Chap. 0021 AN ACT RELATING TO FERRIES.
Whereas there are several places -within this province where v[ountry*] roads heretofore have been, or hereafter may be, laid over rivers which are not forda[We*], some of them the whole year, others part of the year, and where bridges cannot be [erected*] without great cost and charge, and no persons will undertake to keep ferr[y'] [>'e]s at sa[/(/*] places, by which means travellers and other persons are greatly interrupted in their bus[?/uJw*] ; for remedy whereof,?
Be it enacted by the Gocerno[u]r, Council aud House of Representatives,
[Sect. 1.] That the several towns and districts within this province where, in the judgment of the quarter sessions, it is necessary to set up ferries as aforesaid, said towns and districts shall take effectual care to provide a suitable person or persons to keep and attend said ferries, at such times in the year as it may be necessary ; which persons shall be licen[s] [o]ed by the justices in quarter sessions : said persons to give bond for the faithful discharge of their place ; and all such ferrymen are hereby enjoined to keep a good boat or boats, in good repair, suitable to the waters they are to ferry over, also give due attendance on passengers, on penalty of live shillings for every default of non-attendance; and for want of a good boat, kept in repair, to pay live pounds ; and the fairs of the respective fcrr[y'] [ie]a to be .set[7]led by said courts, having regard to the difficulty of maintaining the same.
Be it further enacte<l,
[Sect. '!.] That if any such ferry may be necessaiy across any river where one town or district join said river on the one side, and another town or district on the other side, in such case the said towns and districts shall, either jointly or alternately, provide such person or persons to keep such ferry, as said court shall order.
Be it further enacted,
[Sect. 3.] That the several towns and districts that shall neglect or refuse to provide suitable persons to keep ferr[y][/V]s as aforesaid, shall forfeit and pay the sum of ten pounds per mouth for each month's neglect.   All lines and forfeitures arising by this act shall be one
Preamble. 123 Mass., 469.
Towns to provide persons to keep and attend ferries.
Said ferrymen [<> he licensed and give bond.
Penalty for default.
Towns and districts further empowered, re. luting to ferries, as the sessions shall order.
Penally for tow ns and districts that shall neglect.
How fines are to
* Parchment mutilated by mice.
be disposed of.   moiety thereof to him or them that shall inform or sue for the same,
the other moiety to be paid into the province treasury, to be recovered
in an}T court proper to try the same. Limitation. [Sect. 4.]   This act to continue and be in force five }'ears from the
first day of May next, and no longer.   [Passed February 13 ; publisJied
February 14, 1760.