Sec.[Section] 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That the resident inhabitants of the town of Tremont, in Tazewell county, are hereby constituted a body politic and corporate, to be known by the name of "The President and Trustees of the town of Tremont," and by that name shall be known in law, and have perpetual succession, may sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, defend and be defended, in courts of law and equity, and in all actions and matters whatsoever, may grant, purchase, receive and hold real estate and personal property within the limits of said town and no other, (burial grounds excepted,) and may sell and convey the same for the benefit of said town. They shall have power to lease any lands that now are, or which may hereafter be reserved and appropriated to the use of said town, and to do all other lawful acts as natural persons; may have a common seal, and alter the same at pleasure.

Sec. 2. That the limits of said town of Tremont shall include all the district embraced in the town plat of the original town of Tremont and the several additions to said town, the plats of which have been recorded pursuant to law.

Sec. 3. That the corporate powers and duties of said town shall be vested in five trustees, who shall form a board for the transaction of business. They shall be elected annually on the second Monday in August, by the persons in said town qualified to vote as hereinafter provided, to serve for one year and until their successors are elected and qualified. They shall be citizens of the United States, twenty-one years of age, shall possess a freehold estate within the limits of said corporation, and shall have been a resident of said town one year next preceding their election.

Sec. 4. That James L. Wilson, John A. Jones, Ralph Kipp, Albert S. Fobes, and Joseph C. Parker, be and they are hereby declared trustees of said town, to serve until the second Monday of August next, and until their successors shall be elected and qualified.

Sec. 5. The Board of trustees shall appoint their president from their own body, shall appoint all other officers of their board, and shall be the judges of elections and returns of their own members. A majority shall constitute a board to do business, but a smaller number may adjourn from day to

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day, and may compel the attendance of absent members, and under such penalties as the board may provide. They may determine the rule of proceeding, punish the members for disorderly conduct, and by a vote of two-thirds of the whole number elected, expel a member and make such other rules and regulations for their own government as to them may seem proper and expedient.

Sec. 6. No person shall vote for trustees of said town unless he be qualified to vote for representatives for the General Assembly, and shall be liable to pay a corporation tax for the then current year, and shall have resided in said town for at least three months next preceding the election at which he offers to vote.

Sec. 7. The board of trustees shall have power to levy and collect a tax on all real estate and personal property within said corporation, not exceeding twenty-five cents on the hundred dollars upon the assessed value thereof; to make regulations to secure the general health of the inhabitants; to prevent and remove nuisances, and to establish night watches; to erect lamps in the streets, and light the same; to restrain and prohibit shooting, horse racing, houses of ill fame, gambling and other disorderly houses; to provide for licensing and regulating, or prohibiting theatrical and other shows or amusements; to regulate auctions; to establish and regulate markets and market houses, widen and keep in repair streets, sidewalks, lanes, and alleys, drains and sewers; to keep the same clean and free from incumbrance; to dig wells, erect pumps for the convenience of the inhabitants; to regulate the storage of gun-powder, and all other combustible materials; to provide for the prevention and extinguishment of fires; to regulate the police of the town, and the election of town officers; to fix compensation of town officers, and from time to time to pass such ordinances to carry into effect the provisions of this act, and the powers hereby granted, as the good of the town may require, and which may not be inconsistent with the laws of the State. For the breach of any ordinances any justice of the peace within the county shall have power to hear and determine the aforesaid offences: Provided, The same shall be tried within the limits of the corporation, and appeals may be taken and writs of certiorari allowed from any such judgment in the same manner as is, or hereafter may be, provided by law for taking appeals from judgments of justices of the peace.

Sec. 8. That the board of trustees shall make adequate compensation to any person or persons who may be injured by opening, widening, extending, or improving any street, alley, or side-walk within the limits of the town under the provision of this act; to ascertain which, the board shall cause to be summoned twelve good and lawful freeholders and inhabitants of the town not directly interested, who, after being duly sworn for that purpose, shall inquire and take into considera-

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tion as well the benefit as the injury that may accrue to the party, and estimate and assess the damages which would be sustained by reason of the opening, extending, widening, grading, or improving any street, avenue, lane, alley, or side-walk, and shall moreover estimate the amount which other persons will be benefited thereby and may contribute towards paying persons injured, all of which they shall return to the board of trustees, under their hands and seals, and the person or persons who shall be benefited and so assessed shall pay the same in the same manner as shall be provided, and the residue, if any, shall be paid out of the town treasury.

Sec. 9. That the president and trustees of said town shall have a right to borrow, on the credit of the corporation, any sum not exceeding one thousand dollars for the purpose of erecting school-houses, market houses, digging public wells, erecting pumps in the streets, and for making and improving public roads situated within two miles of the town, which the trustees may think for the best interest of the town, and to receive donations for the purpose of carrying into effect any or all of the objects contemplated by the provisions of this act.

Sec. 10. The officers of said corporation, in addition to the trustees, shall consist of one clerk, one treasurer, one collector, one constable, and three assessors, and one street commissioner and such other officers as the trustees of said town may deem necessary, who shall receive such compensation and fees as the board of trustees shall prescribe.

Sec. 11. It shall he the duty of the board of trustees, in such manner as they may hereafter provide, to give notice of all town meetings to be held, whether for the election of trustees or any other purpose arising under the provisions of this act, by posting up notices in three of the most public places in the said town, and stating the object of such meeting: Provided however, That not less than three days' notice shall in any case be given.

Sec. 12. All ordinances shall be posted up in three of the most public places in said town, within ten days after they shall have been passed, and if there be a newspaper published in said town, shall be published therein within ten days.

Sec. 13. That the board of trustees shall have power to adopt such modes and means for the assessment and collection of taxes as they from time to time shall fix upon and determine, and prescribe the manner of selling property when the tax levied upon it is not paid: Provided however, That the collector of said town shall proceed in the same manner to sell real estate for corporation taxes, as is required of county collectors to sell real estate for State and county revenue, and all the provisions of the several acts concerning public revenue which provide for the sale and redemption of real estate for State and county taxes, shall apply to the sale of real estate or town lots sold for taxes assessed for corporation purposes under the provisions of this act; and the collector of said

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town shall have such fees as shall be provided by the trustees of said town.

Sec. 14. The board of trustees, for the purpose of keeping the streets and alleys in said town and corporate limits, and the public roads passing from and through said town, in good repair, and to this end they are authorized to require every male inhabitant of said town over the age of twenty-one, and under fifty years of age residing within the corporate limits, to labor on the streets and alleys and roads, not exceeding three days in each year, and any person who shall be notified at least two days previous by the street commissioner to perform such labor so assessed, as herein provided, and shall fail or neglect to perform the same, shall forfeit and pay the sum of one dollar for each day neglected to be performed, and the street commissioner in said town is hereby authorized to prosecute such person in the name of the president and trustees of the town of Tremont, before any justice of the peace in said town; and the said street commissioner shall be a competent witness against such delinquents, and in case of default as aforesaid, the justice shall render judgment against the defendant for the amount so forfeited with costs of suit, and issue execution forthwith.

Sec. 15. That every officer of said corporation before entering upon the duties of his office shall take an oath or affirmation before some judge or justice of the peace, faithfully and impartially to discharge the duties of his office: And provided, always, That the treasurer, collector, and constable, before they enter upon the duties of their offices, shall file in the office of the clerk of said town, a bond with security to be approved by the board of trustees for the faithful performance of their duties.

Approved, February 27, 1841.