An act to Establish the Kishwaukee Ferry Company.

Sec.[Section] 1. Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois represented in the General Assembly—That Henry L. Buell and Simeon Towle and their associates heirs and assigns, be, and they are hereby constituted a body politic and corporate for the Term of ten Years by the name and Style of “The Kishwaukee Ferry Company” and by that name they and their successors shall in Law be capable of suing and being sued, pleading, and being impleaded, answer and being answered unto, in all Courts and places whatsoever, may have a use a common seal, and may alter, and change the same at pleasure, and in their Coporate name shall be capable in Law to purchase and hold and convey any estate, real personal, or mixed that may be necessary for the use of said ferry not exceeding twenty acres of Land.

Sec. 2. The said Corporation are hereby authorized and empowered to establish and maintain the Ferry herein granted over Rock River within one half mile of the junction of the Kishwaukee River with the Rock River waters in Winnebago County

Sec. 3. The Boat or Boats necessary for the conducting of said Ferry may be so constructed as to be propelled by steam, horse, or other power or means, as the proprietors ay deem expedient.

Sec 4. The capital stock of said company shall be three thousand dollars which shall be divided into shares of twenty dollars each which

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shall be taken and held to be personal property. The capital stock of said corporation may be increased to any amount not exceeding five thousand dollars when the stockholders shall deem such increase necessary for the objects herein contemplated.

Sec. 5. Henry L Buell, Simeon Towle, George M. Lee, and Shelton L. Hall are hereby appointed commissioners, the duty of whom it shall be to open books for subscription of said Stock on the first Monday of May next, or as soon thereafter as is convenient at Kishwaukee and such other places as they may deem proper, by giving at least twenty days public notice thereof, and like notice shall be given when it is necessary to increase the Capital Stock. If the whole of the Capital Stock herein named shall not be subscribed for at the time and place appointed for such subscription, said Commissioners, or a majority of them, shall take such measure^s^ for completing such subscription, as they may deem expedient and proper, and every subscriber shall at the time of subscribing, pay to said Commissioners the sum of one dollar, on each share subscribed.

Sec. 6. As soon as the Capital Stock shall be subscribed the commissioners shall give notice thereof in like manner and appoint the time and place designating the same in said notice for such stockholders to meet for the purpose of choosing a board of trustees which shall consist of seven

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in number. Every Stockholder shall be entitled, at such and all other Elections to one vote for each share to the number of ten, and one vote for every five additional shares which votes may be given in person or by proxy ^and the persons having a plurality of votes shall be declared duly elected trustees^. At the Election to be held as aforesaid, the said commissioners or such of them as may attend, shall be inspectors, and their certificates of the names of the persons elected shall be conclusive evidence of such Election; and said commissioners shall deliver over the Subscription books to the said trustees, with the money recieved thereon. The said Trustees so chosen, and who may hereafter be chosen, shall immediately after their Election proceed to choose one of their body to be president who shall preside at all regular meetings of of the board. A majority shall constituted a quorum, and in case of the abscence of the president the board may appoint a president pro tempore to preside. The said board shall have power to prescribe the time and place of holding all future elections for trustees, which shall be once a year; and the said board of trustees shall be vested with power to transact all the business of the incorporation in their corporate capacity whose acts shall be binding on the same The said board shall have power to fill all vacancies which may occur in their body which appointment shall remain until ^the^ next annual meeting

Sec 7. The board of Trustees within ten days after the Election shall meet and organize by and

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by Electing ^appointing^ one of the Number

Sec 7 The said board of trustees when elected and organized shall have power to appoint secretary and Treasurer and such other officers as they may deem expedient and require of all or any one such bonds as they may deem the safety of the Corporation to require [...?] and the Trustees shall have power to form by Laws and regulations for the government of the Corporation, not inconsistent with the Constitution and Laws of the United States and of this State.

Sec. 8. When the said Ferry is established it shall and may be lawful for the said Company their assigns and successors to demand and receive from all persons crossing said ferry for and during the time aforesaid such rates a the same rates of toll ferriage as may be thus allowed to the ferries Crossing Rock River within the limits of Winnebago County . The said Corporation shall obtain from the County Commissioners Court of [Jackson?] Winnebago County a list of the rates of Ferriage as established by them for the various ferries over the Rock River within the limits of said County (for and shall set and shall set up in a conspicuous place free for the inspection of Travellers or other persons or other persons interested the rates of ferriage as aforesaid.

Sec. 9. All officers or Trustees Chosen at the annual Election aforesaid shall hold their office until their next annual Election or, until others are elected in their stead

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^and^ the president and Trustees, or a Majority of them, shall have power to call a meeting of the board whenever they may deem it necessary, by publishing a Notice of the time and place for holding the same ten days previous to the time of said meeting

Sec 10. The Trustees shall have power to require the payment from time to time of such sums on each share as they may deem necessary; and in their by-Laws declare what shall constitute a forfeiture of stock for failure to pay the amounts so required

Sec 11 If any person or persons shall wilfully or maliciously do or cause to be done any act whatsoever whereby the said Ferry or any thing appertaining to the same shall be impaired injured or destroyed the said person or persons so offending shall forfeit and pay to the said Corporation treble the amount of damages occasioned thereby to be recovered by the said Corporation with Costs of Suits in any action of trespass in any court having competent Jurisdiction thereof

Sec 12. The ferry hereby granted shall be in all respects governed by the Laws regulating ferries toll bridges and turnpike roads except as is herein otherwise provided

Sec. 13. If The said corporation shall have the time of one year to commence and Establish the said Ferry after ^the passage^ of this act and if the said ferry ^same^ is not established within the aforesaid term of time the said Corporation shall be dissolved, and this act of no Effect.