The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1826-03-15
State z!r&abS.
GOmmunmeattb of Enassarbusrtts.

IN me year Of our Lord, one thousand eight hun
bred end t7venty-Sir.
AN ACT establishing a Free Bridge in
the City OF Boston.
SEC. !. Be al enacted By The Senate and House
Of Representatives. in General Court assem-
6led, and by The authority of the same, That
Nathaniel Whittemore, Noah Brooks, Cyrus
Alger, William Wright. Adam Bent, David
Henshaw, Jonathan Hunewell, Francis ].
Oliver, Samuel K. Williams, and Hall ].
Howe, and their associates. successors and as
signs, be and they hereby are constituted
Corporation by the name of the Boston Free
Bridge Corporation, with all the powers and
privileges, and subject to the restrictions usu-
ally incident to such Corporations in this Com
monwealh.
SEC. 2. BE IL further enacted, That said
Corporation be, and they hereby are, author
ized and empowered to build and construct.
| or cause to be built and constructed, free
bridge, with one or more suitable and sufi-
Gent draws across the water, and over the
channel in or near a direction in a straight
line from or near Sea-street, in Boston, to
the newly made land at South Boston. and
nearly in the drectios of the Dorchester Turn
pike, aud 20 erect wharf or pier on each
side OF said bridge, near said draws, for the
accommodation Of vessels passing through
said bridge; such bridge and wharves to be
built in such manner as the City Government
of Boston shall approve. Prouided, however,
that said Corporation shall be holden to make
compensation TO any person or Corporation
whose land shall be appropriated to the use of
said bridge.
SEC. 3. BE al further enacted, That no
toll or duty shall ever be exacted, or paid for
a n fF1u vol sold hid Al
draws ofthe same; and said CorporatiAn shall
always be held liable to keep said bridge and
draws in good repair, and to raise the draw
Of said bridge, and afford all necessary and
proper accommodation to vessels that have
occasion TO pass the same by night or by day,
and shall keep said bridge sufficiently light
ed; and if any vessel is unreasonably delay
ed or hndered in passing said draw BY the
negligence Of said Corporation, or their agent,
in discharging the duties enjoined on them by
this act, the owners or commanders of such
vessels shall recover reasonable damage there
for of said Corporation in an action on the
case before any court proper to try the same
and if the said Corporation shall not, within
three years from the passing of this act, To-
cate, construct, build and complete said
bridge, agreeably TO the provisions OF this act,
then this act shall be null and void. ProUided,
that whenever the City Government of Bos-
ton shall assume the care and obligations of
Keeping said bridge in repair. lighting the
same, and providing facilities for raising said
draw or draws as aforesaid, then the obliga-
tons hereby imposed on said Corporation TO
that effect shall be annulled, and the same
shall devolve on the said City Government, ia
which case the damages mentioned in this |
section shall be sued for, before any court
proper to try the same, in either Of the Coun-
ties of Middlesex or Essex. But unless the
City Government shall assume the care and
obligations aforesaid, the said Corporation, be-
fore commencing the building of said bridge,
shall furnish adequate security. to the salts
faction of the said City Government, for the
due performance Of the obligations and duties
imposed on said Corporation by the provisions
of this act.
SEC. a. BE it further enacted, That any
person or Corporation, whose lands may be TAX
en- for the purpose and in the manner mem
toned in the second section of this act, may I
apply, if within one year from the time any
such damage may have happened, to the
Court Of Common Pleas in the County of Suf-
folk, for ommittee to be appointed to esti-
mate the damage and upon such application
the Court after thirty days notice to said Cor
poration, TO appear and shew cause why such
Committee should not be appointed, shall, il
no good cause be shewn to the contrary, APP
point three or five disnterested freehoders
within the County, at the expense of said
Corporation, which Committee, being first du-
ly sworn before some Justice Of the Peace, to
be nominated by said Court, and giving due
notice to both parties to appear CT they see
fD for bearing before them, shall proceed
to the duties Of their appointment; and they
shall first inquire whether any damage has
been sustained from the causes aforesaid, and
ii any, shall estimate the same and shall make
rnffIrn Of fhnir dninoa a. soNn aa may he inf.,