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personal property shall be burned, destroyed or damaged, wholly or partially; and inquire whether the fire was the result of carelessness or the act of an incendiary. Such fire marshal or his assistants may take the testimony, under oath, of all persons supposed to have any knowledge of the matter, reduce it to writing, and transmit the same to the mayor, with his Report to mayor. report thereon; and shall report to the district attor ney the facts he may have ascertained from such investigation when, in his opinion, there is evidence of

arson, cause such person or persons to be arrested, In case of arson. and furnish to the district attorney the evidence with the names of witnesses.

"bustible material.

Section 3. The fire marshal or his assistants may enter and examine all livery and other stables, hayboats or vessels, and any place where any powder, hemp, flax, tow, hay, rushes, firewood, boards, shingles, shavings, and any explosive or combustible material, Explosive or commay be stored or deposited; and to ascertain whether the provisions of the law relating to explosives or combustibles are violated; in which event he shall deliver to the occupant or owner of said premises a printed notice of the law in reference thereto, and a notice Notice to owner, to remove or remedy the same, as the case be. councils of such city shall provide by ordinance for Ordinances. the enforcement of the provisions of this act, and fix

a fine for the violation thereof.

The

Section 4. The fire marshal may enter all buildings

etc.

public character.

of a public character, departmental stores and hotels, Buildings of a
churches, theatres, public halls, and other structures
used or intended to be used for the purpose of assem-
blies, amusement or instruction, and buildings used
for manufacturing, where a large number of people
congregate or are employed, and ascertain whether
the hall doors, stairways, passageways and aisles
thereof, furnishing egress, are kept clear and free from
all obstructions during business hours or when any Obstructions.
performance, service, exhibition, lecture or ball is
going on; and shall serve a written or printed notice Notice.
on the owner, lessee, manager or occupant of any such
buildings or structure, violating any city ordinance or
law in such case made and provided, directing such
changes as may be proper or expedient to furnish full
and free access to, and egress from, all aisles and exits
to any fire-escapes, doors, hall, stairways and street en-
trances, in and about any such building or structure.

Approved-The 24th day of March, A. D. 1903.
SAML. W. PENNYPACKER.

4 Laws.

Stock vote.

When vote may

be taken.

By judges.

Repeal.

No. 52.

AN ACT

Relating to the taking of stock votes, upon subjects presented to stockholders of corporations of this Commonwealth for their action.

Section 1. Be it enacted, &c., That whenever a stock vote is duly demanded or required, on any subject submitted to the stockholders of any corporation of this Commonwealth for their action at any annual or special meeting, such vote may be taken at and certified to such meeting, or any adjournment thereof; or, if the annual election for directors shall, under provisions of the charter or laws governing such corporation, be held at a time which shall be within thirty days after the annual or special meeting at which such subject shall be submitted to the stockholders, then the vote on such subject may be taken at the same time and place, by the same persons, and in the same manner as the vote for directors or managers of such corporation shall be taken; or, if under provisions of the charter or laws governing such corporations, the annual election for directors or managers thereof shall not be held at a time which shall be within thirty (30) days after the meeting at which such subject shall be submitted to the stockholders, then the stock vote upon such subject may be taken at any time within thirty days after such meeting, by three judges to be appointed, and at a time and place to be designated by the stockholders at said meeting, and the result of the vote shall be certified by the judges, under oath or affirmation, and their certificates shall be filed with the secretary of such corporation.

Section 2. That anything in any general or special act contained in conflict with the provisions of this act, be and the same is hereby repealed.

Approved-The 24th day of March, A. D. 1903.
SAML. W. PENNYPACKER.

No. 53.

A FURTHER SUPPLEMENT

To a further supplement approved the fourteenth day of April, one thousand eight hundred and forty, to the act, entitled "An act to enable the Governor to appoint notaries public, and for other purposes therein mentioned," passed the fifteenth day of March, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one.

Section 1. Be it enacted, &c., That so much of the further supplement approved the fourteenth day of

Part of act of

cited for amendment.

rectors and clerks may be notaries public.

April, one thousand eight hundred and forty, to the act, entitled "An act to enable the Governor to appoint notaries public, and for other purposes therein mentioned," passed the fifth day of March, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one, to which this is a further supplement, as provides that "no person being April 14, 1840, a stockholder or director in any bank or banking institution shall at the same time hold, exercise or enjoy the office of notary public," be and the same is hereby amended to read as follows: Section 2. That hereafter any stockholder, director, Stockholders, dior clerk, in any bank, banking institution or trust company may, at the same time, hold, exercise or enjoy the office of notary public: Providing, That no Proviso. stockholder, director, or clerk, in any bank, banking institution, or trust company, shall do or perform any act or acts as notary public, or perform any duty or duties of notary public, for such bank, banking institu. tion, or trust company, in which he or she may be a stockholder, director or clerk; and any act or acts, duty or duties, performed by any notary public of any bank, banking institution, or trust company, in which he or she may be a stockholder, director, or clerk, is and are hereby declared invalid.

Approved-The 24th day of March, A. D. 1903.
SAML. W. PENNYPACKER.

No. 54.

AN ACT

Providing for the manner of appointment of assessors, for the purpose of valuation of property, in counties containing a population of one million two hundred and fifty thousand

or over.

tain counties.

Section 1. Be it enacted, &c., That hereafter asses- Assessors in cersors for the purpose of valuation of property, in counties containing a population of one million two hundred and fifty thousand or over, shall be appointed by How appointed. the body acting as a board of revision of taxes of the proper county. Said appointments shall be made so that the political party polling a majority of the votes

in any of said counties shall have a representation Representation. therein to the extent of one-half of the total number of such assessors in such county, and all other qualified voters not belonging to the majority party shall be represented in said appointments by the other half of the said total number. In the division of said counties into assessment districts, and the assignment of as- Assignment of assessors to duty therein, the respective Boards of revision of taxes of such counties shall assign to each of said assessment districts one assessor appointed

sessors.

Proviso,

from the majority party, and one appointed from among all the other qualified voters not belonging to the majority party: Provided, That this act shall not affect the terms of the present assessors in said counties.

Section 2. All acts or parts of acts inconsistent with or supplied by the provisions of this act are hereby repealed.

Approved-The 24th day of March, A. D. 1903.
SAML. W. PENNYPACKER.

Section 11, act of

for amendment.

No. 55.

AN ACT

To amend an act, entitled "An act to provide for the incorporation and government of passenger railways, either ele-. vated or underground, or partly elevated and partly underground, with surface rights," approved the seventh day of June, Anno Domini one thousand nine hundred and one; providing for the abandonment by corporations incorporated under said act of portions of their road, and permitting them to use parts of the tracks of other companies, incorporated under said act, with the consent of such company; and further, providing for the merger of companies incorporated under said act.

Section 1. Be it enacted, &c., That section eleven of an act, entitled "An act to provide for the incorporation and government of passenger railways, either elevated or underground, or partly elevated and partly underground, with surface rights," approved June seventh, one thousand nine hundred and one, which reads as follows:

"Section 11. Corporations incorporated under this June 7, 1961, cited act may construct branches and extensions, but in that case shall first file in the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth a resolution of the board of directors, approved by the stockholders, giving the route of such branches and extensions," be and the same is hereby amended so as to read as follows:

Branches and extensions.

Abandonment.

Section 11. Corporations incorporated under this act may construct branches and extensions, but in that case shall first file in the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth a resolution of the board of directors, approved by the stockholders, giving the route of such branches and extensions; and every company incorporated under the provisions of this act is hereby authorized and empowered, with the consent of the local authorities of any city, borough, or township within which said railway is located, to abandon any portion of its road, without prejudice to its right to operate or complete and operate the remaining portion of its railway, by appropriate action of its board of directors, with the approval of a majority of its stockholders present at a

meeting to be specially called for that purpose, after thirty days notice, and upon filing a copy of such action, duly certified by the president and secretary, under the seal of the company, in the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, and also with the proper local authorities. Every company incorporated under this act shall have the right to use any part or all of the tracks or railway of any other company incorporated under this act, with the consent of such other company, to be expressed by a resolution of its board of directors, ratified by a vote of a majority in value of the stockholders of such other company, and such use may be exclusive or in conjunction with such other company, as the said companies shall agree; and companies incorporated under this act shall have the right to merge their several Merger. rights, privileges and franchises with other companies, so incorporated, whenever in the opinion of the directors and stockholders of such companies it shall be for their mutual interest; but such merger shall not take place until a resolution to that effect shall have been adopted Resolution. by the boards of directors of the respective companies desiring to so merge, and such action shall have been approved by a majority in value of the stockholders of such company. Whenever two or more roads shall be so merged, the commencement of work, in good faith, upon Commencement any part of the route of any of such merged roads shall be held to be a commencement upon all the merged lines or roads, within the meaning of this act, and a compliance with the provisions hereof as to the time within which work must be commenced: Provided, however, That the work shall be completed within five years upon all the said merged roads, unless the time for such completion shall be extended by the proper local authorities of the city, borough, or township within which the said roads are located.

Approved-The 25th day of March, A. D. 1903.

SAML. W. PENNYPACKER.

of work.

Proviso.

No. 56.

AN ACT

To amend the first section of an act approved the eleventh day of May, Anno Domini one thousand nine hundred and one, entitled "An act relative to the purchase of a law library in counties of this Commonwealth having a population of less than one hundred and fifty thousand inhabitants, and authorizing one-half of the fines and forfeitures to which said counties would, under existing laws, be entitled to be expended for the purchase and support of said library," so as to extend its provisions to all counties in this Commonwealth not having special or local laws inconsistent therewith. Section 1. Be it enacted, &c., That section one of an act approved the eleventh day of May, Anno Domini

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