Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 3.djvu/57



the toll gatherers, or other persons in their service or employment to prevent the same from passing such gate or turnpike, until such cart, wagon, or carriage of burden shall be drawn into the fixed or erected scales, at or near any such gate or turnpike, and the weight or burden drawn therein ascertained by weighing; and if the person or persons driving or having care or charge of any such cart, wagon, or other carriage of burden, shall refuse to drive the same into any such scales for the purpose aforesaid, the person or persons so refusing shall forfeit and pay the said president, directors and company, any sum not less than five dollars, nor more than eight dollars, to be recovered in the manner hereinafter mentioned.

. And be it further enacted, That no wagon or other carriage with four wheels, the breadth of whose wheels shall not be four inches, shall be drawn along the said road with a greater weight thereon than three tons weight; that no such carriage, the breadth of whose wheels the road shall not be seven inches, or being six inches or more, shall roll at least ten inches, shall be drawn along the said road with more than five tons; that no such carriage, the breadth of whose wheels shall not be ten inches or more, or being less, shall not roll at least twelve inches, shall be drawn along the said road with more than eight tons; that no cart or carriage, with two wheels, the same breadth of wheels as the wagons aforesaid, shall be drawn along the said road with more than half the burden of weight aforesaid; and if any cart, wagon, or carriage of burden whatever, shall be drawn along the said road with a greater weight than is hereby allowed, the owner or owners of such carriage, if the excess of burden shall be three hundred weight or upwards, shall forfeit and pay four times the customary tolls, for the use of the company: Provided always, That it shall and may be lawful for the said company by their by-laws to alter any or all the regulations herein contained, respecting the burdens or carriages to be drawn over the said road, and to substitute other regulations, if upon experiment such alterations shall be found conducive to the public good: Provided nevertheless, That such regulations shall not lessen the burdens of carriages above described.

. And be it further enacted, That the president and directors of the said company shall keep, or cause to be kept, fair and just accounts of all moneys to be received by them from the said commissioners first herein named, and from the stockholders or subscribers to the said undertaking, on account of their several subscriptions or shares, and of all moneys by them to be expended in the prosecution of their said work, and shall once at least in every year submit such accounts to a general meeting of the stockholders, until the said road shall be completed, and until the costs, charges, and expenses of effecting the same, shall be fully liquidated, paid, and discharged; and if upon such liquidation, or whenever the whole capital stock of the said company shall be nearly expended, it-shall be found that the said capital stock will not be sufficient to complete the said road, according to the true intent and meaning of this act, it shall and may be lawful for the said stockholders, being convened according to the provisions of this act, or their by-laws and rules, to increase the amount to be paid on the shares from time to time, to such extent as shall be necessary to accomplish the work, and to demand and receive the increased amount so to be required on such shares in like manner, and under the like penalties as are herein before provided for the original payments, or as shall be provided by their by-laws.

. And be it further enacted, That the president and directors shall also keep or cause to be kept, just and true accounts of all moneys to be received by their collectors of tolls at the turnpike gate on the said road, and shall make and declare a half yearly dividend aforesaid, in some newspaper printed in the District of Columbia, and at the time and place when and where the same will be paid, and cause the same to be paid immediately.