| CHARLES GOLDSBOROUGH, ESQUIRE, GOVERNOR.
CHAP. CLIII.
An Act to prohibit the obstruction of the navigation in Worcester
and
Somerset Counties. Lib. TH. No. 6, fol. 362. |
1818.
CHAP. 153.
Passed Feb. 10, 1819. |
1. BE IT ENACTED, by the General Assembly
of Maryland, That
from and after the first day of May next, it shall not be lawful to
unload and throw out the ballast of any boat, or vessel, in the navigable
rivers and creeks in Worcester or Somerset counties, or to
make or keep any wears or hedges in said rivers and creeks, so as
thereby the navigation thereof may be obstructed or injured. |
Not lawful to unload
ballast or
erect wears to obstruct
navigation. |
2. AND BE IT ENACTED, That every person who
shall after the
said first day of May next, be found guilty of throwing out the
ballast of any boat or vessel, in any of the navigable rivers or
creeks in Worcester and Somerset counties, in such manner as may
obstruct or tend to injure the navigation thereof, or prevent boats
and vessels from laying along side of the wharfs, or who shall be
found keeping or making any wears or hedges in the channels of
said rivers or creeks, so as to obstruct the navigation, or who shall
in any manner be found throwing stones, shells, gravel, or other
things, into said rivers and creeks, so that the navigation may be
obstructed or injured, contrary to the true intent and meaning of
this act, every person so offending shall forfeit and pay a sum, at
the discretion of a justice of the peace, not exceeding fifty dollars
for every such offence, one half to be given to the informer, and the
other half to be paid to the levy courts of the county where the
offence was committed, to be by them applied to the use of the
county. |
Penalty for so doing. |
3. AND BE IT ENACTED, That all fines and forfeitures
incurred
under this act, shall be recovered in the name of the state before a
justice of the peace, in the same manner that small debts are recoverable,
unless such fine shall exceed fifty dollars. |
Fines, how to be
recovered. |
4. AND BE IT ENACTED, That it shall be the
duty of every justice
of the peace in said counties, whenever he shall have knowledge,
or shall be credibly informed, of any violation of this act,
to issue a warrant in the name of the state against the offender or
person charged, directed to some constable, and on the return of
such warrant, and the appearance of the person charged, any justice
of the peace in said counties may hear and determine the matter
as he may deem just and right, and may enter judgment for
any fine, with costs, and issue execution for the same. |
Justice to issue
warrant for, and
determine violations
of this act. |
5. AND BE IT ENACTED, That any justice of
the peace may receive
any fine and costs which he hath laid in pursuance of this
act, and he shall account for the same to the levy court of the county
within six months thereafter, under the penalty of two hundred
dollars, except the costs, and such part thereof, as the informer
may be entitled to, which costs, and part of such fine, shall be paid
to the persons entitled thereto. |
Justice to receive
fines, and account
to levy court for
the same. |
6. AND BE IT ENACTED, That no informer shall
be entitled to
any part of any fine unless the offence charged shall have been
proved by a disinterested witness, but in such case the whole fine
shall be paid to the levy court for the use of the county. |
Informers not entitled
to any part
of fine, unless &c. |
7. AND BE IT ENACTED, That it shall be the
duty of all persons
owning, commanding, or having charge of any boat or vessel,
while such boat or vessel may be in either of said counties, to
charge and command all persons belonging to, or engaged in the |
Commanders of
vessels to be careful
in discharging
ballasts. |
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