136 LAWS RELATING TO 



destruction of the shad and alewives in Mystic River, so called, 

 within the towns of Charlestown, Medford and Cambridge. And it 

 shall be and it is hereby made the dutj' of the said committee, to 

 cause the natural course of the rivers and streams to be kept open 

 and without obstruction during the whole season the said fish pass n[y 

 or down said rivers or streams, and to remove anj' such obstructions 

 as ma}' be found therein. And the said committee, or any two of 

 them, paying or tendering a reasonable sum, if demanded, shall have 

 authority, in discharging the duties enjoined upon them by this act, 

 to go on the lands of any person bounding on said rivers or streams, 

 without being considered trespassers ; and any person who shall 

 molest or hinder said committee, or either of them, in the execution 

 of their duty, he or they so offending shall forfeit, for ever}' such 

 offence, a sum not exceeding ten dollars nor less than two dollars, at 

 the discretion of the justice before whom the same shall be tried ; and 

 it shall be the dut}' of the said committee to prosecute all breaches of 

 this act, and for either of them to seize and detain in custody an}- net 

 or seine found in the rivers or streams contrary to the true intent and 

 meaning of this act, until the persons so offending make satisfaction 

 for their offence, or is legally acquitted therefrom ; and also to seize 

 to the use of the town all such fish as they may suspect have been 

 taken contrary to the provisions of this act, unless the person in pos- 

 session can give satisfactory evidence to the committee that such fish 

 were lawfully taken. 



Sect. 2. Be it further enacted, That it shall and may be lawful for 

 the town of West Cambridge, annually, at any legal meeting of the 

 inhabitants of said town, to sell or otherwise dispose of the privilege 

 of taking the fish called shad and alewives in any of the ponds, 

 rivers or streams issuing therefrom, within the limits of said town, so 

 far as said town bounds on both sides of said rivers and streams, at 

 such times only as is already provided by law to prevent the destruc- 

 tion of shad and alewives in Mystic River, so called ; and the emolu- 

 ments arising from the said privilege shall be appropriated by the 

 said town to such purposes as the inhabitants thereof may, in town- 

 meeting, from time to time, determine. 



Sect. 3. Be it furtlier enacted. That if the purchaser or purchas- 

 ers, manager or managers, or those employed by them, shall presume 

 to take any of said fish at any other place than the said town shall 

 appoint, and if any other person or persons whatever, except the pur- 

 chaser or purchasers, manager or managers, of said privilege, or 

 those employed by them, do presume to take any of the said fish in 

 the said ponds, rivers or streams within the town of West Cambridge, 

 otherwise than may be allowed by said town, he or they so offending, 

 shall, for each offence, forfeit and pay a sum not exceeding thirteen 



