Papers Of Abraham Lincoln

In force, 8th Jan.[January] 1840.

AN ACT to authorize the county court of Lawrence county, to build a bridge across the Embarrass River.
1

Bridge at Lawrenceville.

Location.

Plan of bridge.

Notice before contract.

Proviso.

Proviso.

Sec.[Section] 1. Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That the county commissioners’ court of Lawrence county be, and they are hereby, authorized to cause to be erected a bridge across the Embarrass River, at the town of Lawrenceville, on a direct line with either of the two streets that run north from the public square in said town. Said commissioners shall agree upon a plan of said bridge, and cause the same to be recorded; they shall cause a correct description, in writing, of the plan of said bridge, to be posted up in the Clerk’s office of said county, at least twenty days previous to letting any contract for the erection of said bridge; and shall cause written notices to be put up in at least six of the most public places in the county, for a period of not less than one month before entering into any contract for the materials or erection of said bridge, stating therein, that they will let to the lowest responsible bidder, at the court house in said town, on a day to be agreed upon by them, contracts for the delivery of the necessary materials, also, contracts for the masonry and carpenters’ work of said bridge: Provided, That, in making contracts, said commissioners shall take a bond, payable to the county of Lawrence, with security, to be approved of by them, for the faithful performance of such contracts, by the person or persons who may undertake the same, and within such time as shall be agreed upon: And provided, further, That, in no case, shall the commissioners make any payment to any person engaged in the said work, which shall exceed two-thirds of the value of work then performed, until the contract shall be completed, and received by the commissioners.

Bridge to remain public and kept in repair.

Sec. 2. The said building, when erected, as aforesaid, shall be, and forever remain, a public bridge, free to the passage of all persons, and their property, at all times, and without any charge whatever; and the county commissioners’ court of Lawrence county shall cause the same to be kept in good repair, to afford a safe passage to all persons and their property.

Navigation of river not to be obstructed.

Sec. 3. Nothing in this act shall be so construed, as to authorize the said commissioners to obstruct the navigation of said river, with either flat or keel boats.

Approved, January 8, 1840.

1On December 17, 1839, Senator Abner Greer introduced SB 5 in the Senate. On December 23, the Senate passed the bill. On December 27, the House of Representatives referred the bill to a select committee. On December 28, the select committee reported the bill without amendment. On January 2, 1840, the House passed the bill. On January 8, the Council of Revision approved the bill and the act became law.
Journal of the House of Representatives of the Eleventh General Assembly of the State of Illinois, at Their Called Session, Begun and Held at Springfield, December 9, 1839 (Springfield, IL: William Walters, 1839), 82, 93, 98, 117; Journal of the Senate of the Eleventh General Assembly of the State of Illinois, at Their Called Session, Begun and Held in Springfield, December 9, 1839 (Springfield, IL: William Walters, 1839),24, 49, 85, 90, 95.