make a return, on oath or affirmation, of all his or her male slaves, from the age of sixteen to fifty years, shall refuse or neglect to make such return, the said commissioners, or any three of them, are hereby authorized to assess every such defaulter, according to the best information they shall receive, in any sum not exceeding four dollars for every such male slave so refused or neglected to be returned; that if any person appointed by the board of commissioners to summon the inhabitants or slaves of any parish or district, to work upon the roads, or to levy executions on them for defaults, shall refuse or neglect to act, he shall forfeit a sum not exceeding twelve dollars; and that if any person shall refuse or neglect to act as an overseer on the roads, not giving sufficient reason for such refusal or neglect, every such person shall be fined in a sum not exceeding eight dollars; all which fines, penalties and forfeitures, shall be recovered by immediate warrant of distress, under the hands of any three of the said commissioners, against any of the goods and chattels of the persons offending, which, after ten days public notice, shall be sold for the purpose of paying the fine inflicted, and the charges accruing thereon; and the overplus, if any, returned to the said person: And the said fines, penalties and forfeitures so recovered, shall be disposed of for repairing and keeping in order the high roads, bridges, causeways, creeks and water courses, in such manner as the said commissioners, or a majority of them, shall think fit, any law, usage or custom to the contrary thereof in any wise, notwithstanding.

Whereas many of the inhabitants of the parish of Saint James's, Santee, have petitioned for the removal of the bridge across Wambaw creek, in the said parish, to a situation a few miles higher up than where it is at present, that the navigation of the said creek may be extended, and the bridge may hereafter be less liable to be destroyed by freshes.

And whereas sundry other inhabitants of the said parish, have petitioned that the said bridge may not be removed, unless those petitioning for the same shall, at their own expense and labour, make all the necessary new roads and causeways:

Be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That Wambaw the present bridge over Wambaw creek, and the bridge to be discon- roads leading thereto, be discontinued, and the tinued. commissioners of the roads of the parish of Saint

James's, Santee, are hereby directed and empowered to cause to be built and erected, and when requisite, to be rebuilt and repaired, a bridge across Wambaw creek, at a situation about four miles bigher up than where the present bridge crosses the same, between or near the dividing lines of lands belonging to the estate of the deceased Mrs. Elizabeth Middleton and of Mr. Thomas Horry, or thereabout, on the south side; and between or near the dividing lines of lands late the property of Mr. Charles Cantey, deceased, and of a plantation belonging to Mr. John Gaillard, or thereabout, on the north side of the said creek; and to levy such sum or sums of money as may be sufficient for defraying the charges and expenses on the same, by an assessment, in equal proportion, on all the male slaves from the age of sixteen to fifty years in the said parish: But however on the following condition, namely; that the inhabitants aforesaid, or a sufficient number of them, who have petitioned for the removal of the said bridge, will, before the first Monday in April next, consent and agree to make and cause to be made, before the first Monday in September next, at their own charge, expense and labour, in such manner and direction as the said commissioners, or a majority of them, shall appear most to the convenience of the parishoners, and not to the material injury of any of the tracts of land on both or either side of the said creek, a road on the south side of the same, leading from the public Charleston road; and also a road on the north side, lead

ing from Echaw bridge to the aforementioned situation on the said creek, together with such causeways, and such other roads, as to them, the said commissioners, may seem fit and requisite, on both or either side of the said creek; which said roads and causeways, when made and completed, shall be considered as public, and shail be worked on and kept in good order and repair, by and at the joint and equal charge and labour of all the male inhabitants in the said parish, from the age of sixteen to fifty years; and of all the male slaves from and between those ages, belonging to all persons whomsoever, when cailed out, according to their respective division or divisions, to work on, and keep in good order and repair, all the roads, bridges and causeways in the said parish. But if the said inhabitants, who have petitioned for the removal of the said bridge, or a sufficient number of them, do not, before the first Monday in April next, consent and agree to make, at their own charge, expense and labour, the aforementioned roads and causeways, leading to the situation aforesaid, whenever they shall be hereafter called on, then the said commissioners of the roads in the parish aforesaid, shall, and they are hereby directed to proceed according to law, to the rebuilding of Wambaw bridge, at the place where it now crosses the creek; any part of this act to the contrary thereof in any wise, notwithstanding.

And be it further enacted by the authority afore- Toll for said, That it shall and may be lawful for the pro- passing the bridge prietor or proprietors of the bridge over Edisto, in over Edisthe county of Orange, near the Old Mill-Seat, for to, in the the time being, and at all times hereafter, to ask, county of demand and receive, to and for his and their own proper use, as portage or toll, before any passage over said bridge shall be permitted, the several sums following: for a waggon and team, or other four wheeled carriage, fifty cents; for a cart, driver and horse, twenty-five cents; for a chair and

person therein, and horse, twenty-five cents; for a rolling hogshead, eighteen cents; for a man and horse, seven cents; cattle and led horses, per head, four cents; for hogs, sheep and goats, per head,

two cents.

And be further enacted, That all laws or clauses Repealing of laws, ascertaining the rates of portage or tolk over the said bridge, be, and the same are hereby repealed.

clause.

sioners to

boards.

And be it further enacted, That Joseph KennerAddition ly, John Geiger and Hargrove Arthur, be added al commis- to the present board of commissioners for the road several leading from Kennerly's bridge on Saluda, through Granby, to the bridge on Sandy-run creek; that Hugh Alexander Nixon, Peter Oliver and John Lord, be added to the board of commissioners for the road from Beaver-creek to the High-hill-creek; that Hugh Alexander Nixon and Peter Oliver be added to the board of commissioners for the road from Beaver-creek to Lyon's-creek; that Jacob Saylor and Andreas Keigler, be added to the board of commissioners for the road from Sandy-run to Seawright's old place on Beaver-creek.

Bridge ov

Cannon.

Be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That Edward Cannon and David Coulter, be, and they er Edisto, are hereby authorized and empowered to build and at the plantation of keep in repair, a toll bridge across Edisto river, at Edward the plantation of the said Edward Cannon; and that the same be vested in them, the said Edward Cannon and David Coulter, their heirs and assigns, for and during the term of fourteen years, from the time when the same shall be completed; and also that the following shall be the rates of tollage for passing over the same, that is to say: for a waggon and team, fifty cents; cart and team, thirtytwo cents; four wheeled carriage, fifty cents; horse and chair, twenty-one cents; man and horse, seven cents; hogshead of tobacco, twenty-three cents; cattle and horses, three cents per head; hogs, sheep and goats, one cent per head.

opening a

catcher

Be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That major Smilie, Gasper Trotti, Joel Spell and Ed- Commissi ward Cannon, be, and are hereby appointed com- oners for missioners, with full power and authority to lay road from out, open and keep in repair a new road from the the SaltSaltcatcher-bridge to the toll bridge aforesaid, and bridge. from thence to intersect the road leading to Orangeburgh, in the nearest and best direction; and that all persons liable to work upon the public roads, residing within ten miles on cach side of the said road, be bound to work upon the same, and to keep it in repair.

And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, Commissi That James Porcher, Samuel Maner and William oners for opening a Maner, be, and they are hereby appointed com- road from missioners to lay out and open a road, to lead from the Black the Black-swamp bridge in Saint Peter's parish, bridge to on the Augusta road, the nearest and best way to the Purysburgh the Purysburgh road, at or near the avenue, to the road. plantation late of Paul Porcher, deceased.

swamp

on Saluda,

And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That a public ferry be established at the plantation Ferry at of Christopher Stanton, on Saluda river, in Pendle- Stanton's ton county, and that the same be vested in him, his heirs and assigns, for and during the term of fourteen years; and that the said Christopher Stanton, his heirs or assigns, be bound for and during the said term, to keep a good and sufficient ferryboat or boats, for transporting all passengers, their horses and other cattle, goods and carriages over the same, and that he give regular attendance at the said ferry.

ford on

And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That a public ferry be established at Parise's ford Ferry at on Saluda river, and that the same be vested in the Parise's owners of the land on each side of said river, their Saluda heirs and assigns, for and during the term of fourteen years; and that they, their heirs and assigns, during the said term, shall keep one or more good and sufficient ferry-boats for transporting all pas

H