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In force Jan.[January] 12, 1836.
AN ACT to authorise William Seeley to build a toll bridge across the Big Vermillion.
1
Toll gates.
Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That William Seeley, his heirs and assigns, be, and they are hereby authorised to build a toll bridge across the Big Vermillion, at or near the place where the road leading from Ottowa to Peoria, crosses said river, and near Seeley’s mill; at either end of said bridge, the said Seeley, his heirs and assigns, are hereby authorized to place a toll gate, where he or they may ask and demand of all and every person passing said bridge, the rates of toll which may from time to time, be fixed by the county commissioners’ court of La salle county.
Commencement and completion.
Sec. 2. The said William Seeley, his heirs and assigns, shall commence the building of said bridge within one year, and have the same completed within two years from the passage of this act, so as to admit the safe passage of persons, wagons, teams, cattle &c.[etc.], over it.
Keep said bridge in repair
Sec. 3. The said William Seeley, his heirs and assigns, shall at all times after the completion thereof, keep said
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bridge in good repair, and allow a speedy passage to all persons and their property over it, upon the receipt of the tolls, in such cases allowed as herein provided; and if at any time the said bridge be left out of repair, so that the same be impassable for the space of one year at any time, the said bridge shall accrue to, and belong to the county of La Salle: Provided, however, The destruction of said bridge by fire, high water, or other casualty, shall not work a forfeiture of the privileges hereby granted; but the said Seeley, his heirs and assigns, shall proceed immediately to repair the same.
County may purchase said bridge.
Cost of said bridge.
Sec. 4. Whenever the county commissioners of the county of La Salle, shall deem it expedient to purchase said bridge, they shall have the right to do so, by paying the said Seeley, his heirs and assigns, the original cost of said bridge, with ten per cent. interest thereon; and for the purpose of enabling the county commissioners to know the actual cost of said bridge, it shall be the duty of the said Seeley, his heirs and assigns, to file with the clerk of the county commissioners’ court of La Salle county, such vouchers as shall be deemed sufficient by said commissioners to ascertain the cost of said bridge.
Fine.
Sec. 5. If the said Seeley, his heirs and assigns, shall at any time obstruct the ford on said river, at or near said bridge, or where the said road crosses in any manner, he or they so offending, shall forfeit and pay the sum of one hundred dollars for every such offence, to be recovered by action of debt, in any court having competent jurisdiction thereof; one half of which shall go to the use of the person informing, the other to the use of the county.
County may levy a tax.
Sec. 6. That the county commissioners’ court of said county, shall have full power to levy a tax on said bridge, as is provided in “an act to provide for the establishment of ferries, toll bridges and turnpike roads,” approved February 12, 1827.
Approved, Jan. 12, 1836.
1On December 11, 1835, John Hamlin in the House of Representatives presented the petition of William Seeley, requesting passage of an act permitting him to build a toll bridge across the Vermilion River. The House referred the petition to the Committee on Petitions. Responding to this petition , John T. Stuart of the Committee on Petitions introduced HB 10 in the House on December 14. The House passed the bill on December 21. The Senate passed the bill on January 8, 1836. On January 12, the Council of Revision approved the bill and the act became law.
Illinois House Journal. 1835. 9th G. A., 2nd sess., 42-43, 68, 115, 259, 285, 303, 307; Illinois Senate Journal. 1835. 9th G. A., 2nd sess., 89, 93, 167-168, 187, 217, 231.