Gardow reservation, as the same are described and bounded in such conveyance, be and the same is hereby declared to be ratified and confirmed. CHAP. CXCVIII. AN ACT to amend the act, entitled “an act relative to the pilots of the port of New-York." Passed April 11, 1817. BE it enacted by the people of the state of New-York, represented in senate and assembly, That the wardens and pilots of the port of the city of New-York, shall not exact or receive from the subjects of the united kingdom of Great Britain, any other or greater fees than they are authorised to exact and receive from the citizens of the United States, for any services they may be called upon to perform under or by virtue of the said act: Provided, that the intercourse between this state and his Britannic majesty's possessions in the West Indies, and on the continent of North America, shall be in no wise affected by this act. Declared a body corposate. CHAP. CXCIX. AN ACT to incorporate the Oppenheim and Minden bridge compdny, and for other purposes. Passed April 11, 1817. 1. BE it enacted by the people of the state of New-York, represented in senate and assembly, That David Fox, Jacob Markell, Associates. Peter C. Fox, Augustus Deifendorf, Jacob A. Keller and Peter Lampman, and their present and future associates, their successors and assigns, be and they are hereby created a body corporate and politic, for the term of forty years, by the name of "the president and directors of the Oppenheim and Minden Bridge company," for the purpose of erecting a bridge over the Mohawk river, at a place where said river divides the farms in the occupation of James Cochran and John Snyder, the former in the town of Oppenheim, and the latter in the town of Minden, in the county of Montgomery; and the said bridge shall be so constructed as not to impede the present or future navigation of said river; and they are hereby ordained, constituted and declared to be a body politic and corporate, in fact and in name, for the term aforesaid, and by that name they and their successors shall and may have succession, and shall be persons. in law capable of suing and being sued, pleading and being impleaded, answering and being answered unto, defending and being defend. ed, in all courts and places whatsoever, in all manner of suits and actions whatsoever; and that they and their successors shall be in law capable of purchasing, holding and conveying any estate, real or personal, for the public use of the said corporation: Provided, Privleges: that the whole of the estate of the said corporation shall not exceed five thousand dollars. II. And be it further enacted, That the stock, property affairs and concerns of the said corporation, and the manner of obtaining subscriptions thereto, shall be managed, conducted and directed by five directors, who shall be stockholders, and shall, together with a treasurer, be annually chosen and elected on the first Tuesday of May in each year, and at such place as the directors for the time being shall appoint, of which notice shall be given in a newspaper printed in the county of Montgomery, or if there shall be no paper printed in the said county, then in one of the newspapers printed in the city of Albany, at least thirty days before the day of meeting: that all elections for treasurer and directors shall be by ballot, and such persons who shall at any such election have the greatest number of votes as treasurer, shall be treasurer, and in like manner, such five person who shall have the greatest number of votes at such election as directors, shall be directors, and shall hold their respective offices for one year, and until others shall be chosen in their places; that if any vacancies shall happen among the directors, by death, resignation or otherwise, such vacancies shall be filled up for how filled. the remainder of the year in, which they shall happen, by the appointment of the other directors for the time being, or a majority of them; and that the first directors shall be Jacob Markell, Peter C. Fox, Peter Lampman, Jacob A Keller and Augustus Deiffendorf; and that David Fox be the first treasurer, who shall hold their respective offices until the first Tuesday of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighteen, and until others shall be chosen to succeed them; and that the said directors shall at their first meeting after such election, appoint one of their number president. Vacancies First Direct ors, stock. III. And be it further enacted, That the number of shares or subscriptions constituting the stock or fund of the said corporation, Amount shall not exceed four hundred and fifty shares, that each share shall be thirty dollars, to be paid on the requisition of the president and directors, in such proportions, at such periods, and after such notice as they shall direct and appoint, upon pain or forfeiture of such share, and all previous payments, if such requisition shall not be complied with within forty days after the time appointed for that purpose; that each stockholder shall be entitled to a number of votes proportioned to the number of shares which he or she shall have or hold in his or her name, according to the following ratio, that is to say, every owner of one or more shares, to the number of six, shall have one vote for each share, and every two shares above six, and under fourteen, one vote, and for every three shares above fourteen, and under twenty, one vote, and one vote for every five shares above twenty. Elections. Directors IV. And be it further enacted, That the president and directors for the time being, or a majority of them, shall have the disposition of the funds of said corporation, to and for the uses aforesaid, and their duties, shall annually on the first Tuesday of May, lay before the stockholders of the said corporation, a general statement of their accounts and proceedings; it shall be the duty of the president and directors to lodge with the treasurer, at least ten days previous to such Ff of Corporation may be dissolved. Telis annual meetings, such statement for the inspection and examination of the stockholders; and the president and directors for the time being, or the major part of them, shall have power to make and prescribe such rules and regulations as to them shall appear needful and proper, touching the management and disposition of the stock, property and estate of the said corporation, and touching the duties and conduct of their treasurer, secretary, clerks, agents and servants employed therein, and touching all such matters as appertain to the said corporation, with power to appoint such and so many workmen, clerks and servants, for the erecting and building of the said bridge, as they may deem necessary. V. And be it further enacted, That in case the said bridge shall not be erected, built and completed on or before the first day of December, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty, then and in such case, the corporation by this act created, shall be adjudged and considered as dissolved. VI. And be it further enacted, That as soon as the said bridge shall be completed, and any three of the judges of the court of common pleas, in and for the county of Montgomery, or a majority of them, shall, upon inspection, certify under their hands that the said bridge is well and sufficiently constructed and built, and will admit of the passage of loaded waggons and other carriages, it shall and may be lawful for the said president and directors, to erect a gate on either side of the river, at the end of said bridge, and demand, receive and take, for the use of the said corporation, a toll not exceeding the following rates, to wit: For every four wheel pleasure carriage drawn by two horses, nineteen cents, if drawn by four horses twenty-five cents; every two wheel pleasure carriage drawn by one horse, nine cents, and if drawn by two horses, twelve and an half cents; every waggon and two horses twelve and an half cents, and if drawn by four horses, nineteen cents; each sled drawn by two horses or two oxen, six cents; each waggon or cart drawn by two oxen, twelve and an half cents, and each additional yoke of oxen, six cents; every one horse cart, six cents; every man and horse, six cents; every foot passenger, two cents; every horse, jack or mule, three cents; every score of neat cattle, ten cents, and in that proportion for a greater or less number; every score of sheep or hogs, Who exempt ten cents, and so in proportion for a greater or less number: Provided nevertheless, that any troops in the service of the United States, or of this state, or of any other state, in time of war, and all waggons and other carriages with property of any kind belonging to them, or either of them, shall be permitted to pass the same toll free. from toll. Dividends. VII. And be it further enacted, That the president and directors, on the first Tuesday of January next after the said bridge shall be completed, and shall have been certified by the said judges, in manner aforesaid, and yearly thereafter, shall make a dividend among the stockholders of the said corporation, of the production of the toll, previously deducting therefrom the amount of all monies by them expended in making, repairing and rebuilding the said bridge, and in the management of the concerns of the said corporation, giving previous notice of such dividend, in the public papers printed either in the county of Montgomery or the city of Albany, as is herein before directed. VIII. And be it further enacted, That from and after the expiration of said term of forty years, the said bridge, with its appurte- Duration, pances, shall become the property of and be vested in the people of this state. IX. And be it further enacted, That if the said bridge, after the same shall be completed, shall at any time during the said term of forty years, be impassable for the term of thirty days, that the said corporation shall be and hereby the same is declared in such cases to be dissolved: Provided nevertheless, that no such dissolution shall take place by reason of the said bridge being carried away by the ice or freshet, if the said bridge shall be rebuilt within eighteen months thereafter. X. And be it further enacted, That the said bridge shall not be less than twenty feet wide, and shall be well secured with a good and sufficient railing on each side of the same, not less than four feet high. Provision re XI. And be it further enacted, That the limitation of ten years, in the first section of the act, entitled " an act relative to the Mohawk turnpike company," passed March 19, 1813, be done away, and pealed. that the said company shall have a right to take and receive the toll now authorised by law, until the happening of the event mentioned in the original act of incorporation, for the said corporation to receive. СНАР. СС. AN ACT to amend an act, entitled "an act for draining the great marsh or swamp on the Canasaraga creek, in the towns of Sullivan and Lenox, in the county of Madison, and for other purposes," passed April 12th, 1816. Passed April 11, 1817. I. BE it enacted by the people of the State of New-York, represented in senate and assembly, That the person administering the gov ernment of this state be authorised to appoint three disinterested persons commissioners, to perform certain duties mentioned in the act hereby amended; and that it shall be the duty of the treasurer, mentioned in said act, to pay to the commissioners to be appointed by virtue of this act, the sum of two dollars and fifty cents per day, for each and every day they may be employed as directed by said act, out of any money he may receive by virtue of the act hereby amended. II. And be it further enacted, That so much of the act hereby amended, as relates to the appointment of commissioners, be and the hereby repealed. same Preamble. rate. СНАР. ССІ. AN ACT to incorporate the Pilots' charitable society. Passed April 11, 1817. WHEREAS John Mineugh, Robert Mitchell and certain other persons, have formed themselves into a society for the relief of dis tressed and decayed pilots, and of pilots' widows and children, by the name of the pilots' charitable society, and have prayed to be incorporated in order the better to promote the benevolent purposes of the said society-Therefore, I. BE it enacted by the people of the State of New-York, represented in Senate and Assembly, That such persons as now are or bereafter may become members of the aforesaid society, shall be and Body corpo- are hereby ordained, constituted and appointed a body corporate and politic, in fact and in name, by the name of "the pilots' charitable society;" and by that name they and their successors, shall and may forever hereafter have continual succession, and shall be persons in law capable of suing and being sued, pleading and being impleaded, in all courts and places whatsoever, in all manner of action and actions, suits, matters, complaints and causes whatsoever; and that they and their successors may have a common seal, and may change and alter the same at their pleasure; and shall be in law capable of purchasing, holding and conveying any estate, real or personal, for the use of the said society: Provided always, that such real and personal estate shall be only such as is necessary for the purposes of this incorporation, and shall not at any time exceed the annual value of three thousand dollars. Proviso, President, By-laws. II. And be it further enacted, That for the better carrying into execution the objects of the said society, there shall be a president, vice president, treasurer, secretary and five trustees, who shall hold their offices for one year, or until others shall be chosen in their room; and shall be elected on the first Monday of February in every year, or at such other time and at such place as the corporation shall from time to time appoint; and that evey such election shall be by ballot, by a majority of the members present at every such meeting; and in case any vacancies shall happen in either of the said of fices, by death, resignation or otherwise, such vacancies shall and may be filled up for the remainder of the year by the remaining trustees, by a by-law of the corporation. III. And be it further enacted, That John Mineugh shall be the first president, and James Kelso the first vice president of the said society; and that Nathaniel Funk, Israel Navarro, Robert Mitch. ell, Thomas Bennett and David Mitchell, shall be the first trustees; Thomas Hope the first treasurer, and Peter Sawyer the first secretary, of the said society, who shall hold their offices respectively until the first Monday of February next, and until others shall be chosen in their room. IV. And be it further enacted, That the said society shall have full power and authority to make such by-laws, rules and regulations, for the management of their funds for the purposes aforesaid, the admission of members, the holding of meetings, the annual |