JOSEPH KENT, \ESQUIRE, GOVERNOR.

1827

of said company, in proper proportions of their respective
shares.
SEC. 21. And be it enacted, That if any person or persons
shall wilfully, by any means whatsoever, injure, impair, or
destroy any part of any railroad constructed by said compa-
ny under this act, or any of their necessary works, buildings,
carriages, vehicles, or machinery of said company, such per-
son or persons so offending, shall each of them, for every
such offence, forfeit and pay to the said company a sum not
exceeding three hundred dollars, which may be recovered in
the name of the said company, by an action of debt, in the
county court of the county wherein the offence shall be com-
mitted, and shall also be subject to indictment in said court,
and upon conviction of such offence, shall be punished by fine
and imprisonment in the discretion of the court.

CHAP, 187

Penalty for injur-

ies

SEC. 22. And be it enacted, That as soon as this act shall
have been passed by the Legislature of Maryland, books may
be opened, subscriptions received, and the said company or-
ganized; and that when organized, the said company, and the
president and directors of the same, shall have all the powers,
rights and privileges granted bv this act, and shall be subject
to all its regulations, in constructing or repairing any of the
said rail roads, or other necessary works or buildings which
can or may be constructed within the limits of the state of
Maryland, and in transporting persons, goods, merchandise,
or property of any description, along any of said roads, and
that the provisions of this act shall be wholly in force as to all
the property of the company which may be situated, or may
be within the state of Maryland, and which said company is
permitted to hold under this act.

This law in opera-
tion as to Md.

SEC. 23, And be it enacted, That full right and privilege is
hereby reserved to the citizens of this state, or any company
hereafter to be incorporated under the authority of this state,
to connect with the road hereby provided, any other rail road
leading from the main route to any part or parts of this state:
Provided, That ia forming such connection, no injury shall be
done to the works of the company hereby incorporated, 2nd
the same right and privilege is hereby reserved to the citizens
of Delaware, or to any company incorporated under the au-
thority of that state, to connect with the rail road, hereby pro-

Right to connect
other roads reserv-
ed.

vided for any other rail road leading from the main route in
that state, to any part or parts of that state: Provided, Thai in
forming such connection no injury shall be done to the works
of the company hereby incorporated.

Proviso

SEC. 24. And be it enacted, That nothing in this act contain-
ed, shall be construed so as to prevent the Legislature of this
state from legislating upon the subject of the tolls reserved
in this act at anytime after the expiration of twenty years
from the passage of this act: Provided, That at no time shall
the toll be so regulated or reduced as to yield less than six pet
cent, per annum.

Future right to
regulate tolls re-
served

SEC, 25. And be it enacted, That unless said rail road is
commenced within four years from the passage of this act,

Time limited to

commence & com-

plete