Acts. 535

repairing the Public Roads in this Province, made at a Session of
Assembly, begun and held at the City of Annapolis the second Day
of October, in the Year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred
and fifty-three, have, since the passing the said Act, built Mills, and
erected Dams for such Mills on Branches of Runs below the Places
where public or main Roads crossed such Branches or Runs, by
Means whereof the Waters are so stopped and interrupted in their
Course, that the public or main Roads are become unpassable, to the
great Prejudice of all those who have Occasion to pass and use such
Roads:
Be it therefore Enacted, by the Right Honourable the Lord Pro-
prietary, by and with the Advise and Consent of his Lordship's

Liber H. S.
No. 1

Governor, and the Upper and Lower Houses of Assembly, and the
Authority of the same, That where any Person or Persons have,
since the second Day of October, in the Year of our Lord One
thousand seven hundred and fifty-three, built, or shall hereafter build
or erect, any Mill on any Branch or Run below the Places where

p. 271

public or main Roads did or shall cross such Branch or Run, and by
the building and erecting of such Mill, or the Dam for the same, the
public or main Road which crossed or shall cross the Branch or Run
as aforesaid, is or shall be any Way hurt or injured, or the Passage
therein any Way obstructed or rendered difficult or incommodious,
such Person or Persons, or the Owner, Possessor, or Occupier, of
such Mill or Mills shall, and they are hereby obliged, by the last Day
of October next, where such Mill or Mills have already been built,
or within three Months after the building of any other Mill or Mills,
stopping or impeding the Course of the Water as aforesaid, to make
good and sufficient Bridges and Causeways, twelve Feet wide at the
least, over the said Branches or Runs, at the Places where the
public or main Roads crossed such Branches as aforesaid, and the
same Bridges maintain and keep in good Repair, under the Penalty
of Twenty Pounds Current Money, and the like Sum for every
two Months Neglect thereafter; one half thereof to be applied
towards defraying the Charge of the County where such Neglect
shall happen, the other half to him or them that shall inform or
sue for the same; to be recovered by Action of Debt, Bill, Plaint,
or Information, in any Court of Record, within this Province,
wherein no Essoin, Protection, or Wager of Law, or more than one
Imparlance, shall be allowed.

[The Own-
ers of Mills
to build
Bridges over
Runs where
Main Roads
cross such
Runs.]

Provided, That such Person or Persons, Owner or Owners, Pos-
sessor or Occupier, of such Mill or Mills, shall not be obliged to
send his or their taxable Persons, who shall reside in the Precinct of
such public Road, to work on any Part of such Road, except on such
Bridge and Causeway as aforesaid.

[Proviso.]