1804.

NOVEMBER. LAWS OF MARYLAND.

C H A P.
LI.

for every cart or wagon whose wheels shall exceed in breadth four inches, and not exceeding seven
inches, one sixteenth of a dollar for every horse drawing the same; for every cart or wagon, the
breadth of whose wheels shall be more than seven inches, and not more than ten inches, or being of
the breadth of seven inches shall roll more than ten inches, five cents for every horse drawing the
same; for every cart or wagon, the breadth of whose wheels shall be more than ten inches, and not
exceeding twelve inches, or being ten inches shall roll more than fifteen inches, three cents for every
horse drawing the same; for every cart or wagon, the breadth of whose wheels shall be more than
twelve inches, two cents for every horse drawing the same.

And erect
scales, &c.

XXI. AND BE IT ENACTED, That for the purpose of ascertaining the weight that may be drawn
along the said road in any cart, wagon, or other carriage of burthen, it shall and may be lawful for
the said president, managers and company, to erect and establish scales and weights at or near such
and so many of the gates erected, or to be erected in pursuance of this act, as they may think pro-
per, and where there may seem reasonable cause to suspect that any cart, wagon, or other carriage
of burthen, carries a greater weight than is or shall be by law allowable, it shall be lawful for
the toll-gatherers, or other persons in their service or employment, to prevent the same from pass-
ing such gate or turnpike, until such cart, wagon or other carriage of burthen, shall be drawn into
the fixed or erected scales at or near any such gate or turnpike, and the weight or burthen drawn
therein ascertained by weighing; and if the person or persons driving or having care or charge of
any such cart, wagon, or other carriage of burthen, shall refuse to drive the same into any such
scales for the purpose aforesaid, the person or persons so refusing shall forfeit and pay to the said
president, managers and company, any sum not less than five dollars nor more than eight dollars to
be recovered in the manner herein after mentioned.

Weights to be
drawn in wa-
gons, &c. re-
gulated, &c.

XXII. AND BE IT ENACTED, That no wagon, or other carriage with four wheels, the breadth
of whose wheels shall not be four inches, shall be drawn along the said road with a greater weight
thereon than three tons; that no such carriage, the breadth of whose wheels shall not be seven inches
or being six inches or more shall roll at least ten inches, shall be drawn along the said roads with
more than five tons; that no such carriage, the breadth of whose wheels shall not be ten inches or
more, or being less shall not roll at least twelve inches, shall be drawn along the said road with more
than eight tons; that no cart or other carriage with two wheels, the same breadth of wheels as the
wagons aforesaid, shall be drawn along the said road with more than half the burthen or weight
aforesaid; and if any cart, wagon, or carnage of burthen whatsoever, shall be drawn alone the said
road with a greater weight than is hereby allowed, the owner or owners of such carriage, if the ex-
cess of burthen shall be three hundred weight or upwards, shall forfeit and pay four times the custom-
ary tolls, for the use of the company; provided always, that it shall and may be lawful for the said
company, by their by-laws, to alter any or all the regulations herein contained respecting the bur-
thens or carriages to be drawn over the said roact, and to substitute other regulations, if upon experi-
ment such alterations shall be found conducive to the public good; provided nevertheless that such
regulations shall not lessen the burthens of carriages above described.

treasurer ap-
pointed a court,
&c.

XXIII. AND BE IT ENACTED, That the treasurer of the western shore be and he is hereby con-
stituted a court of inspection, and it shall and may be the duty of the respective companies, once eve-
ry year, (and oftener if required by the court,) to lay before the same a correct and methodical account
of their disbursements and expenditures, and of the amount of the tolls collected and received on their
respective roads for and during the twelve months preceding, and whenever the tolls shall, during
two following years, exceed ten per centum, free of all charges on the institution, the said court shall,
at their discretion, hold the excess thus arising above the said ten per centum in reserve, to meet any
future deficiency, or, if in their judgment a continuance of the then tolls would produce a like an-
nual excess, to lower the tolls, or any of them, so as to bring the aggregate on the roads respective-
ly to ten per centum per annum; and the said court may, in their discretion, on the representation of
the aforesaid companies, revise the tolls herein established, so as to render them in their operation
more favourable to commerce and the industry of the citizen.

Stockholders
entitled to re-
ceive ten per
cent. &c.

XXIV. AND BE IT ENACTED, That the stockholders of the present companies shall be entitled
to receive ten per centum per annum, and no more, over and above all charges and deductions whatso-
ever; and the president and managers of the respective companies shall keep a just and true account
of all and every the monies received by their several and respective collectors of tolls at the several
and respective gates and turnpikes on the said roads, from the beginnings to the ends thereof, which
account shall be upon oath, or affirmation, as the case may be, and shall make a dividend of the clear
profits and income thereof, not exceeding ten per centum in any year, among all the stockholders of
every description, and shall, oa the first Monday in November and May in every year, publish the