soils, the cultivation and growth of crops, the breeding and management of stock, the application and character of manures and fertilizers, the introduction of new cereal and other grains, and other agricultural subjects, and report the same together with a statement of their own proceedings to the governor of this state in the month of January in each year, to be by him laid before the legis ture. SEC. 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage. Approved, April 2, 1853. Chap. 71. An Act to provide for the contingent expenses of the office of the Bank To procure iron safes, Chap. 72. Comptroller. The people of the State of Wisconsin, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows: SECTION 1. The Bank Comptroller, is hereby authorizeed to procure one suitable iron safe, to be deposited and kept in the vault of the state treasurer's office, and one suitable iron safe to be kept in his own office, for the safe keeping of the books, papers, and banking securities, belonging to said office; and his accounts for the same shall be audited by the secretary or state, and if allowed by him shall be paid out of the state treasury upon his warrant. SEC. 2. There is hereby appropriated out of any monies in the treasury not otherwise appropriated by law, to James S. Baker, the present bank comptroller, the sum of three hundred dollars, for procuring books, and forms, and for other expenses incurred in establishing said office. SEC. 3. This act shall take effect from and after its passage and publication. Approved, April 2, 1853. An Act to amend Chapter th.rty-four of Revised Statutes. The people of the State of Wisconsin, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows: Chapter 34 of the revised statutes, is hereby amended so as to read as follows: "Chapter 34, of land and water." SECTION 1. The river Mississippi, and the navigable waters, leading into the Mississippi and St. Lawrence, and the carrying places between the same, shall be common common high ways. SEC. 2. All rivers and streams of water in this state in Navigable all places where the same have been meandered, and re- streams to be turned as navagable by the surveyors employed by the United States government, are hereby declared navagable to such an extent, that no dam, bridge, or other obstruction, may be made in or over the same, without the permission of the legislatue: Provided, That nothing herein contained, shall be construed so as affect to any act Proviso. now in force granting to towns, or county boards of supervisors, the power to erect, or authorize the construction of bridges across such streams. SEC. 3. The boundaries of lands adjoining waters, and Boundaries the several and respective rights of individuals, the state, determined by common law. and its citizens, in respect to all such lands and waters, shall be determined in conformity to the common law, so far as applicable as evidenced by judicial determinations in other states, in which the courts in such cases have adhered to its principles: Provided, That the provisions Provisa of this section shall have no effect in the determination of causes now pending in any of the courts of this state. Approved, April 2, 1853. An Act to repeal Chapter three hundred and forty, and Chapter four hundred Chap 73. and sixty-four of the Session Laws of A. D. 1852. The people of the State of Wisconsin, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Chapter three hundred and forty, and four hundred and sixty-four, of the session laws of eighteen hundred fifty-two, are hereby repealed, and all acts or parts of acts repealed by either of said chapters, are hereby revived: Provided, That nothing herein contained shall have the effect to prohibit the receiving of any scrip, issued in conformity with chapter 340 of the session laws of 1852, in payment for lands belonging to the improvement: Provided further, That from and after the passage Board of Pubof this act, the board of public works shall not have the lic Works power to authorize the construction of any new work, or the enlargement of any work under any new or old contracts, otherwise than now provided in such contracts as exist, and are in force at this time, [nor] not to authorize any expenditure of money, not essentially necessary to the carrying out of existing contracts, and further, shall not have power to make any new contract, or alter, or change, or renew any old contract relating to the sale or leasing of any water power, now created or which may hereafter be created upon said improvement: Provided further, All warrants issued by the board of public works, on account of the Wisconsin river fund, shall draw interest at the same rate as provided for in chapter one hundred and sixtyfour of the session laws of 1852: Provided, furter, That the repeal of said acts shall not in any wise effect preemption rights, now required, nor the rights of corporate authorities, of town sites, and of the county judge to enter such town sites for the uses and purposes now provided by law. Approved, April 2, 1853. Chap. 74. An Act to pay the Commissioner of the State Prison the sum of money Commis therein named. The people of the State of Wisconsin, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows: Appropriation SECTION 1. There is hereby appropriated to the comsqueer of State missioner of the state prison, out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of ten thousand dollars, to be drawn by the commissioner in quarterly instalments of twenty-five hundred dollars each; the first instalment to be draw on the sixth day of April inst., for the purpose of defraying the current expenses of the state prison for the year eighteen hundred and fiftythree, and paying a certain account provided for in this act. SEC. 2. The commissionor is hereby authorized to pay Jenkin Jenkins, eighteen dollars and eighty cents, John P. Gee nine dollars, Taylor and Winkley seven dollars and fifty cents, J. Look one hundred dollars, John Howard fifteen dollars and thirty-eight cents, Jas. K. Smith twentyfive dollars and Charles Youmans fifty-nine dollars; on the payment of said accounts, the commissioner is instructed to take vouchers for the same. Approved, April 2, 1853. An Act to amend section five of Chapter eighty-nine of the Revised Chap. 75. Statutes. The people of the State of Wisconsin, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Section five of chapter eighty-nine of the revised statutes, is hereby amended by adding thereto, the following proviso: Provided, That if the defendant shall, bef re he pleads to said complaint, make oath that... from prejudice or other cause, he believes the justice will not decide impartially in the matter, then said justice shall immediately transmit all the papers in the case, to the nearest justice qualified by law, to try a cause between the state and the defendant who ahall proceed to hear, try and determine the same, in the same manner, as it would have been lawful for the justice before whom the warrant was returnable to have done. Approved, April 2, 1853. An Act authorizing Railroad Companies to make certain contracts and con nections. The people of the State of Wisconsin, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows: Chap. 76. contract. SECTION 1. Any railroad company in this state shall Railroad Com have full power and authority to make and enter into such panies may contracts with any railroad company which has constructed, or shall hereafter construct any railroad, or railroads, terminating upon the eastern shore of lake Michigan, within the state of Michigan, as will enable said companies to run their roads in connection with each other, in such manner as they shall deem most beneficial to their interest; and such contracts when so made, shall have the same force and effects as they would have in case such power had been conferred by the acts creating such incorporations. SEC. 2. It shall be lawful for such companies to build, construct, and run as a part of their corporate property, such number of steamboats, or vessels as they may deem necessary to facilitate the business operations of such com-pany or companies. Approved, April 2, 1853. Chap. 77. An Act to amend Section one hundred and thirty-six of Chapter ten of the Revised Statutes. The people of the State of Wisconsin, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows: Duties of sur- SECTION 1. Section 136, of chapter 10, of the revised Payar. statutes of this state, is hereby amended so as to read Repealed as follows: "Whenever a surveyor is required to make a subdivision of a section as established by the United .5.2 States survey, he shall proceed as follows, except when the section is fractional: commencing at either quar& Statero ter section corner of the section, he shall run north or south and east or west, across said section, and establish a common centre therefor, which centre shall be the same distance from the north quarter post that it is from the south quarter post, and the same distance from the east quarter post, that it is from the west quarter post; at which point a post shall be firmly fixed and driven into the groundi and if practicable, two bearing trees shall be utarked with a suitable instrument, one quarter S. and their course and distance from the said post noted in the plat and field notes: any less subdivision than a quarter section shall be made by proceeding in the same manner, except in fractional sections, the corners of which shall be established and noted as before provided for; the surveyor denoting the quantity upon the bearing trees as oneeighth, or one-sixteenth, as the case may be. Chap. 78. Order for sale SEC. 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage. Approved, April 2, 1853. An Act to amend Chapter sixty-two of the Revised Stautes. The people of the State of Wisconsin, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Whenever an order shall be made by the of real estate. judge of probate for the sale of any real estate for the payment of any valid claim against the deceased, and charges of administration, and such real estate is ordered to be sold, shall be subject to the right of dower in the widow, it shall be lawful for the executor or administrator to make and enter into a contract, in writing with the widow, by which she may agree to accept in lieu of her dower in trust, such a per centage on the amount realized on the sale as shall be deemed upon the |