No. 187. AN ACT 'Relating to the pilotage of armed vessels on the Delaware bay and river. SECTION 1. 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 from and after the passage of this act, the rate of pilotage on all armed vessels belonging to the United States, or belonging to foreign nations, shall be "five dollars for every foot of water which such vessels shall draw. JAMES ROSS SNOWDEN, Speaker of the House of Representatives. WILLIAM BIGLER, Speaker of the Senate. APPROVED 'The thirteenth day of April, one thousand eight hundred and forty-four. DAVID R. PORTER. No. 188. AN ACT Providing means for the repair of the Warren and Ridgeway turnpike road, and for other purposes. WHEREAS, The president, managers, and stockholders of the Warren and Ridgeway turnpike road company, have abandoned the same, and neglect and refuse to repair and take care of said road, whereby the same has become so out of repair and burthensome to the inhabitants residing along the same, that they cannot pass and repass with their horses and wagons as they should do; therefore, SECTION 1. 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 one-half of the road tax levied in the township of Sheffield, and onefourth of the road tax levied in the township of Kenzua, in the county of Warren; one-fourth of the road tax levied in the township of Tionesta, in the county of Jefferson; one-fourth of the road tax levied in the township of Ridgeway, and one-eighth of the road tax levied in the township of Jones, in the county of Elk, shall, for a period of six years from the passage of this act, be paid to the commissioners hereinafter named, or to their successors in office, to be expended and laid out by said commissioners, to the best advantage in repairing, mending and improving said turnpike road through the counties of Warren, Jefferson and Elk. SECTION 2. That the said commissioners, before they enter upon Oath of commistheir duties, shall take an oath or affirmation before a justice of the sioners. peace, to perform their duties with fidelity, and to have the taxes expended in the repairing and keeping in repair the said turnpike road, at the same time as supervisors of the highways are now compelled to do by the existing laws of this commonwealth. SECTION 3. That Richard Dunham and Erastus Barnes, of the county Appointment of of Warren, and Joseph S. Hyde, of the county of Elk, be and they commissioners. are hereby appointed said commissioners, and shall receive one dollar per day for each and every day they may be actually engaged in having said road repaired: Provided, That in the case of death or resignation in said board of commissioners, the court of general quarter sessions of Warren county, may, by appointment, supply said vacancy: Provided, further, That said commissioners shall annually settle their accounts with the auditors of the several townships mentioned in this act; so much of any act as is hereby altered or supplied, is hereby repealed. SECTION 4. That the time for the completion of the Dingman's Choice Dingman's turnpike road, be and the same is hereby extended for the term of two Choice turnpike years, from and after the time fixed by the act incorporating the Ding- road. man's Choice turnpike road company. APPROVED-The thirteenth day of April, one thousand eight hundred and forty-four. DAVID R. PORTER. No. 189. AN ACT To reduce the capital stock of the Manufacturers' and Mechanics' Bank of the SECTION 1. 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 the capital stock of the Manufacturers' and Mechanics' Bank shall be Capital reduced, and the same hereby is reduced from six hundred thousand dollars to three hundred thousand dollars; and the shares thereof, from fifty to twenty-five dollars each, and the directors thereof shall forthwith cause new certificates to be prepared for each of the stockholders of said bank, Certificates. certifying their several interests in the same, according to said reduction, and upon the delivery of the same cause the old certificates to be sur rendered and cancelled, and in like manner for all new certificates hereafter issued on the transfer and sale of any stock in said bank; and from and after the passage of this act all the laws now in force for regulating the affairs of said bank, and the officers thereof, and the dividends and profits thereof, and the taxes and duties thereon, shall apply to and be binding on the said bank, as if the capital stock thereof had been originally limited to the sum of three hundred thousand dollars, and the shares thereof to twenty-five dollars each. JAMES ROSS SNOWDEN, Speaker of the House of Representatives. WILLIAM BIGLER, Speaker of the Senate. APPROVED-The thirteenth day of April, one thousand eight hundred and forty-four. DAVID R. PORTER. Preamble. No. 190. AN ACT Authorizing the canal commissioners to examine and adjust the claim of Mercy WHEREAS, It is alleged by Mercy Bennett, of Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, that great injustice has been done to the estate of her late husband, John Bennett, deceased, by compelling the building of a farm bridge across the West Branch canal, as she is fully prepared to prove; therefore, SECTION 1. 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 the canal commissioners be and they are hereby authorized and directed to examine the claim of Mercy Bennett, and do such justice in the case as the rule regulating farm bridges will justify; and if any thing should be proved due her or the estate of John Bennett, deceased, there shall be entered a credit for said amount on the books of the Auditor General, bearing interest at the rate of six per centum from the date of such entry. JAMES ROSS SNOWDEN, Speaker of the House of Representatives. WILLIAM BIGLER, Speaker of the Senate. APPROVED-The thirteenth day of April, one thousand eight hundred and forty-four. DAVID R. PORTER. No. 191. AN ACT To authorize the commissioners of Philadelphia county to issue certificates of county loan, and to vacate certain streets. SECTION 1. 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 the commissioners of Philadelphia county be and they are hereby authorized and required to issue certificates of county stock to such persons as have sustained damages for the opening of Franklin street, Franklin street, in the district of Kensington and the Northern Liberties, which said damages. damages shall have been ascertained in the usual manner, but no such certificate shall be issued for a less sum than one hundred dollars; said certificates shall bear an interest of five per centum per annum, and be redeemable in the year one thousand eight hundred and eighty, or sooner, at the discretion of the county; and the county board is hereby authorized, if they deem it expedient, to authorize and require the county commissioners to issue certificates of stock in payment of damages, for opening and widening of all other streets, lanes and alleys, within the said city and county; which said damages shall have been duly assessed and confirmed by the court, prior to the passage of this act; said certificates to bear interest at the rate of five per cent. per annum, and shall be redeemable in the year one thousand eight hundred and eighty, or sooner, at the discretion of the county; but hereafter no debt shall accrue against the county for damages for the opening or widening of streets, until the report of the jury of damages shall, in addition to the confirmation by the court, be confirmed by a majority of all the members of the county board. SECTION 2. That so much of the eastern side of Cadwalader or Washington Washington street, in the district of Kensington, in said county, as lies street. to the southward of Master street, as may be necessary to reduce the width of said street to fifty feet, shall be and the same is hereby vacated, except such portion thereof as would be included, if Washington street, as the same is laid down on the north side of said Master street, were continued in a direct line, southwardly, until the eastern line thereof intersected the eastern line of said Cadwalader or Washington street, when the said last named street shall be reduced to the width of fifty feet, as hereinbefore provided; and Middle alley in the district of Spring Garden, in said county, running north from Vine street, between Schuylkill Third and Fourth streets, shall be, and the same is hereby vacated. APPROVED-The sixteenth day of April, one thousand eight hundred and forty-four. DAVID R. PORTER. No. 192. A FURTHER SUPPLEMENT To the act of the twenty-fourth of March, one thousand eight hundred and eighteen, entitled "An Act to enable aliens to purchase and hold real estate in this commonwealth." SECTION 1. 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 Title confirmed. all purchases of lands, tenements and hereditaments, within this commonwealth, not exceeding two thousand acres, heretofore made by any alien or aliens, and in all cases where such alien or aliens shall have inherited the same by descent or otherwise, the title of such alien or aliens, is hereby confirmed; and it shall be lawful for such alien or aliens, to hold the same as fully and to all intents and purposes, as any citizen of the United States might or could do: Provided, That nothing herein contained shall, in any wise, affect or impair the vested rights of any individual or individuals. Certain sales made valid. SECTION 2. In all cases where aliens have purchased real estate within this commonwealth, and have sold the same to citizens of the United States, the said sales shall be valid, to all intents and purposes, and shall be construed to vest the title to the said real estate, in the citizens aforesaid, as fully and effectually as if the said aliens had been citizens at the time of purchasing the same. JAMES ROSS SNOWDEN, Speaker of the House of Representatives. WILLIAM BIGLER, Speaker of the Senate. APPROVED-The sixteenth day of April, one thousand eight hundred and forty-four. DAVID R. PORTER. No. 193. AN ACT To pay Richard Durbin for work done in securing property belonging to the commonwealth. SECTION 1. 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 the canal commissioners be and they are hereby authorized and required to examine the claim of Richard Durbin, for work alleged to have been |