Sec.[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 steamboats 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, boilers or boiler, and to have the same

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at all times in good and safe order and condition, and have the vessel supplied with all necessary boats, tackle and 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, until 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 descending boat to pass on either side.

Sec. 2. That when two boats shall meet in a contracted part of the river, or in any narrow or intricate channel, both boats shall stop their engines, or work them very slow, until they pass each other; and in the night time the descending boat shall not take any of the small shoots, 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 steamboats to keep their vessels at all times well and steady 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 and position they may direct, and under such pecuniary penalties as the rules and regulations of the boat in that behalf shall impose; which rules and regulations shall be constantly kept up in at least five conspicuous and different parts of the boat.

Sec. 4. That the master and owners shall be severally and jointly responsible for damages which any person may sustain by the neglect or refusal to comply with the requisitions of the foregoing sections. And moreover, if any loss of life shall ensue from any such neglect and re-refusal, the officers on watch, and conducting the boat for the time being, shall be deemed guilty of the crime of manslaughter, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished accordingly.

Sec. 5. That it shall not be lawful for steamboats to run races the one against the other; and the owners and officers severally and jointly shall be liable and 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 the state, for any term not exceeding ten years.

Sec. 6. That in landing passengers from steamboats, the master shall cause the vessel to be brought to shore whenever practicable and convenient, and especially in cases where females or children are to be landed; and 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 purpose, and managed by a sufficient number of civil, competent, and careful men; and during the time of disembarking from the steamboat into the small craft, and of leaving the vessel, the engine shall be stopped and the speed of the vessel checked. And any neglect or refusal to comply with any of the requirements of this section shall subject the owners and master of the boat to the payment of all damages that may result to any person or persons, from such neglect or refusal; and in the event of 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 on conviction thereof, shall be punished as provided for in the foregoing section of this act.

Sec. 7. It shall be the duty of the master and officers of any steamboat carrying gunpowder as freight, to store 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, 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 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.

Sec. 8. It shall not be lawful for any person or persons to put or keep any gunpowder on any steamboat 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.

Sec. 9. That copies of this act shall be printed and put in frames, and kept publicly placed in the cabin and

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steerage of each steamboat navigating the Mississippi, Ohio, Wabash, Illinois, and other rivers and lakes within the jurisdiction of this state; and a failure to comply with these provisions 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 and for the use of any person who may sue for the same.

Sec. 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, and Cincinnati, and cause at least one number of each of said newspapers, containing the same, to be filed in his office; and such publication shall be deemed sufficient notice of this act, to all masters, officers, and owners of steamboats who may come within its provisions.

Approved, 21st July, 1837.