Sec[Section] 1 Be it enacted by the people of the state of Illinois represented in the General Assembly; That there be, and hereby is granted to Alexander Kirkpatrick and William Hick, on the terms and conditions hereinafter mentioned the privilege of building and keeping a toll bridge at or near the place where the present bridge across the Saline Creek at Equality is erected.

Sec 2 The said bridge shall be a good and substantial wooden bridge of sufficient strength to support loaded waggons and their teams, or droves of cattle; which said bridge shall be built and fit for use on or before the expiration of the charter of the present bridge; which said charter was by the General AssemblyIllinois General Assembly of this state granted to James A. Richardson December 23^d 1824 and now held by said Alexander Kirkpatrick and William Hick; and they shall be entitled to receive the same rates of toll, as are now allowed by the charter aforesaid. And the said Kirkpatrick and Hick their heirs or assigns in the occupation of said bridge shall keep the same in good repair so as to afford, upon payment of toll as aforesaid, at all times, a safe and speedy passage to passengers and their property. And if at any time said bridge shall unavoidably get out of repair, the said Kirkpatrick and Hick, or person, or persons holding under them, shall keep a good and sufficient ferry boat or boats at or near the bridge, for the transportation of passengers and their property; which boat or boats shall be manned by competent hands; having the banks on each shore dug down, or other wise rendered safe and convenient for access of waggons and other vehickles to the

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ferry boat. And shall as long as the bridge may be out of order, give safe, convenient and speedy passage to all passengers and their property upon tender of the payment of toll at the same rates, as is allowed by the charter aforementioned for the crossing the bridge. And if the said Kirkpatrick and Hick shall at any time suffer the said bridge to be out of repair so as to be unsafe to passengers for the space of three months the said bridge and the privilege hereby granted shall be forfeited to the county of Gallatin. Provided, that if all reasonable exertions be made and prosecuted by them or their assigns occupiers of said bridge, to effect its complete repair, and by high water or other uncontrollable cause it may be apparent that such repair could not reasonably be made, then and in that case there shall be no such forfeiture; but the said bridge shall as soon after as practicable be put in good repair

Sec 3 All Grand and Petit Jurors going to and returning from courts, and militia men going to and returning from mustors and all persons going to and returning from state or County elections, shall be allowed to pass over said bridge or ferry free of toll.

Sec 4 The privileges granted by this act may be transfered by the said Kirkpatrick and Hick to any other person or persons, subject to the restrictions by this act provided, And1 at the end of ten years from and after the commencement of the present Charter, the bridge hereby authorized, shall be in good order safe and sound, shall enure to, and, become the property of Gallatin County, upon payment by the said County to the proprietor or proprietors of the same, the fair value thereof to be ascertained by two citizens

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of said county, one to be chosen by the county commissioners’ court of said county, and the other by the proprietor of said bridge; and should the persons thus chosen disagree in their valuation; they shall choose a third person to decide, whose decision shall be final. And upon payment being made by the county Commissioners’ Court as aforesaid, the said bridge shall be surrendered to the said court or their authorized agent to receive the same.

Sec 5. The said Kirkpatrick and Hick shall be allowed to enter and purchase, at the office of the commissioner for the sale of Saline lands in Gallatin county, forty acres of land on the south side of Saline creek, at the minimum price of said Saline lands, to be laid off so as to have their bridge on, or as near as practicable to, the centre of the north line on the creek, having the creek with its general course for the length of one line of forty acres for the base, and lines to run therefrom at right angles so as to include the said quantity of forty acres as aforesaid, and the said commissioner is hereby authorized and required to grant to the said Kirkpatrick and ^Hick^ the usial certificate upon the making such purchases and the said commissioner shall then strike off, and enter as purchased forty acres of the land now selected, of such part of the selection as he may deem the most unlikely to sell: Provided, and it is one of the conditions of said grant, that public roads now crossing the tract which may compose the said forty acres, shall forever remain public highways, until changed agreeably to law.