Notice to be given. Form of ballot. How canvassed. Vote to determine. dred one, the question of relieving Charles B. Barker, treasurer of said township, and his bondsmen from liability on account of the loss of the funds of said township through the failure of the bank of Neilson & Co., in Pentwater, Oceana county, Michigan, where said funds were deposited; said relief to be determined as hereinafter provided. SEC. 2. The township clerk of said township of Crystal shall cause at least ten days' notice to be given of the intended submission of said question, in the same manner as is required by law to be given of said annual township meeting; said township clerk shall cause to be printed on white paper, and distributed at the polls of said township meeting in sufficient numbers for the accommodation of all the electors of said township, two sets of ballots of uniform size, color and texture; and on the ballots of one set shall be printed the words, "For the relief, yes," and on the other set of ballots, the words, "For the relief, no." Said ballots voted at said township meeting shall be voted and deposited in a separate ballot box, and shall be cared for, inspected and counted in the same manner, as near as may be, as ballots relative to constitutional amendments are voted, deposited, cared for and counted. SEC. 3. If it should appear from the final inspection and counting of said ballots that two-thirds of the electors voting on said proposition shall have voted in favor thereof, the same shall be declared by the inspectors of said election, carried and adopted; and it shall be so certified by them to the township board of said township within five days after said meeting, and said Charles B. Barker and his bondsmen as such township treasurer shall thereupon be released and discharged from any and all liability to said township of Crystal for the loss of any funds belonging to said township by reason of the said failure of said Neilson & Co. This act is ordered to take immediate effect. May construct bridge, cost of. [No. 311.] AN ACT to provide for the construction of a bridge across the Sturgeon river in the township of Portage, in the county of Houghton and State of Michigan, and for the raising of funds to defray the cost and expense thereof. The People of the State of Michigan enact: SECTION 1. That the township board of the township of Portage, in the county of Houghton and State of Michigan, be and hereby is authorized to and shall construct a public bridge across the Sturgeon river in section one of township fifty-two north of range thirty-four west, on the highway running across said section and crossing said river, at a cost of not more than one thousand dollars. assessed. SEC. 2. Said one thousand dollars shall be assessed on Money, how the taxable property of said township of Portage specifically, according to its assessed valuation in the year nineteen hundred one. And the same shall be collected in the same man- How collected. ner as other taxes and shall be held by the treasurer of Portage township as a separate fund, and paid out only on the orders of the township board of the township of Portage, for the purpose of constructing said bridge, or for paying indebtedness incurred on account of such construction, and for no other purpose. This act is ordered to take immediate effect. [No. 312.] AN ACT to authorize the townships of Springwells and Ecorse in the county of Wayne, State of Michigan. to jointly build and maintain a swing or drawbridge, constructed in whole or in part of steel or iron across the River Rouge at a point known as the Dix road or Saulsbury bridge, according to the plans and specifications which have heretofore been or which may hereafter be approved by the proper officers of the United States according to the act of congress, and to borow money on the faith and credit of said townships to pay for the construction of said bridge. The People of the State of Michigan enact: and maintain SECTION 1. That the township boards of the townships May construct of Springwells and Ecorse, county of Wayne, be and they are bridge. hereby authorized and empowered to jointly construct and maintain a swing or drawbridge constructed in whole or in part of iron or steel across the river Rouge forming the boundary line of said townships at a point thereon where the Dix road reaches the same and to replace what is known as the Saulsbury bridge, at a total cost for construction of said bridge and approaches not to exceed twenty thousand dollars, one-half of which shall be borne by each of said townships. Said bridge shall be constructed according to plans How and specifications agreed upon between said township boards and which have heretofore been or may hereafter be approved by the proper officers of the United States: Provided how- Proviso. constructed. May issue bonds, amount of. Proviso. Further proviso. When may issue bonds, amount of, rate of interest, etc. Where advertised. ever, That the consent of the board of supervisors shall have been or may hereafter be obtained to the construction of said bridge and approaches. SEC. 2. For the purpose of procuring the money to pay for the construction of said bridge, each of the said townships be and it is hereby authorized and empowered to borrow money on its faith and credit an amount not exceeding ten thousand dollars to be expended in the construction of said bridge, and to issue township bonds as hereinafter provided 10 secure the payment of said loans: Provided however, That said bridge shall not be constructed or said money borrowed to pay therefor until a majority of the electors in each of said townships voting at an election to be called as hereinafter provided, shall vote in favor of the construction of said bridge and of the borrowing of said money in the manner specified in said act: Provided further, The notice to be given calling for such election shall distinctly state the bridge to be built, the amount of money to be borrowed to pay for the same by the respective townships, separately. Such election shall be held separately in each township and unless a majority of the voters in each township voting at said election shall vote in favor of constructing said bridge and borrowing said money, said bridge shall not be constructed or said money borrowed. SEC. 3. If the construction of said bridge and the borrowing of the money to pay for the construction thereof shall be authorized by the electors of each township as aforesaid, said bridge may be built and bonds may be issued to secure the payment of the money borrowed to pay for the same, not exceeding the sum of ten thousand dollars by each township, and payable at such times and on such rates of interest, not exceeding four per centum per annum as the township board Who to sign. in each township may for themselves prescribe. Said bonds shall be signed by the supervisor and clerk of each township, sealed with the seal thereof and negotiated by or under the direction of such township board. Such bonds shall be advertised for sale in a daily newspaper, published in Detroit, for five days, and bids and tenders asked for purchase of same. Notice shall be signed by the supervisor of each townMoneys, how ship, for his township. The money received from the sale of said bonds shall be applied to the payment for the construction of such bridge and approaches and to no other purpose. Said bonds shall in no case be sold or disposed of for less than their par value, and the said township boards, each for their respective townships shall have the power, and it shall be their duty to raise by taxation upon the taxable property of their respective township such sum or sums as shall be sufficient to pay the amount of the said bonds and the interest thereon as fast as the same shall become due, and it shall be the duty of the respective townships each to bear the expense of one-half of the cost of maintaining said bridge. expended. Not to be sold less than par. meeting. SEC. 4. It shall be lawful for the supervisors of said town- Supervisors ships, by a joint notice, to call a joint meeting of the township may call joint boards of said townships, at a time and place to be fixed in said notice, for the purpose of adopting plans and specifica- Purpose of tions for such bridge, and also after the qualified electors in meeting. each township shall have voted in favor of the construction of said bridge as hereinbefore provided, and the borrowing of the moneys necessary to pay therefor, call such like joint meeting for the fixing of the terms of the contract or contracts for the construction of said bridge, and the approaches thereto. Such plans and specifications shall not be adopted or approved, or such contract or contracts executed unless a majority of the board of each township shall in such joint meeting, vote in favor thereof. The supervisor of one of the Officers of meeting. townships shall be elected as chairman of such joint meeting, and thereupon, the clerk of the other township shall become the clerk of such joint meeting. A copy of the action of such Copy of action, joint meeting or meetings shall forthwith be filed in the office where filed. of the township clerk of each of the townships, together with the copies of the plans and specifications, and contract or contracts approved, adopted or authorized. Such copies shall be To be certified certified by the chairman and clerk of the joint meeting, to, by whom. and thereupon, the proper officer of each township shall be authorized to execute on behalf of his township, such contract or contracts for the construction of said bridge and approaches: Provided however, That in no event shall either Proviso. township become in any way liable for the payment of any of the cost of the construction of said bridge or approaches, which under the terms of the contract or contracts would be properly chargeable to the other township: Provided how- Further ever, That before entering into any contract for the construc- proviso, tion of said bridge and approaches, or either thereof, not less than ten days' notice shall be published in some newspaper published in Wayne county stating that it is proposed to construct such bridge and approaches, stating where the plans and specifications can be examined, and calling for bids or tenders for constructing same. Such notice shall be signed by the supervisors of both townships, and such contract or contracts shall be let to the lowest responsible bidder. Satis- Security for factory security for the faithful performance of such contracts performance and payment of labor and material and men shall be required as provided by law. of contract. SEC. 5. The said election or vote to be taken under this Election, act shall be called according to the provisions of section how called. four, of chapter seven of act number two hundred forty-three, of the public acts of eighteen hundred eighty-one, approved June eighth, eighteen hundred eighty-one, as heretofore amended and entitled "An act to revise and consolidate the laws relating to the establishment, opening, improvement and maintenance of highways and private roads, and the building, repairing and preservation of bridges within this Proviso as to form of ballot. State and the amendments thereto, being contained in chapter This act is ordered to take immediate effect. May issue bonds. Proviso as to election. Election, how conducted, etc. Bonds, how issued. amount, rate of interest, etc. How negotiated. [No. 313.] AN ACT to authorize the village of Alma, in the county of Gratiot, to raise money by the issue of bonds for the purpose of making public improvements in said village, and its use therefor. The People of the State of Michigan enact: SECTION 1. That the common council of the village of Alma, Michigan, be and is hereby authorized and empowered to borrow money on the faith and credit of said village and issue bonds therefor to an amount not to exceed twenty-five thousand dollars, which shall be expended by said common council as it shall determine in making public improvements in said village: Provided, That a majority of the electors of said village voting at an election to be called for such purpose by said council at a special election or called in a like manner at a general election of said village, shall vote in favor of the making of such loan within the authority conferred by this act. SEC. 2. Said election shall be conducted in all its details and the vote on said proposition canvassed, certified and returned in like manner and as now provided by the existing provisions of law for the conduct of the general annual elections of said village in the month of March. SEC. 3. If such loan shall be authorized by a majority of the electors so voting thereon, said bonds may be issued in such sums not exceeding the amount hereinbefore limited, and payable at such times with such rate of interest, not exceeding six per centum per annum, as the common council shall direct, and shall be signed by the president and clerk of said village and countersigned by the treasurer, and sealed with the seal of the village; said bonds shall be negotiated by and under the direction of said common council, and the money arising therefrom shall be appropriated in such man |