twenty dollars, to be sued for, and collected, in a suit before any justice of the peace, as debts of like amount are now, by law, recoverable, and to be appropriated to the owner, or owners, of such wharves, or landings, aforesaid; and it shall be lawful for the owner, or owners of the wharf, or landing, Collection of at, or in front of, which the same may be landed, or moored, wharfage. to collect his, or their, wharfage, by distress and sale of such boat, barge, flat, or other vessel, and its cargo, in the manner practiced and allowed for the collection of rents. SECTION 3. That the owners of the wharves, or landings Opening of pasaforesaid, shall have full authority to open passages from the sages to channel shore to the channel of the stream, by removal of any boat, barge, flat, or other vessel. JOHN CESSNA, Speaker of the House of Representatives. GEORGE V. LAWRENCE, Speaker of the Senate. APPROVED-The first day of April, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three. No. 244. In Jet To incorporate the Hopewell and Pattonsville Turnpike and Plank Road 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 George R. Barndollar, Joseph B. Noble, Daniel M. Bare, Commissioners. John Fulton, James Eichelberger, Thomas W. Horton, John F. Lowry, Abraham Steel, George Wishart, James Price, Jas. E. Kay, C. W. Ashcom, or any five of them, be and they are hereby appointed commissioners to open books, receive subseriptions, and organize a company, by the name, style and title of the Hopewell and Pattonsville Turnpike and Plank Title. Road Company, with power to construct a turnpike or plank road from Hopewell, in Bedford county, to Pattonsville, in said Route. county; the bed of said road to be graded eighteen feet wide, and stoned or planked ten feet, subject to all other provisions Subject to. and restrictions of an act regulating turnpike and plank road companies, approved the twenty-sixth day of January, one thousand eight hundred and forty-nine, and the several supplements thereto, not inconsistent with the provisions of this act. SECTION 2. That the capital of the company shall consist of three hundred and eighty shares, of twenty-five dollars each: Capital. Proviso. Subscriptions to stock. When road to Provided, That the company may, from time to time, at a meeting of the stockholders, called for that purpose, increase the capital stock to such an amount as, in their opinion, may be required to complete the same. SECTION 3. That the Huntingdon and Broad Top Mountain Railroad Company shall have power to subscribe to the stock of said company. SECTION 4. That if the said company shall not commence the be commenced construction of said road within three years from the passage and completed. of this act, and complete the same within six years, this act shall be null and void, except so far as may be necessary to wind up the affairs of said company. JOHN CESSNA, Speaker of the House of Representatives. GEORGE V. LAWRENCE, Speaker of the Senate. APPROVED-The first day of April, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three. A. G. CURTIN. No. 245. A Supplement To an act incorporating the borough of Beallsville, Washington county. 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 limits of the borough of Beallsville be and are hereby extended; so as to include the farms of James Thompson, John M'Dunkin and Daniel Flick. JOHN CESSNA, Speaker of the House of Representatives. Speaker of the Senate. APPROVED-The first day of April, Anno Domini one thou sand eight hundred and sixty-three. A. G. CURTIN. No. 246. An Act For preservation of certain records in the county of Franklin.. WHEREAS, Many of the drafts in the county surveyor's office, of the county of Franklin, in this commonwealth, have become torn, defaced and otherwise injured : And whereas, It is desirable that some provision be made for the better preservation of said drafts in the future; 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 it shall be the duty of the commissioners of said county of Franklin, to procure a book, or books, and cause to be copied therein, by the county surveyor, all such worn or defaced drafts, and have the same properly indexed; for which service the county surveyor shall receive the sum of fifty cents, out of the county treasury, for each draft so copied as aforesaid. JOHN CESSNA, Speaker of the House of Representatives. Speaker of the Senate. APPROVED-The first day of April, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three. A. G. CURTIN. No. 247. An Act Relative to assessing taxes in the borough of Mauch Chunk, and for other purposes. 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 town council of the borough of Mauch Chunk be and Increase of rate the same are hereby authorized to increase the annual rate of of taxation autaxation from one-half cent on the dollar, on the valuation assessed for county purposes, to a rate not exceeding eight mills on the dollar, of the valuation aforesaid, for the years thorized. Election of councilmen. one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, and one thousand eight hundred and sixty-five. SECTION 2. That the citizens, qualified electors of said borough, instead of electing a chief burgess and five town councilmen, as heretofore, shall, at the first borough election hereafter, elect six councilmen, two thereof to serve one year, two others to serve two years, and the remaining two to serve for three years; and every year thereafter there shall be elected two town councilmen, who shall serve for the term of three years; and the borough council shall, at the first meeting after Chief burgess. the election, appoint one of their number to be chief burgess of said borough for one year, and until his successor shall be appointed; and in case of death, resignation, or removal of any one, or more, of the town councilmen, the board shall have power, by appointment, to fill the vacancy, until the next annual election, when the unexpired term shall be filled. Vacancies. JOHN CESSNA, Speaker of the House of Representatives. Speaker of the Senate. APPROVED-The first day of April, Anno Domini one thonsand eight hundred and sixty-three. Erection of house for town ship purposes authorized. Cost. No. 248. An Act To authorize the road commissioners of Summit township to erect a house for the use of said township, and to levy and collect a tax to pay the expense thereof. 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 road commissioners of Summit township in the county of Erie, are hereby authorized to build, in such central place in said township, as they may select for that purpose, such a house as, in their discretion, they shall deem proper and necessary, for the purpose of holding therein the elections for said township, and transacting the necessary business pertaining to the interests of said township, and to finish and furnish the same in such manner as they shall deem proper; which, when so built and furnished, shall be owned, held and controlled by said commissioners, in trust for the use of said township, for the purposes aforesaid: Provided, That the costs of said building shall not exceed the sum of five hundred dollars. same. SECTION 2 The said road commissioners are hereby autho- Tax to be asrized to assess a tax upon the real and personal estate, in said sessed for paytownship, subject to county rates and levies, and upon all per- ment of the sons resident therein, liable to a poll tax, as now provided by law, sufficient to pay the cost of erecting and furnishing said building, as provided in the first section of this act, and for the cost of collecting and paying out said tax, and to make out a duplicate therefor to the collector of said township, and issue a warrant under their hands and seals, authorizing said collector to collect the same in the manner now provided by law Collection of. for the collection of county rates and levies; which tax, when collected, shall be paid to the treasurer of said township, and paid out by him, on the orders of said road commissioners, for the purposes aforesaid, and for no other purpose whatever. SECTION 3. The commissioners aforesaid shall have power to Exonerations. exonorate the said collector from the collection of said tax, levied upon the property of such indigent persons, as they may think just and equitable. JOHN CESSNA, Speaker of the House of Representatives. GEORGE V. LAWRENCE, Speaker of the Senate. APPROVED The first day of April, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three. A. G. CURTIN. No. 249. An Act To provide for the collection of certain taxes in the school district of Wharton, in the county of Potter. WHEREAS, The school directors of Wharton school district, in the county of Potter, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, levied a tax for school purposes, of ten mills on the dollar of the assessed valuation in said school district: And whereas, The proper officers of the school board, in said district, neglected to return that portion of said tax assessed upon unseated lands, for collection, to the commissioners of said county, within the time required by law; 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 proper officer of the board of school directors, in said Wharton school district, is hereby authorized to return that |