Industrial School. No. 28. AN ACT To amend section eight of an act, entitled "An act providing for the erection of the Pennsylvania Soldiers Orphans' Industrial School; the purchase of land and the erection and equipment of the building and buildings necessary therefor; making appropriations for such purposes as erection and equipment, of the building and buildings necessary therefor; making appropriation for such purposes as erection and equipment, and the maintenance of the children admitted therein; placing the care of the same in the commission now known as the Commission of Soldiers' Orphan Schools of the State of Pennsylvania, and regulating the admissions to the said Pennsylvania Soldiers Orphans' Industrial School and the said Soldiers' Orphan Schools," approved the twenty-seventh day of May, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and ninety-three; providing, that at the discretion of the said Commission of Soldiers' Orphan Schools, pupils may remain at the Soldiers Orphans' Industrial School after attaining the age of sixteen years. Section 1. Be it enacted, &c., That section eight of an act, entitled "An act providing for the erection of Soldiers Orphans' the Pennsylvania Soldiers Orphans' Industrial School; the purchase of land and the erection and equipment of the building and buildings necessary therefor; making appropriation for such purposes as erection and equipment, and the maintenance of the children admitted therein; placing the care of the same in the commission now known as the Commission of Soldiers' Orphan Schools of the State of Pennsylvania, and regulating the admissions to the said Pennsylvania Soldiers Orphans' Industrial School and the said Soldiers' Orphan Schools," approved the twenty-seventh day of May, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and ninety-three, which reads as follows: Soldiers' Orphan Section 8, act of May 27, 1893, cited for amendment. "Section 8. In order that the benefits of industrial training may be given to the children now in its Soldiers' Orphan Schools and who may arrive at the age to be discharged at or about the time of the opening of the said Soldiers Orphans' Industrial School, the said commission is hereby empowered to extend the time of the discharge of such children, who may be fifteen and sixteen years of age, for the space of two years additional," be amended to read as follows: Section 8. In order that the benefits of industrial training may be given to the children in its Soldiers' Orphan Schools, the said commission, at its discreTime of discharge tion, is hereby empowered to extend the time of the of children extended. Repeal. discharge of such children from the Soldiers Orphans' Industrial School for the space of two years, after they reach the age of sixteen years. Provided, That all acts or parts of acts inconsistent herewith be and the same are hereby repealed. APPROVED-The 17th day of March, A. D. 1905. SAML. W. PENNYPACKER. No. 29. AN ACT To amend an act, entitled "An act ceding concurrent jurisdiction of this State over certain lands owned or hereafter acquired by the United States," approved the thirteenth day of June, one thousand eight hundred and eighty-three. Section 1. Be it enacted, &c., That section one of an Real estate. act, entitled "An act ceding concurrent jurisdiction of this State over certain lands owned or hereafter acquired by the United States," approved the thirteenth day of June, one thousand eight hundred and eightythree, which reads as follows: Section 1, act of June 13, 1883, cited or amendment. "That the jurisdiction of this State is hereby ceded to the United States of America, over all such pieces or parcels of lands, not exceeding two acres in any one township, ward of city, or borough, within the limits of this State, as have been or shall hereafter be selected and acquired by the United States for the purposes of erecting postoffices, custom houses or other structures, exclusively owned by the general government and used for its purposes: Provided, That an accurate description and plan of such lands so acquired, verified by the oath of some officer of the general government having knowledge of the facts, shall be filed with the Secretary of the Commonwealth of this State, as soon as said United States shall have acquired possession of the same: And provided further, That this cession is upon the express condition that the State of Pennsylvania shall so far retain concurrent jurisdiction with the United States in and over all lands acquired or hereafter acquired as aforesaid; that all civil and criminal process issued by any court of competent jurisdiction, or officers having authority of law to issue such process, and all orders made by such court or judicial officers duly empowered to make such orders, and necessary to be served upon any person, may be executed upon said land and in the buildings that may erected thereon, in the same way and manner as if jurisdiction had not been ceded as aforesaid," be and the same is hereby amended so as to read as follows: Section 1. Be it enacted, &c., That the jurisdiction of this State is hereby ceded to the United States of America over all such pieces or parcels of land, not exceeding ten acres in any one township, ward of city, or borough, within the limits of this State, as have Limit. been or shall hereafter be selected and acquired by the United States for the purpose of erecting postoffices, custom houses or other structures, exclusively owned Post offices, cusby the general government, and used for its purposes: Provided. That an accurate description and plan of Proviso. such lands, so acquired, verified by the oath of some officer of the general government having knowledge of urisdiction over United States. lands ceded to the tom houses, etc. Plans to be filed. Proviso. Concurrent jurisdiction. the facts, shall be filed with the Secretary of the Commonwealth of this State, as soon as said United States shall have acquired possession of the same: And provided further, That this cession is upon the express condition that the State of Pennsylvania shall so far retain concurrent jurisdiction with the United States, in and over all lands acquired or hereCivil and criminal after acquired as aforesaid, that all civil and criminal process, issued by any court of competent jurisdiction or officers having authority of law to issue such process, and all orders made by such court, or judicial officers duly empowered to make such orders, and necessary to be served upon any person, may be executed upon said land and in the buildings that may be erected thereon, in the same way and manner as if jurisdiction had not been ceded as aforesaid. process. Exempt from taxation. Section 2. That lands aforesaid, when so acquired, shall forever be exempt from all taxes and assessments so long as the same shall remain the property of the United States, and no longer. APPROVED The 17th day of March, A. D. 1905. Streets and alleys. Vacation of. Thirty years unopened. Damages and benefits. Repeal. No. 30. AN ACT Authorizing the municipalities of the Commonwealth to vacate, in whole or in part, all streets, lanes and alleys within their corporate limits, laid out by this Commonwealth, whenever the same, or the portion to be vacated, shall have remained unopened for a continuous period of thirty years next preceding such vacation. Section 1. Be it enacted, &c., That the municipalities of the Commonwealth shall have the power and authority to vacate, in whole or in part, all streets, lanes and alleys within their corporate limits, laid out by this Commonwealth, whenever the same, or the portion to be vacated, shall have remained unopened for a continuous period of thirty years next preceding such vacation. Section 2. In exercising the power aforesaid, all proceedings for the ascertaining of damages, and the assessment of benefits incident thereto, shall be as now provided for by law in reference to payment of costs, damages and expenses of public improvements within municipal corporations. Section 3. All acts or parts of acts in conflict with the foregoing be and the same are hereby repealed. APPROVED-The 21st day of March, A. D. 1905. SAML. W. PENNYPACKER. No. 31. AN ACT. Authorizing the judges of the Courts of Common Pleas, Oyer and Terminer, and Quarter Sessions to determine the number of jurors to be summoned and returned to serve in such courts. Section 1. Be it enacted, &c., That from and after the passage of this act, the several Courts of Common Pleas, Oyer and Terminer and Quarter Sessions, of this Commonwealth, shall have power to determine, from time to time, the number of jurors to be summoned and returned to serve in such courts, respectively. Section 2. All laws or parts of laws inconsistent Repeal. herewith be and the same are hereby repealed. APPROVED- The 21st day of March, A. D. 1905. No. 32. AN ACT Establishing in counties containing a population of from three hundred thousand to one million, a Board for the Assessment and Revision of Taxes for State and county purposes; prescribing their powers and duties; and abolishing the office of ward, borough and township assessors, in so far as respects the assessment of State and county taxes. county. Counties of 300,000 1,000,000. and not more than Board of Assess ment and Revi sion of Taxes. Section 1. Be it enacted, &c., That in counties of Taxes, State and this Commonwealth, containing a population of not less than three hundred thousand nor more than one million, as shown by the last preceding United States census, all assessments and valuations of property, whether real or personal, taxable for State and county purposes, including occupations, shall be made by a Board consisting of three persons, to be designated as the Board for the Assessment and Revision of Taxes. The members of the said Board shall be appointed by the court of common pleas of the proper county, or, if there be more than one court, then by Appointment. the several courts of common pleas of such county, and shall hold their offices for the term of three years; Term. and the said court or courts shall fill all vacancies occurring from time to time in said Board. The said Board shall designate one of its members as President of the Board, and each member of said Board shall receive a salary of four thousand dollars per annum. Section 2. The said Board shall divide the county Assessment disinto convenient districts, and shall appoint one subordinate assessor for each of said districts. The said Subordinate assubordinate assessors shall make assessments and val Salaries. tricts. sessors. Occupations. tions. Hearing. uations of all property taxable for State and county purposes, together with a list of all persons taxable upon occupations, in their respective districts, and shall, on or before the first Monday of November of the year preceding the next triennial assessment in such counties, file the same with the said Board for Revision of valua- the Assessment and Revision of Taxes; and thereupon the said Board shall examine and revise the said valuations, increasing or decreasing the same, as in their judgment may seem to be proper, or adding thereto such property or subjects of taxation as may have been omitted; and after such revision the said Board shall, by rule, fix convenient times for the hearing of all appeals from the said assessments of valuations; and after the hearing of said appeals, and after making whatever changes may be considered proper, the valuations, as so ascertained and revised, shall stand as the valuations for the assessments of all county and State taxes until the next triennial assessment, and shall be made every three years thereafter. With power, however, in the assessors to revise the said assessments, according to right and equity, between the triennial assessments, by adding thereto new, increased or omitted subjects of taxation, and the revising of valuations if it is proper to do so; and, upon request by any taxpayer, he shall at any time receive from the Board a statement of his taxable property and its valuation. When the triennial assessment shall be fixed, either for the whole county or in districts thereof, notice of that fact shall be given by publication in not more than two newspapers of the county, and of a time or times at which appeals will be heard. After hearing the appeals, the Board shall take such action in regard to them as may be right and proper; after such action on the appeals, any taxpayer who is dissatisfied with the assessment upon his property may, within thirty days from the final fixing of the said assessment and valuation, appeal to the court of common pleas of the county; and it shall be the duty of the court to at once hear and determine said appeal, and, if necessary, make such change therein as may be proper. In case of any change by the Board, during the intervals between the triennial assessments, as provided for in this section, if there be any increase in any particular assessment, or the addition of any omitted subject of taxation, the taxpayer affected shall, if a resident of the county, have written or printed notice left at his residence, at least ten days before the change is made, and, if a non-resident, then the notice shall be posted on the property, and such taxpayer may appeal, as provided above, to a court of common pleas, and such court may take action as provided above in case of Triennial assessment. Advertisement. Appeals. Notice to taxpayers. |