at any regular meeting of said association, and generally to pass all such by-laws as shall be necessary to the exercise of their duties aforesaid as trustees of said association, and the said bylaws from time to time to alter and repeal: Provided, That such bylaws shall not be contrary to the Constitution and laws of this Commonwealth or of the United States.

Committee of

SECTION 8. That it shall be the duty of the trustees at least once in every year, to wit, on the first Friday of January thereof, appoint from examination. the members of said association three competent persons as a committee of examination, whose duty it shall be to examine the financial and other affairs of said association, and to make report thereof on the second Friday of said month to the trustees, whose duty it shall be to lay the same before the association at its next stated meeting ensuing. It shall also be the duty of the trustees on the third Fridays of January and July in each and every year, to make and declare a dividend of the interest and profits of said association after paying its expenses, and the same to pay over to the stockholders or their legal representatives within thirty days thereafter: Provided, That the dividend so paid shall in no case exceed six per cent. per annum to said stockholders.

SECTION 9. That it shall be the duty of the trustees on the third Fridays of January and July in each and every year after paying the dividends provided for in the foregoing section, and after having appropriated so much of the funds as in their discretion will be necessary for defraying the ordinary expenses of the association for the ensuing six months, to apply all the remaining funds on hand to a pro rata cancellation of the shares of stock then in the hands of the stockholders, said remaining funds to be considered as a semi-annual sinking fund for the redemption of said shares of capital stock.

Dividends.

SECTION 10. That the Legislature hereby reserves the right to alter Reservation. or amend the charter hereby granted whenever in their opinion it may be injurious to the citizens of this Commonwealth, in such manner, how

ever, that no injustice shall be done to the corporators.

Certificates of

SECTION 11. That bonds or certificates of debt created by the county debt created by of Allegheny, the city of Pittsburg, or the city of Allegheny, be, and the city and are hereby declared legal investments of money by executors, guardians, county of Alleor trustees in the manner, and subject to all the provisions and condi- gheny and the tions of the fourteenth section of "An Act relating to Orphans' Courts," city of Pittsburg, declared approved twenty-ninth of March, one thousand eight hundred and thirty- legal invest

two.

ments.

SECTION 12. That James H. Bradford, of the borough of West Guardian of Chester, county of Chester, Doctor of Medicine, guardian of Charles F. Chales F. and Bradford and Samuel F. Bradford, minor children of doctor Samuel Samuel F. BradBradford, deceased, be, and he is hereby authorized and empowered, on to sell certain behalf of said minors, to sign a certain family agreement of compro-real estate.

ford authorized

366

mise entered into by the heirs and representatives of Thomas Brad-
ford, late of the city of Philadelphia, deceased, for the better settle-
ment and distribution of the estate of said Thomas Bradford, deceased,
and to grant, assign, convey, and release to Thomas Bradford, Esq., of
the city of Philadelphia, counsellor at law, the trustee therein named,
all the estate, right, title, interest, property, claim, and demand, what-
soever, of them the said Charles F. Bradford, and Samuel F. Bradford,
or either of them, at law, in equity, or otherwise howsoever, of, in, and
to the estate of said Thomas Bradford, formerly of the city of Phila-
delphia, deceased, situate in the State of Pennsylvania or elsewhere,
of which he died seised or possessed, according to the terms of said
agreement, in trust, to sell and convey the same to the purchaser or
purchasers thereof in fee simple, free from any responsibility on the
part of the purchaser or purchasers for the application of the purchase
money or any part thereof, and the proceeds thereof, after payment of
debts, claims and expenses to distribute equally among all the grand
children or their representatives, of the said Thomas Bradford, deceased,
according to the terms of said family agreement, and also to sign, seal,
and deliver on behalf of said minors all deeds or instruments of
writing which may be requisite and necessary to carry into effect the
terms of said family agreement or deeds of trust founded thereon: Pro-
vided, That the said guardian shall, before he receives the shares of the
proceed of said sales coming or payable to the said minors, give a bond
in such sum or with such security as the Orphans' Court for the city
and county of Philadelphia shall order and direct, for the faithful appli-
cation of the said shares of the proceeds of the sales of said real estate,
or may become due or belong to said minors.

SECTION 13. That William Darrach, of the city and county of PhilaWm. Darrach, delphia, Doctor of Medicine, guardian of Mary Skinner, a minor child guardian, au- of Josiah C. Skinner, deceased, be, and he is hereby authorized and a certain family empowered, on behalf of said minor, to sign a certain family agreeagreement, &c. ment of compromise entered into by the heirs and representatives of

thorized to sign

Thomas Bradford, late of the city of Philadelphia, deceased, for the
better settlement and distribution of the estate of the said Thomas
Bradford, deceased, and to grant, assign, convey, and release to Thomas
Bradford, Esq., of the city of Philadelphia, counsellor at law, the trustee
therein named, all the estate, right, title, interest, property, claim, and
demand whatsoever, of the said Mary Skinner, at law, in equity or
otherwise howsoever, of, in, and to the estate of the said Thomas
Bradford, formerly of the city of Philadelphia, deceased, situate in the
State of Pennsylvania or elsewhere, of which he died seised or pos-
sessed, according to the terms of said agreement, in trust, to sell
and convey the same to the purchaser or purchasers thereof in fee
simple, free from any responsibility on the part of the purchaser or
purchasers for the application of the purchase money, or any part
thereof; and the proceeds thereof, after payment of debts, claims, and
expenses, to distribute equally among all the grand children, or their
representatives, of the said Thomas Bradford, deceased, according to
the terms of said family agreement, and also to sign, seal, and deliver,
on behalf of said minor, all deeds or instruments of writing which may
be requisite and necessary to carry into effect the terms of said family
agreement or deed of trust founded thereon: Provided, That the said
guardian, before he receives the share of the proceeds of said sales,
coming or payable to said minor, shall give a bond in such sum or with
such security as the Orphans' Court of the city and county of Phila
delphia shall order and direct, for the faithful application of the said

share of the proceeds of the sales of said real estate as may become due or belong to said minor.

JOHN CESSNA,

APPROVED-The eighth day of April, A. D., one thousand eight

hundred and fifty-one.

WM. F. JOHNSTON.

No. 234.

AN ACT

To incorporate the Findleyville and Saw Mill Run Plank Road Company.

Commissioners.

SECTION 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 Hiram Hultz, Henry H. Philips, Thomas P. Adams, William Stewart, Ephraim Jones, Henry Croco, William Boggs, and John Boyer, of the county of Allegheny, and Levi Findley, James Estep, and Edward Riggs, of the county of Washington, or any five of them, are hereby appointed commissioners to open books and receive subscriptions and organize a company by the name, style, and title, of "The Findleyville and Saw Mill Run Plank Road Company," with power to construct a plank road commencing at the village of Findleyville, in the county of Washington, by way of the Peter's Creek Baptist church, Hiram Hultz's Croco's tanyard, Pollock's mill, and Bogg's burnt mill, to Jones Ferry near Saw Mill Run, in Allegheny county, subject to all the provisions Subject to proand restrictions of "An Act regulating turnpike and plank road compa- visions of cernies," approved the twenty-sixth of January, eighteen hundred and tain act. forty-nine, and the several supplements thereto.

SECTION 2. That the capital stock of said company shall consist of eight hundred shares at twenty-five dollars each: Provided, That said company may from time to time, by a vote of the stochholders at a meeting called for that purpose, increase their capital stock if it shall be deemed necessary to carry out the true intent and meaning of this

act.

Style.

Capital stock.

Commencement

SECTION 3. That if said company shall not commence the construction of their road within three years from the passage of this act, and and completion complete the same within five years thereafter, the sections of this act of road. incorporating said company shall be null and void, except so much of the same as may be necessary to wind up the affairs, and pay the debts of said company: Provided, That the said company shall have power to construct a branch from any point on their road to the public house of S. D. Pryor, in Baldwin township, on the Pittsburg and Brownsville road, and that the Birmingham and Brownsville Macadamized