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some inconvenient place for passing by, or traveling at a slower CHAP. 26. rate, and shall request such other person, to permit him to pass, it shall be the duty of the person, so overtaken, to turn or drive his carriage or vehicle to the right or left of the middle of the traveled part of said bridge or road, or to stop a reasonable time, in some convenient place, for the other person to pass by.

travel without a

SECT. 4. No person shall permit his carriage or other vehicle, Teams and carto travel or pass upon any such bridge or turnpike or other road, riages, not to without a suitable driver or conductor; nor shall leave the same, on driver, nor obsuch bridge or road, stationary, in such a situation, as to obstruct 1821, 215, § 3. other persons, traveling with any carriage or other vehicle.

sleds.

SECT. 5. No person shall travel, on any bridge, turnpike or Bells to horses, other road, with any sleigh or sled, drawn by one or more horses, with sleighs or unless there shall be three or more bells to such horse, if but one, 1824, 245, § 4. or to the foremost horse, if more than one.

SECT. 6. Every person, offending against either of the forego- Penalties. ing provisions, shall forfeit, for each offence, not less than one dol- 1824, 245, § 5. lar, nor more than twenty dollars, to the use of the state, to be recovered on complaint of any person, aggrieved thereby, before any justice of the peace in the county, where the offence shall have been committed, made within sixty days thereafter. Any person, injured by any of the offences or neglects aforesaid, shall also be entitled, to recover his damages, in an action on the case, to be commenced within one year after such injury.

not to leave

SECT. 7. No driver of any stage coach or other vehicle, for Stage drivers, the conveyance of passengers for hire, shall, when any passenger horses unfastis within or on such coach or vehicle, leave the horses thereof, with- ened. out some suitable person to take charge and guidance of them, or without fastening them in a safe and prudent manner; and the person, offending against this section, may be punished by imprisonment, not exceeding one month, or by fine, not exceeding thirty dollars.

1833, 53, § 1.

SECT. 8. The incorporated proprietors of any bridge, or the Proprietors of directors or agents of the same, may prohibit any person, from bridges may restrict travelers, riding or driving any horse at a pace, faster than a walk, over such passing thereon. bridge. SECT. 9. The selectmen of any town may prohibit any person, from riding or driving any horse, at a pace faster than a walk, over any bridge, covered with plank, for the length of fifty feet; such bridge being a part of a highway or town way, within the limits of such town.

Selectmen of towns may do the same.

1833, 53, § 2.

lation.

SECT. 10. Any person, wilfully riding or driving any horse, Penalty for viocontrary to the provisions of either of the two preceding sections, 1833, 53, § 3. shall be liable to a penalty, not exceeding five dollars, to be recovered by the proprietors of such bridge, or the inhabitants of such town, respectively; provided, that a board, giving notice of such liability, legibly printed in black letters on a white ground, be kept exposed, in a conspicuous position, at each end of said bridge: but no person shall be liable to such penalty, driving after sunset, or before sunrise, unless he had actual knowledge of such prohibition and penalty.

SECT. 11. No cart, nor wagon, drawn by more than one horse, Wagons, on

certain roads, to have wide

rimmed wheels. 1833, 52, § 1. 1839, 371.

CHAP. 26. shall pass upon the Mattanawcook state road, nor upon the United States military road, in this state, unless the felloes of the wheels thereof be, at least, four inches in width; and no cart or wagon, drawn by oxen, shall pass upon said roads, or either of them, unless the felloes of the wheels thereof be, at least, six inches in width ; provided, that this restriction shall not apply to any cart, wagon or other carriage, the property of the United States, or of this state, nor to any pleasure carriage, nor to any cart or wagon, drawn by two oxen or two horses only, carrying a load, not exceeding fifteen hundred pounds.

Penalty for violation.

1833, 52, § 2.

Cart or wagon

may be libeled. 1833, 52, § 2.

SECT. 12. If any cart or wagon shall pass upon either of said roads, contrary to the provisions of the preceding section, the owner or driver thereof shall forfeit not less than ten dollars, for each offence, together with one dollar, in addition, for each mile of said road passed, as aforesaid, to the use of the state; to be recovered by complaint before any justice of the peace for the county, in which such offence may have been committed, with costs.

SECT. 13. Any such justice of the peace, before whom such complaint may be pending, may also, on libel or complaint therefor, issue his warrant, to seize and detain the carts or wagons, with the teams thereof, found on either of said roads, having been used by any person, in violation of the provisions of section, eleven, of this chapter; which may be held to respond the fine and costs, to be awarded against such owner or driver.

No person to keep a ferry, without license.

8 Greenl. 365.

CHAPTER 27.

OF FERRIES.

SECT. 1. No person to keep a ferry, without | SECT. 10. Ferrymen, to level ice, and re

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SECTION 1. No person shall keep a ferry, and receive pay, unless he shall first obtain a license therefor, from the county com1821, 176, § 1. missioners; and such license may be granted for such time, as the commissioners shall think proper, and they may revoke it, when necessary; excepting where ferries are already established by law. SECT. 2. Said commissioners are hereby authorized to grant missioners may licenses to such persons, and for such places, as they shall judge

County com

tolls.

suitable; excepting where ferries are already established. They CHAP. 27. shall also establish the fares or tolls, at each ferry by them licensed, grant licenses, for passengers, beasts, vehicles, or other things, there transported; and establish always having regard to the comparative length and situation of 1821, 176, § 1, 4. each ferry, and the number of persons, passing the same; and, in all cases, taking a bond from each person licensed, as a ferryman, in such penal sum, as they think necessary, to the treasurer of the state, with sufficient sureties, for the faithful performance of his duties.

SECT. 3. Any person, who shall sustain an injury, in his person Ferrymen liaor property, by the negligence or default of any ferryman, may through their ble for damages, have a remedy, in an action upon the bond required in the section default. preceding. In such action, the like proceedings may be had, as in the case of actions brought on the bonds of sheriffs, as provided in chapter, one hundred and four.

Ferryman to keep a good 21, 176, § 2.

boat and attend.

1821, 176, § 2.

SECT. 4. Every keeper of a ferry, shall keep a safe boat, or boats, in good repair, suitable to the waters, where they are to be used; and give ready and due attendance on passengers, on all occasions, according to the regulations, established for his ferry. SECT. 5. The keeper of every such ferry, for every neglect of Penalties for keeping a boat or boats, according to such regulations, shall forfeit neglect. twenty dollars, and, for every neglect of such attendance, he shall forfeit one dollar, to him, who shall sue therefor, in an action of debt. He shall, in each case, be further liable, in an action on the case, to the party injured, to the amount of his damages. SECT. 6. Whenever the commissioners of any county shall Towns to projudge it necessary, to establish a ferry, and no person shall appear, if commissionto keep the same for the stated profits thereof, the town or towns, ers require. where such ferry may be, shall provide one or more suitable persons to keep, and to attend the same, at such place, and in such times of the year, as the said commissioners shall order; which persons shall be licensed, as aforesaid. The expense of maintaining such ferry, beyond the amount received for tolls, shall be paid by such

town or towns.

SECT. 7. When such ferry shall be established, as mentioned in the preceding section, between two towns, they shall maintain the same, either jointly, or alternately, and in such proportions, as the commissioners shall order.

SECT. 8. Any town, neglecting to maintain such ferry, or their proportion of the same, as provided in the two preceding sections, shall forfeit for each month's neglect, forty dollars. SECT. 9. If any person shall keep a ferry, contrary to the provisions of the first section of this chapter, or shall transport passengers over or across any stated ferry, and demand or receive pay therefor, he shall forfeit, for each day he shall keep such ferry, or for each time, he shall transport passengers, as aforesaid, the sum of four dollars; and shall be further liable, in a special action on the case, to pay such damages, as shall accrue thereby, to the person authorized to keep any such ferry, at or near the place, where the offence is committed.

SECT. 10. At the several ferries in this state, where the tide ebbs and flows, and the waters, at times, may be so frozen, as to

vide ferrymen,

1821, 176, § 4.

Ferries between towns, to be provided at their joint ex

pense.

1821, 176, § 5.

Forfeiture, if a town neglect.

1821, 176, § 6.

Penalty for without license. 1821, 176, § 3.

keeping a ferry,

Ferrymen to level ice, and

repair passage

ways, in winter.

CHAP. 27. admit a passage for travelers over the ice, it shall be the duty of the keepers of such ferries, so to level the ice, and clear, repair and amend the passage way, to and over the same, from day to day, as 1825, 292, § 1. 1839, 410, 1,2. that the same may be, at all such times, safe and convenient for travelers, with their teams, sleds and sleighs, at the proper charge and expense of the county, in which such ferry may be: or such passage way may be made from any public landing, which may be sufficiently near to be conveniently connected with the opposite ferry landing.

Condition of ferryman's

bond.

SECT. 11. In the bond, taken pursuant to the provisions of the second section of this chapter, the county commissioners shall fur1825, 292, § 2. ther provide for the faithful performance of the duties, required by the section preceding; and the commissioners shall order a meet compensation for such services, when performed, from the treasury of the county; or the commissioners may, if they judge it expedient, contract with some other person, to perform the duties, provided in the preceding section; in which case, they shall give notice to the ferryman, before the closing of the river; and after such notice, and during the continuance of such contract, the duties and liabilities of such ferryman, in relation to such passage way, shall be transferred to the person, with whom the contract is made.

Forfeiture for neglect to repair passage way.

1825, 292, § 2.

SECT. 12. Every such ferryman, or other person, contracted with, as provided in the preceding section, as the case may be, for each day's neglect of the duties, required by the tenth section of 1839, 410, 2. this chapter, shall forfeit ten dollars; and shall be further liable to pay, in an action on the case, all such special damages, as any person shall sustain by such neglect.

Prohibition of horse or steam

ferries.

SECT. 13. No person, keeping a ferry under a license as aforesaid, shall, by virtue of such license, use, employ or put in opera1830, 457, § 1. tion, at such ferry, any boat, propelled or worked by steam, horse, or team power, under penalty of forfeiture of his license, and to be further liable to pay such damages, as may accrue thereby, to any person or corporation. Provided, that this prohibition shall not apply to any such ferryman, who had built, purchased, or had in operation any such steam, horse, or team boat, at his ferry, on the sixth day of March, in the year eighteen hundred and thirty.

Exceptions.

Persons, authorized to use

other boats.

SECT. 14. Any person or corporation, by law authorized and horse or steam required to keep, use and employ horse, steam or team boats, at ferries, may use any ferry, may, notwithstanding the requirements of their license, in 1830, 457, 2. the night, or at any other time, when the passage of such ferry would be dangerous for said boats, use any other kind of boats, that shall be safe and convenient, for the transportation of passengers, and whatever else, he or they may be liable to transport.

Penalties for obstructing ferries.

1833,66, §1,2,4. 1840, 26.

SECT. 15. No person, except whilst necessarily obliged in the night time, or by stress of weather, shall anchor, moor, or deposit any vessel, boat, raft or water craft in any river, at a place where there is a ferry, authorized by law; nor at any time shall place any weir or other obstacle, in such manner as to obstruct the passage of the ferry boat, in its ordinary routes; under penalty of forfeiting twenty dollars, to the use of the proprietors of the ferry, if the offence be committed wilfully, or if the offence be committed inadvertently, and the person, committing the same, shall neglect

or refuse to remove such vessel, boat, raft, water craft, or other CHAP. 27. obstruction within thirty minutes, if practicable, after notice of the improper position of the same, to be recovered in a special action on the case.

this liability.

SECT. 16. No person shall be liable to the penalty of the pre- Exception to ceding section, for anchoring his vessel, boat, or raft, for the purpose 1833, 66, § 2. of hauling into any wharf, pier, landing or dock, if he shall not be guilty of unreasonable hindrance to the business of the ferry, by delay or wilful mismanagement in so doing.

ferries may

SECT. 17. The proprietors of any ferry may sink one or more Proprietors of piers, near their ferry ways, either above or below the same, on sink piers. either side of the river, for the purpose of steadying or guiding their 1833, 66, § 3. boats, in times of high winds or freshets; provided that no such pier shall be of greater length, or breadth, than twelve feet, nor so sunk, as to injure the proprietors of any wharf, pier, or landing, at which vessels may previously have taken in, or discharged, their freights.

SECT. 18. Any forfeiture, mentioned in this chapter, not other- Mode of recov wise appropriated, shall accrue to the use of the state; and ering forfeitmay ures. be recovered by indictment, in the district court in the county, 1833, 66, § 2, where the same may have been incurred.

CHAPTER 28,

OF WORK HOUSES.

SECT. 1. Towns may provide work houses. SECT. 13. Overseers may order commitment

Persons liable to commitment.

2. Towns may choose overseers of
such houses.

3. Duties of such overseers.
4. Contiguous towns may unite, in
building work houses.

5. Joint board of overseers, and their
powers in such case.

6. How chosen, and mode of pro-
ceeding.

7. Quarterly and other meetings of
such board.

8. Choice of officers.

9. By laws, when and how made.

10. Duties and proceedings.

11. Proportion in which expenses are

to be paid.

12. Mode of recovery from delinquent

town.

of certain persons.

14. Neither town may commit more
than its proportion.

15. Idlers having no settlement may
be committed.

16. Delinquent town may be deprived
of the right to occupy the house.
17. Either town may furnish addition.
al materials for labor.

18. Master to keep a registry.
19. Controversy between master and
overseers, how determined.
20. Each town liable for its own com-
mitments. Mode of discharge.
21. Persons committed, to be kept
employed.

22. Work houses may be discontinued.
23. Certain special laws, not affected
by this chapter.

houses. Per

sons liable to

SECTION 1. Any town may erect or provide a work house, for Towns may the employment and support of persons of the following description, provide work that is to say all poor and indigent persons, that are maintained by, or receive alms from, the town; all persons, who, being able of body, and not having estate or means, otherwise, to maintain them

commitment. 1821, 124, § 1, 7.

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