The Newtown bee., 1878-07-04
Senate Bill No. 5l.l
CHAPTER CXXNI.
An Act to provide for the Supervision of
 Reservoirs and Dams.

An Act to provide for the Supervision ol
 Reservoirs and Dams.
 Be il euatclb by the Ss.a.c and IIotlyr of Repre-.
 scntatiy,S m General Assembly convened:
 Sec 1. The member of the boarl of railroad commissioners who is q civil engineer and one civil engineer residing in each congressional district in Uni, state, to hr appointed by him, shall con- stitutc board of civil cngln,rls, and have the supervision of all dams and reservoirs now existing or hereafter con- stlucted in any locality whereby the breaking away of the same, life or prop erty may be'in danger of drstrurtion
 Sec ,. The members of slid board shall be sworn to faithfully and impar- tially perform the duties imposed upon them by this act, and shall continue ill office for the term of two years and un- til others are appointed i'll their pla, and stead They shall each receive ten dollars per day and all necessary and reasonable expenses while actually in the hlisnrss of their office, to be paid as hereinafter provided.
 Sec. 3. The mayor and aldermen of any city, the warden and burtcsses of any borough, the selcctmcn if any town or majority of them shah, upon the application of two or mere pcrS ons or corporations who would suffer loss or damage by the breaking away of any dam or reservoir within said city, bOr- ough, or town, shall forthwith inspect the same, and if in their opinion said dam or reservoirs not sufficiently strong and substantial to withstand the action of water under any circumstances witch may reasonably be expected to occur, they shall at once notify one or more of the board of civil engineers to inspect the said dam orreSerVOir with them and if in the judgement of the said engineers said dam or reservoir is unsafe, they shall serve notice on the person or per sons owning or having the care and con trol of the same, to place said dam or reservoir in a safe and permanent condi- 1 lion, under the supervision of one of the said board of civil engineer, he shall issue certificate to said owner or per sons owning or controlling the same, and also cause to be recorded upon ih ; records of the town in which said dam is located, his donings, with copy of of the certificate so issued, but if said engineer shall find said dam or reservoir to be secure and safe, then the expense of such inspection shall be paid by the town in which said dam or reservoir is located.
 Sec. 1. Whenever any person or coro- pratiOn purpose construction q dam or reservoir in a locality where the life or property of any other person may be | endangered, through the insuiIiciencv | thereof, the plans and specifications for such dam OrreServoir shall be submitted | to any member of said board of civil | engineers who shall cy anime the ground | where the dam or reservoir 10 be built, and the plans and specifications there for, and if he approve the same, he shall | issue a certificate authorizing the con- struction of such dam or reservoir, and no such dam or reservoir shall be con- without such approval and cer- tificate.
 See. ,. The engineer under whose authority any dam or reservoir is being constructed, shall cause the work upon the same to be inspected at least three several times before it's completion, and if he be satisfied that such dam or res ervoir has been built in a substantial and safe maner and in accOrdance with | plans and specifications approved by him and is strong and secure, he shall issue acertiiicate approving of the same, which | certificate shall be recorded in the office of the town clerk of the town in which | such dam or reservoir is located and | no such dam or reservoir shall be used | until such certificate is obtained and | recorded. 4l4 5k . t. : Sec. 6. The compensation and expense of the board of engineers, or any one of | them, when acting under the provisions of sections three, four and five of this | act, shall be paid by the persons or cor porations owning or constructing the dam or reservoir. M c
 Sec. '. The superior court shall have jurisdiction in equity, and make all | judgment and decrees necessary to carry into effect the provisions of the preced- ing sections.
 :. SSee. 8. This act shall take effect upon it's passage. t 4t
 Approved, March 2S, 1878.
 Senate Bill No. 53.l
 CHAPTER Cxxxu