1903.] STATE GEOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY. Yale University, the president of Wesleyan University, the president of Trinity College, and the president of the Connecticut Agricultural College, or so many of them as shall accept said office, who shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties; and the said commissioners shall have general charge of the survey, and shall appoint as superintend- . ent of the same a scientist of established reputation, and such assistants and employes as they may deem necessary; and they shall also determine the compensation of all persons employed by the survey and may remove them at pleasure. vey. 95 SEC. 2. Said survey shall have for its objects: (1) An Objects of surexamination of the geological formation of the state, with special reference to its economic products, to wit, building stones, clays, ores, and other mineral substances. (2) An examination of the animal and plant life of the state, with special reference to its economic and educational value. (3) The preparation of special maps to illustrate the resources of the state. (4) The preparation of special reports, with necessary illustrations and maps, which shall embrace both a general and detailed description of the geology and natural history of the state. SEC. 3. The said commissioners shall cause to be pre- Reports. pared a report to the general assembly before each meeting of the same, showing the progress and condition of the survey, together with such other information as they may deem necessary and useful or as the general assembly may require. and sale of SEC. 4. The regular and special reports of the survey, Distribution with proper illustrations and maps, shall be prepared for pub- reports. lication, and when printed the reports shall be distributed or sold by the commissioners as the interests of the state and of science demand, and all moneys obtained by the sale of the reports shall be paid into the state treasury. material col SEC. 5. All material collected, after having served the Disposition of purposes of the survey, shall be distributed by the commissioners lected." to the educational institutions of the state in such manner as to be of the greatest advantage to the educational interests of the state, or, if deemed advisable by said commissioners, the whole or any part of such material shall be put on permanent exhibition. SEC. 6. The sum of three thousand dollars, or so much Appropriation. thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated, out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this act. Approved, June 3, 1903. By-laws, sextons, [House Bill No. 475.] CHAPTER 134. An Act concerning the Care and Control of Cemeteries. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in SECTION 1. Section 4453 of the general statutes is hereby amended to read as follows: Towns, cemetery associations, and ecclesiastical societies may enact by-laws providing for the care and management of all burial lots, and the protection of all shrubs, trees, fences, and monuments thereon, and may appoint superintendents and sextons for their cemeteries, who shall have the exclusive right to direct as to the opening of graves; and no grave shall be opened in any cemetery except with the consent of the superintendent or sexton. The violation of any by-law made as aforesaid by any person to whom said by-law has been made known shall be a criminal offense punishable by a fine of not more than ten dollars. SEC. 2. This act shall take effect from its passage. Teaching of high school ing schools. [Substitute for House Bill No. 274.] CHAPTER 135. An Act concerning the Establishment of Evening High Schools. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in Section 2145 of the general statutes is hereby amended to studies in even- read as follows: Every town and school district having ten thousand or more inhabitants shall establish and maintain evening schools for the instruction of persons over fourteen years of age, in such branches as the proper school authorities of the town or district shall prescribe; and, on petition of at least twenty persons over fourteen years of age for instruction in any one study usually taught in a high school, which persons in the opinion of the board of school visitors, town school committee, or board of education are competent to pursue high school studies, said town or district shall provide for such instruction; but this section shall not apply to a district located in a town which maintains such schools. Approved, June 3, 1903. 1903.] COURT OF COMMON PLEAS FOR LITCHFIELD COUNTY. [House Bill No. 476.] CHAPTER 136. An Act concerning the Jurisdiction of the Court of Common Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in the court of 97 Section 534 of the general statutes is hereby amended by Jurisdiction of striking out in the last line of said section, after the word common pleas. "Waterbury," the word "shall" and inserting in lieu thereof the word "may"; and also by adding after the word "court" in said line the words or to the court of common pleas for Litchfield county," so that said section when amended shall read as follows: All civil actions for equitable relief only, wherein the matter in demand does not exceed five hundred dollars, all civil actions for legal relief only, wherein the matter in demand exceeds one hundred dollars but does not exceed five hundred dollars, and all actions for both equitable and legal relief, wherein the equitable relief demanded does not exceed five hundred dollars and the legal relief demanded exceeds one hundred dollars but does not exceed five hundred dollars, shall be brought to the court of common pleas, except in counties where there is no such court, and in such counties shall be brought to the superior court; provided, that said actions which are within the territorial jurisdiction of the district court of Waterbury may be brought to that court or to the court of common pleas for Litchfield county. Approved, June 3, 1903. [Senate Bill No. 165.] CHAPTER 137. An Act concerning the Expenses of Supreme and Superior Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in judges of There shall be allowed to the chief justice of the supreme Expenses of court of errors, to each associate justice of said court, and to supreme and each judge of the superior court, the sum of five hundred dol- superior courts. lars per annum, to be paid quarterly, for their necessary expenses, in addition to the sum now allowed by law for such purpose; said allowance to take effect from and after the passage of this act. Approved, June 3, 1903. Exemption for wagons used prior to July 1, 1896. [Substitute for House Bill No. 392.] CHAPTER 138. An Act concerning the Width of Tires. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in Section 2032 of the general statutes is hereby amended by adding thereto the following: "Owners of a wagon or wagons not conforming to the above requirement, who shall file with the town clerk of the town where said wagon or wagons are used, on or before November 1, 1903, a sworn statement setting forth that the said wagon or wagons were owned and already in use by them in this state prior to July 1, 1896, shall be exempt from the penalty attached to this section. The selectmen of each town shall, on or before August 1, 1903, post a notice in every school district in their respective towns, setting forth all the requirements of this section and the penalties for non-compliance with the same." Approved, May 29, 1903. Tax on mutual fire insurance! companies. [House Bill No. 280.] CHAPTER 139. An Act concerning the Tax on Mutual Fire Insurance Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in Section 2445 of the general statutes is hereby amended by striking out the word "three-fourths" at the end of the third line of said section and inserting in lieu thereof the word "onefourth," so that said section when amended shall read as follows: Every such mutual fire insurance company shall, annually, pay to the state, on or before the thirtieth day of January, as a tax upon its corporate franchise, one-fourth of one per centum upon the balance remaining as aforesaid. Approved, May 29, 1903. [Substitute for House Bill No. 192.] CHAPTER 140. An Act concerning the Responsibility of Municipal Corpo- Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in city or borough SECTION 1. Every city and borough shall be liable for all Liability of injuries to person or property, including injuries causing for injuries death, when such injuries are caused by any act of violence of caused by mobs. any person or persons while a member of, or acting in concert with, any mob, riotous assembly, or while a member of, or acting in concert with, any assembly of persons engaged in disturbing the public peace; provided, that such city or borough, or the police or other proper authorities thereof, shall not have exercised reasonable care or diligence in the prevention or suppression of such mob, riotous assembly, or assembly engaged in disturbing the public peace. of sheriff by SEC. 2. Every sheriff shall be allowed reasonable com- Compensation pensation for the services and expenses of himself, his deputies, state. or other persons called to assist him, while engaged in preventing or suppressing any mob or riotous assembly, preserving the public peace, or affording protection to any person or property endangered by any mob, riotous assembly, or any assembly of persons engaged in disturbing the public peace; such compensation and expenses to be audited, approved, and taxed by a judge of the superior court, and to be paid by the state in the same manner as costs in criminal cases. pensation so paid. SEC. 3. Every city and borough shall be liable to the state Liability of city or borough for any sums paid for compensation or expenses of any sheriff, to state for comhis deputy, or other persons called upon to assist him, while engaged in preventing or suppressing any mob or riotous assembly, preserving the public peace, or affording protection to any person or property endangered by any mob, riotous assembly, or any assembly of persons engaged in disturbing the public peace, within such city or borough. given by person damages. SEC. 4. Any person claiming damages under section one Notice to be of this act, from any city or borough, shall give written notice claiming to the clerk of the city or borough of such claim and of the injury upon which such claim is based, containing a general description of such injury and of the time, place, and cause of its occurrence, within thirty days after the occurrence of such injury; and an administrator or executor seeking to recover damages for the death of a decedent whom he represents shall give such written notice within thirty days after his appoint |