Chap. 0096 An Act to prevent the waste and destruction of Timber and Cord Wood.

Sec 1. I?R it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives, in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That any person, seized of a freehold estate, or of a remainder or reversion, in fee simple or fee tail, in a lot or tract of wood land in this Commonwealth, whereon the trees shall have come to an age and growth fit to be cut, may prefer a petition to the Supreme Judicial Court, holden in any county, representing the state and condition of such trees, and praying that the same may be felled and sold, and the proceeds thereof invested for the use of the persons interested in such wood land ; and the said Court may thereupon order due notice to be given to

all persons known to be interested therein, to appear and show cause, if any they have, why the prayer of such petition should not be granted ; and after hearing the parties, if any shall appear, may appoint one or more.persons to examine said wood land ; and if, from their report, or other evidence which shall be exhibited to the Court, it shall appear that the trees upon said land are of an age and growth fit to be cut, and likely to deteriorate in value, the said Court may, and they are hereby empowered to license and order, on such terms and conditions as said Court shall require, the whole, or such part of such trees as they shall think proper, to be felled and sold, and the money arising from the sale thereof, to be brought into Court, subject to their further order.

bEC. 2. Be it further enacted, That the said Court shall and may appoint one or more commissioners, whose duty it shall be to superintend and direct the felling of said trees, and the sale of the same, and to account to said Court for the proceeds thereof, and also to give bond to the Clerk of said Court, or such other person as the Justices of said Court shall appoint, for the faithful performance of the trust. And the said Court may, and they are hereby further empowered, to cause the net proceeds of said trees, after paying tall necessary expenses and charges, to be. invested in other real estate in this Commonwealth, or iu public stocks, at their discretion, to be holden to the same uses, and subject to the same limitations, as such wood laud, and the income and profits thereof, to be paid to the person or persons entitled to the income and profits of said wood land; or to be paid and apportioned to and among the several persons interested in the same estate, in such portions as to the said Court shall appear just and equitable; and also to appoint I one or more Trustees to take and hold such estate or Lstock for the uses aforesaid ; and such Trustees to remove, and others appoint in their stead, when, and so I often, as the security and good management of the property shall require it; which Trustees shall also give bond, with good ano! sufficient sureties, to said Clerk or other person, as aforesaid, for the faithful exccu-I tion and performance of the said trust.

[Approved by the Governor, February 18,1819.]