In force, Jan.[January] 14, 1836.
AN ACT authorizing Samuel Witter to build a toll bridge.
1Sec.[Section] 1. Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That Samuel Witter, be, and he is hereby authorized to build a toll bridge across the the skillet fork of the Little Wabash river, where the state road crosses said skillet fork, leading from Fairfield in Wayne county, to Salem in Marion county.
Sec. 2. The said bridge shall be completed within five years from and after the passage
of this act, and shall be built in a substantial and workman-like manner.
Rates of toll.
Sec. 3. That after the completion of said bridge, the said Samuel Witter shall be entitled to, and is hereby authorized to demand and receive from every person
crossing said bridge, the following rates, to wit: for each head of hogs or sheep,
crossing said bridge, one cent; for each head of cattle, three cents; for each foot
passenger, six and one fourth cents; for each one horse wagon or carriage, eighteen
and three fourth cents; for each two horse wagon, drawn by horses or oxen, thirty-seven
and one half cents.2
Put up a list thereof.
Penalty.
Sec. 4. The said Samuel Witter, shall cause to be put up in some conspicuous place near the said bridge, a list
of the rates of tolls herein enumerated; and if the said Samuel Witter, or any person acting under him, and by his authority, shall demand and receive more
toll than is allowed by this act, or shall unreasonably hinder or detain any person
wishing to cross said bridge, the said Samuel Witter shall,
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on conviction for every such offence, forfeit and pay the sum of ten dollars, to be recovered by any person suing for
the same, by action of debt before any justice of the peace of the county in which
said bridge shall be erected; and if any person or persons, shall wilfully do, or
cause to be done any injury to said bridge, the person or persons so offending, shall
forfeit and pay to the said Samuel Witter, double the amount of such injury or damage, to be recovered before any court having
jurisdiction of the same.
Keep said bridge in good repair.
Sec. 5. It shall be the duty of the said Samuel Witter, to keep or cause to be kept in good repair said bridge, to afford all persons a
safe and speedy passage, and on failure to do so, for every such offence, on conviction, shall be fined in any sum not excedding ten dollars, to be recovered before any justice of the peace of the proper county.
Sec. 6. That the said Samuel Witter is prohibited by this act, from obstructing any ford on said skillet fork, at or near where said state road crosses said skillet fork, under a penalty of a forfeiture of the privilege granted by the provisions of this
act. This act to take effect from and after its passage.
Approved, Jan. 11, 1836.
1Benjamin A. Clark introduced HB 13 in the House of Representatives on December 14, 1835. On December 15, the House referred the bill to a select committee.
The select committee reported back the bill with amendments on December 16, and the
House concurred in the amendments. The House passed the bill as amended on December
22. On January 11, 1836, the Senate referred the bill to a select committee. On January 12, the select committee reported
back the bill without amendment, and the Senate passed the bill. On January 14, the
Council of Revision approved the bill and the act became law. Illinois House Journal. 1835. 9th G. A., 2nd sess., 41, 54, 68, 75, 122, 143, 295, 318, 335; Illinois Senate
Journal. 1835. 9th G. A., 2nd sess., 95, 210, 221-22, 238, 248.
Printed Document, 2 page(s), Laws of the State of Illinois, Passed by the Ninth General Assembly, at their Second Session (Vandalia, IL:
J. Y. Sawyer, 1836), 199-200, GA Session: 9-2,