as if such action or process had been originally com- 1800.- Chapter 52. [January Session, ch. 16.] AN ACT TO ESTABLISH AN ACADEMY IN THE TOWN OF NEW Academy SEC. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate & House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That there be, and hereby is established Lincoln in the town of New Castle in the County of Lincoln an established. Academy by the name of The Lincoln Academy, for the purpose of promoting Piety, Religion, and Morality, and instructing Youth in such of the Liberal Arts and Sciences, as the Trustees shall direct. porated. Be it further enacted, that the reverend Kiah Trustees incorBailey and Samuel Nickels esqr., both of New Castle, the reverend Jonathan Ward of New Milford, the reverend Alden Bradford, and the honorable Thomas Rice of Pownalborough, the reverend William Riddle and Thomas McClure esqr. of Bristol, the reverend John Sawyer and William McCobb esqr. of Boothbay, David Dennis esqr. and Mr. Mathew Cottrill of Nobleborough, the honorable Henry Knox esqr. of Thomastown, and Mr. Moses Carlton of New Milford be, and they hereby are appointed Trustees of the aforesaid Academy, and they are hereby incorporated into a Body Politic, by the name of The Trustees of the Lincoln Academy; and they and their successors shall be, and continue a Body Politic and corporate by the same name forever. &c. SEC. 3. Be it further enacted that the said Trustees To have a seal, and their Successors shall make and have a common Seal, which they may break, change and renew from time to time, as they may see fit; and they may sue & be sued, in all actions, real, personal or mixed, and prosecute and defend the same to final judgment & execution, by the name of The Trustees of the Lincoln Academy, and may appoint an Agent or Agents to prosecute or defend such suits. SEC. 4. Be it further enacted, that the Trustees afore- To appoint named, and their successors be, and they hereby are made of the Academy. Quorum of Vacancies to be filled. Property may be held. Conditional grant of land. First meeting. the Visitors, Trustees and Governors of the said Academy, in perpetual succession forever, to be continued in the way and manner hereafter specified, with full power and authority to elect and constitute such Officers of the said Academy, as they shall judge necessary and convenient; and to make and ordain such laws, orders and rules, not repugnant to the laws of this Commonwealth, for the good government of said Academy, as to them shall seem fit and requisite. SEC. 5. Be it further enacted, that the number of the Trustees aforesaid, shall not at any one time be more than thirteen, nor less than seven, which last number, at least, shall be necessary to constitute a quorum for transacting business; and the eldest Trustee present at any legal meeting, shall be considered, and shall act as Chairman of such meeting. SEC. 6. Be it further enacted, that as often as one or more of the Trustees shall die or resign, or in the Judgment of the major part of the Trustees shall be rendered incapable, by age or otherwise, of discharging the duties of his Office, the Trustees then surviving, shall elect one or more persons to fill up the vacancy or vacancies. SEC. 7. Be it further enacted, that the Trustees aforesaid, and their successors be, and they hereby are rendered capable in law to take and hold by gift, grant, devise bequest or otherwise, any lands tennements or other estate, real or personal-provided that the annual income of said real estate shall not exceed the sum of Two thousand Dollars, and the annual income of their personal estate, shall not exceed the sum of Seven thousand Dollars; and all deeds and instruments, which the said Trustees may lawfully make, shall be sealed with their seal, and shall bind the said Body Politic, and their estates real and personal, under the name of The Trustees of the Lincoln Academy. SEC. 8. Be it further enacted, that if the said Trustees of the said Academy, shall within three years from the passing of this Act, furnish evidence to this Court, that funds are secured to the use of said Academy by private donation or otherwise, to the amount of Three thousand Dollars, the said Trustees shall be then entitled to a grant of half a Township of land from this Commonwealth, for the use and support of said Academy. SEC. 9. And be it further enacted that Samuel Nickels esqr., one of the Trustees aforenamed, be, & he hereby is authorized and empowered to appoint the time and place 1800. Chapter 53. [January Session, ch. 17.] AN ACT FOR INCORPORATING CERTAIN PERSONS, FOR THE PUR- porated. SEC. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives, in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That Samuel Tobey, William Bay- Persons incorlies, Thomas B. Richmond, George Ware, Benjamin Crane, Luther Crane, Thomas Carpenter the second, with such other persons as now are associated, or may hereafter associate with them, for the purpose hereafter mentioned, their heirs and assigns, be, and they hereby are made and constituted a Corporation, or Body Politic, for the purpose of building a Bridge over Taunton Great River, between the towns of Dighton and Berkley, in the County of Bristol. called. chosen, and SEC. 2. Be it further enacted, That any two of the Meeting to be aforesaid Proprietors may, by posting up notifications at some public places in the towns of Dighton and Berkley, warn and call a meeting of the proprietors, to be holden at any suitable time and place, after thirty days from the first publication of said advertisement; and the Proprie- Officers may be tors by a vote of a majority of those present, or duly rules estabrepresented at the said meeting, (allowing one vote to lished. and for each single share in all cases; provided however, that no one proprietor shall be allowed more than six votes,) shall chuse a Clerk, who shall be sworn to the faithfull discharge of said office, and shall also agree on a method of calling future meetings, and at the same, or a subsequent meeting or meetings, may elect such Officers, and make and establish such rules and bye laws, as to them shall seem necessary or convenient for the regulation and government of the said Corporation, for carrying into effect the purpose aforesaid, and for collecting the toll herein after granted and established; and may annex penalties to the breach of any bye laws, not exceeding five Location of bridge. Draw to be constructed. Toll. Dollars: And all representations at said meeting shall be filed with the Clerk, and this Act, & all rules, regulations and proceedings shall be fairly and truly recorded, by the said Clerk, in a book or books to be provided and kept for that purpose. SEC. 3. Be it further enacted, That the said Proprietors be, and they hereby are authorized & empowered to erect a Bridge over Taunton Great River, so called, between the towns of Dighton & Berkley, in the County of Bristol, at or near the common landing place, near the dwelling house of David Standish in said Dighton, with a convenient Draw for the passing of Vessels, at least twenty eight feet wide, which Draw shall be constructed with strong abutments; and on each side thereof there shall be a pier, sufficient to secure all such vessels as may attempt to pass through said Draw, for the use of such Vessels, free of wharfage, or expense of any kind. And the said proprietors shall constantly keep some suitable person or persons at the said Bridge, who shall raise said Draw for any vessel that may be passing up or down the river aforesaid, without toll or expense. And in case any vessel, about to pass said Bridge, shall be detained at the Draw more than five minutes before the same shall be begun to be raised, the Proprietors of said Bridge shall forfeit and pay to the owner or owners of such vessel, the sum of ten Dollars for each and every such detention, to be recovered by action of debt, in any Court proper to try the same. And for the purpose of reimbursing the said Proprietors the money by them to be expended in building and supporting said Bridge, SEC. 4. Be it further enacted, That a toll be, and hereby is granted and established for the sole benefit of said proprietors, according to the rates following, to wit, For each foot passenger, three cents; for each horse and rider, six cents five milles; - for each horse and chaise, chair or sulkey, seventeen cents; for each coach, chariot, phaeton or other four wheeled carriage for passengers, twenty-five cents; for each curricle, twenty-five cents; for each sleigh drawn by one horse, twelve cents & five milles; for each cart, sled, or other carriage of burden, drawn by one beast, twelve cents five milles, if drawn by two beasts, seventeen cents, if drawn by more than two beasts, twenty cents; for each horse without free. a rider, & for neat Cattle, four cents each; - for sheep and swine, nine cents per dozen. And one person, and no more, shall be allowed to each team as a driver, to pass free of toll. And all Companies of Militia, who shall Militia to pass have occasion to pass said Bridge, to perform military duty, shall pass free of toll. And at all times of night, while the river is open and navigable, the Draw shall be kept raised from the time the Toll Gatherer leaves the Bridge in the evening, untill his return thereto in the morning. And the toll shall commence on the day of the first opening of said Bridge, and shall continue for the term of Forty years. And at the place where the toll Sign board to shall be received, there shall be erected, and constantly exposed to view, a sign board with the rates of toll fairly and legibly written or printed thereon in large letters. SEC. 5. Be it further enacted, That the said Bridge Bridge. shall be well built with suitable materials, at least twentyfour feet wide, and covered with planks, with sufficient rails on each side, and boarded up sixteen inches high from the floor of said Bridge, for the safety of Passengers travelling thereon; and the same shall be kept in good repair at all times. be erected. ing limited. SEC. 6. And Be it further enacted, That if the said Time of buildProprietors shall neglect, for the space of four years from the passing of this Act, to build and erect said Bridge, then this Act to be void & of no effect. Approved February 24, 1801. 1800.- Chapter 54. [January Session, ch. 18.] AN ACT IN ADDITION TO AN ACT, ENTITLED, "AN ACT FOR THE curing standard measures ex SEC. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives, in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That the time allowed to each Time for proCounty Treasurer within this Commonwealth, to procure weights and one complete sett of beams, and of the brass, copper, pew- tended. ter and iron Weights and Measures, well tried, proved and sealed by the State Standards, as required in the Act to which this is in addition, be extended to the first day of January, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and two; & that the time allowed to the Treasurer of each Town and District within this Commonwealth, to |