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 crosses 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 wagons 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 Assembly of this State, granted to James A. Richardson, December 23d, 1824, and now held by the said Alexander Kirkpartick 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 otherwise rendered safe and convenient for access of wagons and other vehicles, to the 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 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 pas-

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sengers, for the space of three months, the said bridge and the privileges 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 uncontrolable cause, it 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 court, and militia men going to and returning from musters, 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 transferred by the said Kirkpatrick and Hick to any other person or persons, subject to the restrictions by this act provided; and at the end of ten years from and after the commencement of the present charter, the bridge hereby authorized in good order, safe and sound, shall inure 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 of said county, one to be chosen by the county commissioners’ court of said county, and the other by 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 in, 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 usual certificate upon the making such purchase; and the said commissioner shall then strike off, and enter as purchased, forty acres of 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 and pipe lines now crossing the tract, which may compose the said

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forty acres, shall forever remain public highways and privileges, until changed agreeably to law.

Approved, Jan. 14, 1835.