Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1828-04-01
STATE LAWS.

IN the gear of our Lord one thousand eight hundred
and t,centy eight.
AN ACT to establish the Warren Bridge
Corporation.
SEC. ]. Be It enacted by the Senate and
House Of Representatives IN General Court
assembled, and By the authority Of the same,
That John Skinner, Isaac Warren, John
Cofran, Nathaniel Austin, Ebenezer
Breed, Nathan Tufts, and their associates,
successors, and assigns, be, and they here
by are, constituted Corporation, by the
name Of "The Proprietors of the Warren
Bridge" and, by that name, may sue and
be sued to final judgement and execution,
and do and suffer all other matters and
things which bodies polite may or ought
to suffer and do; and said Corporation
shall have full power to make and use a
common seal, and the same to break, alter,
and renew at pleasure.
Sec. 2. Be 1t further Enacted, That
said Corporation be, and they are hereby,
authorized to locate, build, and construct,
or to cause to be built and constructed, a
Bridge across Charles River, from or near
the wharf in Charlestown, late the proper
ty of John Harris, Esq. deceased, to the
newly made lands in Boston, near the Mill
Creek, so called, with good and suffi-
cient draw, as wide as the draw of the
present Charles River Bridge said draw
to be located by Commissioners to be APP
pointed by the Governor, with advice of
Council, at the expense of said Corpora
ton; and shall erect wharf or pier near
said draw, on each side Of said Bridge,
for the accommodation of vessels passing
through the same, said draw and said
wharves to be planked upon the inside
from the top oflow water to the top of said
draw and wharves and also pier wharf
not less than eight feet wide upon the top,
well covered with plank, and also planked
up on each side from the top of low water
to the top of said pier wharf And said
pier wharf shall be placed in direct line
from the north side of the draw through
Charles River Bridge and within one hum
dred and thirty feet from, and not nearer
to, said Bridge, towards the wharf to be
built on the east side of the proposed new
Bridge, and within thirty feet of said
wharf; and said wharf shall be built on
each side of the draw through said Bridge !;
and said Bridge together with the wharves
or piers, shall be built of good and sufi-
cient materials the Bridge to be not less
than forty-four feet in width from outside
to outside, and wharves or piers not less
than one hundred feet inlength and thirty
feet in width.
Sec. 3. Be at further enacted, That
said Corporation Shall be Held liable 60
keep said Bridge and draw in good repair,
and to raise the draw and afford all neces-
sary and proper accommodation to vessels
having occasion to pass the same, by day
or by night; and shall keep said bridge
sufficiently lighted by lamps on each side
of the same not exceeding seventy feet
apart and if any vessel shall be unreal
sonably delayed or Kindred in passing said
draw, by the negligence of said corpora
ton or their agents in discharging the du-
ties enjoined. by this act, the owners or
commanders of such vessels may recover
reasonable damages therefor, of said cor
poration, in an action on the case before
any court proper to try the same.
Sec. A. Be 1t further enacted, That
said corporation shall be holden to make
compensation to any person, persons, or
corporation, whose real estate shall be
taken for the use of said Bridge, and if
there should be difference of opinion as
to the value of the same, either party may
apply to the Court of Common pleas in
the county where such real estate lies,
for committee to estimate the damage
such person, persons, or corporation will
sustain; and upon such application, the
Court, after ten days notice to the adverse
party toappear and show cause why such
committee should not be appointed, shall
if no good reason be shown to the contra
ry, appoint three or five disinterested free
holders within the county, who being first
sworn before some Justice of the Peace
and giving due notice to the parties to APP
pear, if they see fit, for hearing, shall
proceed to the duties of their appoint
Inent and estimate the value of real estate
taken as aforesaid, and shall make return
OF their doings as soon as may be to the
said Court, and upon acceptance of said
report, Judgment may be given thereon
with cost to either party, according to the
discretion Of the Court. Provided, that
in all cases either party may claim trial