CHAPTER CXXXI. An ACT ta cede the occupancy and use of certain lands near Presque-Isle to the United States, for the purpose therein mentioned. WHEREAS the congress of the United States by an act passed the first day of May, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and ten, authorized the erection of a light-house at or near Presque-Isle, and appropriated a sum of money to defray the expense of erecting the same: the United light-house upon. SECT. I. 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 A certain piece estate, right, title and interest in law and equity, of, in and of land ceded to to, a piece of land to contain not less than two, nor more than States to erect a four acres, and the same is hereby granted and vested in the United States of America, for a site to erect a light-house on; That Daniel Dobbins, James Weston and James Pollock are commissioners hereby appointed commissioners, and they are required to lay appointed. off a piece or lot of land, which lot may be laid off within the reserved tract the property of this commonwealth, lying east of the town of Erie, on the bank of the Lake, at such place and in such form as may be thought most proper to erect a light-house on; (provided the most suitable place can be found on said reserved tract;) and the three commissioners before mentioned shall call on at least three of the captains or commanders of vessels, and obtain their opinions as to the most proper place where a light-house ought to be erected so as to be the most advantage to persons bringing vessels into be fixed. the harbour or anchorage ground; and the commissioners aforesaid shall view, and lay off a proper site to erect a light- And laid off. house on, and shall under their hands and seals transmit a plot or draft thereof with the courses and distances of the lot Draft of to be so laid off to the Secretary of the treasury of the United transmitted to States, before the first day of July next; Provided, That it shall be lawful to lay out and open convenient roads through such parts of the said lot as the reasonable accommodation of the state or its citizens may require without injury to the United States, in respect to the true object of the cession; and it is the express intent and meaning of this act, that nothing herein contained shall be deemed, construed, or in any- land, &c. only wise taken to cede and transfer unto the United States the granted. How the site to the secretary of the Treasury of the U.S. Roads may be laid out, &c. Usefruct of the jurisdiction or right of soil in and to the said lot, but only the occupancy and use thereof for the purposes aforesaid. JOHN WEBER, Speaker of the House of Representatives. P. C. LANE, Speaker of the Senate. APPROVED-the second day of April, one thousand eight hun dred and eleven. SIMON SNYDER. Patents may Proviso. Certain Connec CHAPTER CXXXII. An ACT to authorize the granting of patents on surveys here. tofore made and received in the land-office. SECT. 1. BE it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in General Assembly met, and it is bereby enacted by the authority of the same, That it shall be lawful for the officers of the landoffice to issue patents in the usual manner on surveys made which have been heretofore returned and received by the surveyor-general, notwithstanding any such survey may contain an excess of more than ten per cent. above the number of acres mentioned in the warrants respectively; Provided, That no such patent shall be construed to defeat or affect the right or title of any other person or persons which may have accrued by improvement or otherwise, to any such excess. SECT. II. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, cut settlers au- That any Connecticut settler, his, her or their legal representalowed to pay all tive holding land under the act, entitled, "An act for the purchase money, purpose of adjusting the titles to lands in Bedford and Ulster thorized and al or part of the townships, in Luzerne and Lycoming counties, passed March nineteenth, one thousand eight hundred and ten, who may have received, or shall hereafter receive patents for the same, agreeably to the directions of said act, shall be at liberty at the time of receiving his, her or their patent or patents, or at any time thereafter, to pay the whole of the purchase money and interest due, or any number of instalments due or to become due, with the interest on the principal sum due at the time of said payment. JOHN WEBER, Speaker of the House of Representatives. P. C. LANE, Speaker of the Senate. APPROVED the second day of April, one thousand eight hun dred and eleven. SIMON SNYDER. CHAPTER CXXXIII An ACT relinquishing the claim of the commonwealth to certain arrears of state taxes, and for other purposes therein mentioned. WHEREAS it appears that there is due to the commonwealth from the estate of William Henry, deceased, formerly treasurer of Lancaster county, the sum of twelve thousand and eighteen dollars and thirty-four cents, being part of the arrears of state taxes due from the county of Lancaster: And whereas it appears that the county of Lancaster has incurred some expense and inconvenience in furnishing the legislature with a state house and other accommodations for a number of years past; Therefore, SECT. I. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in General Assembly met, and it is bereby enacted by the authority county of Lan of the same, That as soon as the commissioners of the coun- certain monies ty of Lancaster shall have paid unto John Joseph Henry, the granted to the sum of sixteen hundred dollars, then the claim of the com- caster. monwealth to the sum of twelve thousand and eighteen dollars and thirty-four cents, due from the estate of William Henry, deceased, shall be relinquished to the commissioners of the county of Lancaster for the purpose of purchasing and making free the bridge built by Abraham Witmer over the Conestoga creek in said county. JOHN WEBER, Speaker of the House of Representatives. P. C. LANE, Speaker of the Senate. APPROVED the second day of April, one thousand eight hun dred and eleven. SIMON SNYDER. CHAPTER CXXXIV. An ACT to release all the title of this commonwealth in and to a cer tain estate therein mentioned WHEREAS it appears to the legislature that a certain tract of mountain land of small value, situate in Tulpehocken township, Berks county, and containing sixty-six acres, was devised to a certain Margaret Hershfield who intermarried with a certain Daniel Shaeffer and afterwards died intestate and without issue or known kindred, that the said land continued to be held and improved by the said Daniel Shaeffer who has since died in possession of the same, leaving a widow Elizabeth Shaeffer and five small children who still continue in the same possession; and the said Elizabeth has prayed the legislature that the said tract being the only means of Claim of the commonwealth to certain land released in fa Shaeffer. supporting her family, may be confirmed to her and the chil dren of the said Daniel Shaeffer, and that they may not be dispossessed thereof by the commonwealth by occasion of the escheat; Therefore, SECT. I. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives a the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in General Assembly met, and it hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That all the right, title and interest of the commonwealth in and to the said tract of vour of Elizabeth land and appurtenances be, and the same is hereby released to the said Elizabeth Shaeffer and her children, by the said Daniel Shaeffer to be held by them in fee in the same manner and proportion as if the said Daniel Shaeffer had died seized thereof in fee simple and intestate; Provided, That nothing in this act contained shall be construed to defeat or affect any title or claim whatsoever in or to the said land except the title of this commonwealth by escheat. JOHN WEBER, Speaker of the House of Representatives. P. C. LANE, Speaker of the Senate. APPROVED the second day of April, one thousand eight hun dred and eleven. SIMON SNYDER. falls bridge com CHAPTER CXXXV. An ACT incorporating the Schuylkill falls bridge company, other purposes. WHEREAS Robert Kennedy and Conrad Carpenter have conveyed all their interest in the site of the Schuylkill falls bridge, and all their rights, privileges, and franchises granted to them by an act passed the twenty-second of February, one thousand eight hundred and eight, entitled, “An act for establishing and building a bridge across the river Schuylkill, at or near the falls thereof," to certain trustees for the use of themselves and others subscribers to the stock for erecting the said bridge; and the said Robert and Conrad as well as the said trustees and stockholders are desirous of obtaining a charter of incorporation; Therefore, SECT. I. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa tives of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in General Assembly Stockholders of met, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That Ro the Schuylkill bert Kennedy, Conrad Carpenter, Paul Cox, Samuel Wheelpany incorporat er, John Johnson, Algernon Roberts, Thomas M'Euen, John Thoburn, Walter Franklin, Francis Johnson, Reading Howell and William T. Donnaldson, and such others as now are or hereafter shall be holders of stock in the said company, be and they hereby are erected into a body corporate, in deed and in ed. aw by the name, style, and title of the "President and ma- style of the car nagers of the Schuylkill falls bridge company ;" and shall have poration. perpetual succession, and enjoy all and every the rights, liberties and privileges, powers, authorities and immunities, in- And privileges, cident or belonging to a corporation or body politic, and by that name take and hold all the estate, real and personal, now vested in the trustees of said bridge, and exercise the powers and authorities hereinafter mentioned or incident to such a corporation. cial meetings to meetings to be en. SECT. II. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid. General and speThat for the better conducting the affairs of the said company, be held. the stockholders shall have a general meeting on the second How special Monday in April in every year, (and at such other times as called. any five or more stockholders holding not less than fifty shares shall request in writing,) of which meetings ten days notice Notice to be givshall be given by the trustees or managers for the time being, in one or more newspapers printed in Philadelphia; at which stated annual meetings the said stockholders shall have laid before them the accounts of the preceding year, and a gene- submitted. ral statement of their affairs; and on their first and every third stated meeting, shall choose by ballot given in person or by proxy, one president, and four managers, who shall ma nage and transact the affairs of the company during the next Term of service, three years; and in case of neglect to make such election at any of the stated meetings shall continue in office until superseded by a new election. Accounts to be Officers to be chosen. to be a quorum. &c. vested in SECT. III. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, Three members That the said president and managers, any three of whom shall be a quorum, shall have full power to appoint and remove Powers of; such officers as may be found necessary, and to do all and every such matters and things as may lawfully be done touching the management of the concerns of the said company. SECT. IV. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, certain That all and singular the rights, liberties and franchises, du- said corporation. ties and restrictions heretofore by law granted to or imposed on the said Robert Kennedy and Conrad Carpenter, shall be, and the same hereby are fully vested in and imposed on the said president, managers and company, as fully to all intents purposes whatsoever as though the same and every part thereof were herein particularly set forth and re-enacted. and APPROVED the second hundred and eleven. JOHN WEBER, Speaker of the House of Representatives, P. C. LANE, Speaker of the Senate. day of April, one thousand eight SIMON SNYDER, Ff |