The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1823-04-30

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An ACT respecting Sloops and Vessels
employed m transporting Stone, Sand, and
Gravel, within this Commonwealth.
SEC. !. Be Il enacted by the Senate and
Ho,tse Of Representatives. IN General Court as
se1sJied, and BY The authority of The same,
That, from and after the first day of June
next, every Sloop or Vessel employed in
transporting Stone, Sand, or Gravel. within
this Commonwealth, shall be marked with
stationary marks on the stem and stern posts,
nearly level with the bend of said Sloop or
Vessels, with bar-iron, not less than six inches
in length, and two and one half inches in
breadth, with two good and sufficient iron
bolts, to be driven through said stem and
stern posts, and rivetted into the aforesaid iron,
from which all other marks shall take their
distance, in feet, inches, and parts Of inches,
as the distance may require from the lower
edge Of the said stationary marks to the
lower edge of the other marks which
marks shah be as follows, viz: Lighf-water
MARKS, not less than four inches in length,
and one and one half inch in breadth and
that every four tons above said light-water
marks, legibly cut, or cast in figures, of 4, 8,
10, Is, 90, &c. up to the full weight Of said
Sloop or Vessel-said figures shall express the
weight such Sloop or Vessel is capable of car
rying, when the lower part of the respective
numbers shall touch The water; all of which
marks shall be of good and sufficient lead,
fastened on the stem and stern posts of each
Sloop or Vessel, with sufficient nails not less
than one inch in length.
SEC. 2. Bea further enacted, That it shall
be the duty of the Seleetmen Of every town
in this Commonwealth, or the Mayor and
Aldermen of any city, where such Shops CT
Vessels are or may be employed as aforesaid.
at some time in March or April of every year,
TO appoint one or more suitable persons as
weigher or weishers of Vessels, who shall
be sworn to the faithful performance Of the
duties of his or their Office.
SEC. 8. Be ii further enacted, That shall
be the duty Of the weigher or weighers as
aforesaid, to furnish all marks and nails when
applied to for that purpose, to see that all
Shops or Vessels are weighed and marked
agreeably to this Act, to keep correct ac-
count of the distance CT each mark below the
stationary marks in feet, inches. and parts of
inches, in a book to be kept for that purpose,
and to give certificate of the same to the
ma ter Of said Sloop or Vessel, which certi6.
cate shall express the distance as aforesaid !:
.lnEd it shall be the further duty of said weigh
er or veighers, 10 see that all persons en-
plcyed on beard Of said Shops or Vessels, at
the time of marking, are stationed between
the bulk-head, and the fore-chains of said
Shops or Vessels.
SEE. a. Be IL further enacted, That every
person employed, or whose duty il is or NAV
be to take the tonnage Of said Sloops or YES
sells, is hereby authorized to deduct one ton
for every inch the lisht-water marks NAV be
under water, after said Shops or Vessels shall
have discharged their cargo.
SEC. 5. Be ii further endefed, That every
person who may be on board of any Sloop or
Vessel employed as aforesaid, who shall not
keep within the bounds of the aforesaid bulk
head and fore-chains of such Sloop or Vessel.
at the time of taking her marks, or when
any weighe- or weighers shall be employed
in weighing or marking as aforesaid, (unless
in case Of absolute necessity shall forfeit
and pay sum not less than FIVE dollars. nor
more than twenty dollars, for each and every
offence and every owner or master Of any
Sloop or Vessel employed as aforesaid, who
shall neglece to have his Sloop or Vessel
weighed, marked and examined agreeably to
the provisions of this Act, or who shall re-
move any mark or marks, Of, alter his certii-
cate, shall, on convictioL thereof, forfeit and
pay sum not less than fsiy dollars, nor more
than three hundred dollars, for each and eve
ry offence and every weiSher or weighers
as aforesaid, who shall be guilty of placing
any mark as aforesaid contrary to the pro-
visions Of this Act, or who shall give false
certificate, shall forfeit and pay, on conyic-
ton thereof, sum net less than fifty dollars.
nor more than three hundred dollars, for each
and every offence. The above f,rfeiturcs to
be recovered in an action of debt before any
Court proper to try the same one moiety
thereof to the use of the person complain
ing, the other moiety to the use of the Com
monwealth.
SEC. s. Be it further enacted, That any
wesgher of Vessels, chosen and qualified as
aforesaid, shall receive from the owner or
master of every Sloop or Vessel he may weigh
and mark, twenty cents for each and every
ton he may weigh for said Sloop or Vessel,
and four dollars for the furnishing all marks,
nails, &c. and fastening the same, as is pro-
vided in this Act, and furnishing the certif-
cate which sums shall be in full for his or
their services.
SEC. 7. Be II further aTzcted, That every
Sloep or Vessel employed as aforesaid, shall
have their marks examined in the month of
June 10 each year, by some sworn weigher,
whose duty it shall be to examine all the
marks on said Shops or Vessels, and see if
said marks agree with the former certificate,
and so, to certify the same and in case said
certificate and marks should not agree, then
the said weigher shall keep the same in his
possession, that the master or owner may be
dealt with according to the provisions of this
Act. And the said weigher or weighers as a.
bresaid, shall receive from the owner or mas
ker thereof, for his services the sum Of one
dollar and fifty cents and whenever it may
be ascertained that any Sloop or Vessels marks
and certificate do not agree, the said Soop
or Vessel shall be weighed again.
SEC. 8. BE IL further enccted, That all laws