Sec.[Section] 1. Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois represented in the General Assembly, That all persons who shall be stockholders pursuant to this act, are hereby constituted a body corporate by the name of the “Grand Pass Canal Company.”

Sec. 2. The said corporation shall have the right to construct, and during its existence to keep in repair, a canal from the Illinois river, near the town of Bridgeport in Morgan county, to the Grand Pass in the county of Greene.

Sec. 3. The capital stock of said corporation shall be thirty thousand dollars, and divided into shares of twenty five dollars each, which shall be deemed personal property, and transferrable in such manner as the said corporation shall by their by-laws direct.

Sec. 4. That John Thompson, David Hodges, Charles Gregory, Henry M. Blanchard, and Dennis—(Hoagland)

---

and Chester Swallow, are hereby appointed commissioners to receive subscriptions for the capital stock of said corporation, and after having given twenty days public notice in writing, in three public places in the county of Greene, and also in three public places in the county of Morgan, and upon the door of the court house of said counties, shall meet at the hotel in the town of White Hall in Greene county, and open books for subscription to said stock, and shall keep them open for ten days successively, unless the whole stock shall be sooner taken, when they may close the same, and after the said stock shall be subscribed, the said commissioners shall apportion the same among the stockholders on equitable and just principles.

Sec. 5. After said stock shall have been apportioned, the aforesaid commissioners shall call a general meeting of the stockholders, to meet at such time and place as they may appoint, giving ten days previous notice of such meeting, for the election of five directors, who shall continue in office for the term of one year and until others are elected to supply their places, who shall be stockholders. Said stockholders shall be entitled to one vote for each share of stock they may have subscribed, and the said commissioners shall give the individuals chosen directors, certificates of their election.

Sec. 6. The said directors shall have power to appoint or elect one of their number president of the board of directors, also a secretary and treasurer, and such other officers as they may deem necessary.

Sec. 7. The said directors shall in the name and style of this corporation, be enabled to hold real estate sufficient for the purposes of this incorporation, and to effect the objects herein intended, either by donation or by purchase; and if individuals should refuse to sell or donate as much land as may be necessary for the use of said canal, and for the feeders, and for the necessary accommodation of the agents of said corporation, the said directors may apply to the county commissioners court of Greene county, for the appointment of three disinterested appraisers who shall proceed to the place, after being sworn, and view the lands wanted by said corporation for its accommodation as aforesaid, and shall value and appraise the same, and return an inquest under their hands and seals, to the said county commissioners’ court, which inquest shall be filed with the clerk of said court; and when the said directors shall pay to the owner or owners of such land the appraised value of such land appraised as aforesaid, and deposite the same with the clerk of said commissioners’ court, for the use of the owner of such land, then the said corporation shall be immediately inves-

---

ted with the complete occupancy of said land, and shall hold the same exclusively against such owners and all other persons during the existence of this incorporation.

Sec. 8. The corporation shall be authorized to use the water of Little Sandy creek; also the natural springs along the bluff, and the water of the slough for the purpose of supplying said canal with water sufficient for that purpose, and shall have all the usual and incidental power belonging to corporations, for the purpose of constructing, finlshing, and using such canal, and of exacting reasonable tolls for the use of the same, by other persons; also, of passing all such by-laws, rules and ordinances, for the due regulation of the affairs of said company, but no banking privileges whatsoever.

Sec. 9. The said corporation shall continue to be a body corporate and politic for the term of twenty five years.

Sec. 10. Nothing in this act contained, shall be considered as conferring any powers whatsoever on the said corporation, but the power to construct the canal aforesaid, and all the means direct and incidental to accomplish that object, the repairs of the work and the use of the same, and the exercise of all the privileges and advantages appertaing to the same.

Approved 28th February, 1837.