144 LAWS RELATING TO 



judge it necessary ; and said committee, or either of them, paying a 

 reasonable consideration therefor, if demanded, shall have authority, 

 for those purposes, to go on the land or meadow of any person 

 through which said stream runs, without being considered as tres- 

 passers ; and an}' person who shall molest or hinder the said com- 

 mittee, or either of them, in the execution of the business of his or 

 their office, or shall obstruct any passage-ways in the rivers, streams, 

 coves or ponds in said town, otherwise than may be allowed b}' the 

 said committee, he or the}- shall forfeit and pay a fine for every such 

 offence, not exceeding ten dollars nor less than three dollars. 



Sect. 2. Be it further enacted, That the said committee, ^r a 

 major part of them present at any meeting duly notified, being not 

 less than three in number, shall be and hereby are authorized and 

 empowered to open, or cause to be opened, any dam, or sluice of an}' 

 mill, or other dam now erected, or that may be hereafter erected on or 

 over any of the said rivers or streams, between the place where such 

 rivers or streams empty themselves into the sea, at low Avater, and 

 the pond in which said fish usually cast their spawns, at the expense 

 of the owner or owners of such dam or sluice : provided, such owner 

 or owners shall neglect to open the same when thereto required by the 

 said committee, or the major part of them, immediately after being 

 thus required so to do ; and the dam or sluice so opened shall continue 

 open every year, to such depth and width, and for such term of time 

 between the first day of April and the thirtieth day of June, as the 

 major part of said committee shall judge necessary ; and if any person 

 or persons shall obstruct the said passage-ways allowed or ordered by 

 the said committee, or the major part of them, in any dam or sluice, 

 such persons so offending shall, on conviction before any justice of the 

 peace for the county of Barnstable, pay a fine for every such offence 

 not exceeding ten dollars, nor less than three dollars ; and the said 

 committee shall cause every such obstruction to be forthwith removed. 



Sect. 3. Be it further enacted, That if any person or persons 

 shall take any of the said fish in the rivers, streams, ponds or coves 

 aforesaid, at any time, in any place, or in manner other than shall be 

 allowed by the said committee as aforesaid, each person so offending, 

 for each and every such offence, shall, on conviction as aforesaid, 

 pay a fine not exceeding four dollars nor less than one dollar, if the 

 quantity of fish so taken is less than one barrel ; but if the quantity 

 of fish so taken shall be one barrel or more, such person or persons so 

 offending shall forfeit and pay for each and every barrel of fish so 

 taken, the sum of four dollars. 



Sect. 4. Be it further enacted, That if the committee aforesaid, 

 or either of them, shall detect any person or persons in attempting to 

 take any of the said fish at any time, or in any place, or in any man- 



