Sect[Section] 1 Be it enacted by the People of the state of Illinois represented in the General Assembly

That it shall be the duty of the owners of Steam Boats navigating the Mississippi, Ohio, Wabash, Illinois and other rivers and lakes within the jurisdiction of this State, to have a competent master, officers, and crew on board, and to have a substantial and sufficient engine, and boilers or boiler, and to have the same at all times in good and safe order and condition, and have the vessel supplied with all necessary boats, tackle & furniture, and in every respect seaworthy. In ascending and descending navigation said Boats shall conform to the following regulations: The descending boat shall keep the shore or bar she may be on, untill the ascending boat passes; and when both boats are running, the descending boat shall keep the middle of the channel, or in the deepest water, and in all cases where it is practicable, leave room for the ascending boat to pass on either side.

Sec.[Section] 2. That when two boats shall meet in a contracte[d] part of the river, or in any narrow and intricate channel, both boats shall stop their engines, or work them very slow, untill they pass each other, and in the night time the descending boats shall not take any of the small chutes, but shall keep the main channel, in order to avoid the ascending boats.

Sec 3. That it shall be the duty of the masters and officers of all steam Boats, to keep their vessels at all times, well and steadily trimmed, and particularly in coming to, and departing from shore; and for that purpose, the passengers and all others on board the boat, shall strictly obey the directions of the master or officers on watch, and keep the place & position they may

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direct; under such pecuniary penalties, as the rules and regulations of the boat, in that behalf, shall impose; which rules & regulations shall be constantly kept up, in at least five conspicuous and different parts of the Boat.

Section 4. That the master and owners shall be severally and jointly responsible for all damages which any person may sustain by the neglect or refusual to comply with the requisitions of the forgoing sections; and moreover, if any loss of life shall ensue from any such neglect and refusual the officers on watch and conducting the Boat for the time being, shall be deemed guilty of guilty of the crime of man-slaughter, and upon conviction thereof, shall be punished accordingly.

Section 5. That it shall not be lawful for steam boats to run races, the one against the other, and ^the^ owners and officers, severally and jointly, shall be liable & responsible for all damages, which any one may sustain, from any accident or casualty which may happen during said race; and moreover, in case of loss of life, or lives, in consequence of said racing, the master of the Boat, or person or persons having the command thereof, for the time being, shall be deemed guilty of a high crime and misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof, shall be liable to imprisonment in the penitentiary of this State, for any term not exceeding ten years.

Section 6. That in landing passengers from steam Boats the master shall cause the vessel to be brought to shore, whenever practical and convenient, and especially in cases where females or children are to be landed; & whenever impracticable, or decidedly inconvenient so to do, may land the passengers in good, sufficient and comfortable boats, to be at all times kept for that

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purposes, and managed by a sufficient number of civil, competent and careful men; and during the time of disembarking from the steam Boat into the small craft, and of leaving the vessel, the engine shall be stopped, & the speed of the vessel checked; and any neglect or refusual, to comply with any of the requirements of this section, shall subject the owners and masters of the Boat, to the payment of all damages that may result ^to any person or persons^ from such neglect or refusual; and in the event of the loss of life thereby, the master or other officer in command of the Boat for the time being, shall be deemed to be guilty of a high misdemeanor, and on1 conviction thereof shall be punished, as is provided for in the foregoing section of this act.

Sec 7. It shall be the duty of the Masters and officers of any steam Boats carrying gunpowder, as feight, to stow the same in the safest part of the vessel and separate and apart from articles liable to spontaneous combustion, and where, in discharging the cargo it will not be necessary to carry any lighted candle, or lamp, or flambeau; and all boats carrying gunpowder as freight shall have printed cards, stating the fact, placed in the cabin, and in other conspicuous parts of the Boat, so as to give notice to the passengers; and the master and officers failing to comply with the provisions of this section, shall forfeit one hundred dollars, for every time the same shall be so neglected, which may be recovered by action ^of^ debt, by a and for the use of any person who may sue for the same, before any justice of the Peace in this state; and shall moreover be liable for all damages which may happen to any person by reason of the failure.

Section. 8. It shall not be lawful for any person

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or persons, to put or 2 keep3 any4 gunpowder on any Steam Boat5, without first giving the master or officers notice thereof; and any person or persons so offending shall be liable [to] pay a sum of one hundred dollars, to and for the use of any person who may sue for the same, in an action of debt, before any justice of the peace in this state; and moreover the person or persons so offending shall be liable for all damages which may happen to any person thereby.

Section 9. That a copies6 of this Act shall be printed and put in a frames, and kept publicly placed in the Cabin, and7 steerage of each steam Boat navigating the Mississippi, Ohio, Wabash, Illinois, and other rivers & lakes, within the jurisdiction of this state; and a failure to comply with this provision shall subject the master and owners to a penalty of One hundred dollars for each day the same shall be omitted, to be recovered in an action of debt, before any justice of the peace, by & for the use of any person who may sue for the same.

Section 10. This Act shall be deemed a public Act, and shall take effect, from and after the first day of October next; and the secretary of state, shall cause authenticated copies thereof, to be published in one of the newspapers, published in each of the Cities of St. Louis, Louisville and8 Cincinnatti; and cause at least one number of each said news9 papers, containing the same to be filed in his office; and such publication shall be deemed sufficient notice of this Act, to all masters, officers, & owners of steam Boats, who may come within its provisions.