Tax for text books. general acts relating to public instruction," and known as the consolidated school law, is hereby amended by adding thereto a new subdivision, to be known as subdivision three, to read as follows: 3. The qualified voters of any union free school district present at any annual school meeting therein, for which a notice has been duly given that the vote hereinafter mentioned will be taken, or at any special school meeting therein, duly and legally called for that purpose, shall have power, by a majority vote, to be ascertained by taking and recording the ayes and noes, to vote a tax for the purchase of all text books used, or to be used, in the schools of the district. If such tax shall be voted it shall be the duty of the board of education of such district, within ninety days thereafter, to purchase and furnish free text books to all the pupils attending the Rules for schools in such district. Such board of education shall have power to establish such rules and regulations concerning the use by the pupils of such text books, and the care, preservation and custody thereof as it shall deem necessary. use, etc., of books. § 2. This act shall take effect immediately. Interest of state re leased Chap. 201. AN ACT to release the right, title and interest of the people of the Became a law April 7, 1897, with the approval of the Governor. The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Section 1. All the right, title and interest of the people of the state acquired by escheat in and to real estate situate in the city of Utica, owned by Sebastian Hoeflinger, deceased, at his decease, is hereby released unto Anna Hoeflinger, of Nordlingen, Germany, and Johann Schiele, of Holheim, Germany. Said real estate is described as being that building lot shown on a map of the Schuyler farm filed in the Oneida county clerk's office, September twenty-sixth, eighteen hundred and forty-seven, as lot number thirty-one in block number one, fronting on Schuyler street, and being forty feet wide in front and rear, and one hundred feet deep, with the appurtenances thereto belonging, being the property conveyed by Thomas Chapman and wife to said Sebastian Hoeflinger and his wife. Barbara, as tenants by entireties by deed dated December sixth, eighteen hundred and sixty-two, recorded in said clerk's office on the twentieth day of December, eighteen hundred and sixty-two, in liber two hundred and thirty-nine of deeds at page three hundred. and forty-one, to which deed, or the record thereof, reference is hereby made for a more full and accurate description of said property. § 2. Nothing in this act contained shall be construed to impair Proviso. or effect the right in the said real estate of any heir at law, devisee, grantee or creditor, by mortgage, judgement or otherwise. § 3. This act shall take effect immediately. Chap. 203. AN ACT to amend the poor law, relating to the loss of settlement Became a law April 7, 1897, with the approval of the Governor. The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Section 1. Chapter two hundred and twenty-five of the laws of eighteen hundred and ninety-six, entitled "An act in relation to the poor, constituting chapter twenty-seven of the general laws," is hereby amended by inserting therein a new section to be known as section fifty-seven, and to read as follows: § 57. Settlement, how lost.- A person who has gained a settlement in a town or city loses the same by a continuous residence elsewhere for one year. § 2. This act shall take effect immediately. Chap. 204. AN ACT to amend sections fourteen and eighty of the highway Became a law April 7, 1897, with the approval of the Governor. The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Section 1. Sections fourteen and eighty of chapter five hundred and sixty-eight of the laws of eighteen hundred and ninety, entitled "An act in relation to highways constituting chapter nineteen of the general laws," is hereby amended to read as follows: $ 14. Drainage, sewer and water pipes in highways.-The commissioners of highways may upon written application of any resident of their town, grant permission to lay and maintain drainage, sewer and water pipes and hydrants under ground, within the portion therein described, of any highway within the town, but not under the traveled part of the highway, except to cross the same, for the purposes of sewerage, draining swamps or other lands, and supplying premises with water, upon condition that such pipes and hydrants shall be so laid as not to interrupt or interfere with public travel upon the highway. The consent of the commissioner shall be executed in duplicate, signed by him and indorsed with the written approval of the supervisor and the acceptance of the applicant, and one of such duplicates shall be delivered to the applicant and the other filed with the town clerk. The consent shall also contain a provision to the effect that it is granted on the condition that the applicant will replace all earth removed, and leave the highway in all respects in as good condition as before the laying of said pipes; that the applicant will keep such pipes and hydrants in repair and save the town harmless from all damages which may accrue by reason of their location in the highway; that upon notice by the commissioner, the applicant will make any repairs required for the protection or preservation of the highway; that upon his default such repairs may be made by the commissioner at the expense of the applicant, and that such expense shall be a lien prior to any other lien upon the land benefited by the use of the highway for such pipes or hydrants; and that the commissioner may also, upon the applicant's default, revoke the permission for the use of the highway, and remove therefrom such pipes or hydrants. § 80. Highways by dedication.--Whenever land is dedicated to a town for highway purposes therein, the commissioners of highways in such town may, either with or without a written application therefor, and without expenses to the town, make an order laying out such highway, upon filing and recording in the town clerk's office with such order a release of the land from the owner thereof. A highway so laid out must not be less than two rods in width. Section ninety of this chapter does not apply to a highway by dedication. Such commissioners of highways may also, upon written application and with the written consent of the town board, make an order laying out or altering a highway in their town, upon filing and recording in the town clerk's office, with such application, consent and order, a release from all damages from the owners of the lands taken or affected thereby, when the consideration for such release, as agreed upon between such commissioners and owners, shall not in any one case, from any one claimant, exceed one hundred dollars, and from all claimants five hundred dollars. of the commissioners as herein provided shall be final. § 2. This act shall take effect immediately. An order Chap. 205. AN ACT to amend chapter five hundred and fifty-nine of the laws of eighteen hundred and ninety-five, entitled "An act relating to membership corporations," constituting chapter forty-three of the general laws. Became a law April 7, 1897, with the approval of the Governor. Passed, three-fifths being present. The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows: Section 1. Section thirty-one of chapter five hundred and fiftynine of the laws of eighteen hundred and ninety-five, entitled "An act relating to membership corporations," constituting chapter forty-three of the general laws, is hereby amended so as to read as follows: § 31. Certificates of incorporation.-Five or more persons may become a membership corporation for any one of the purposes for which a corporation may be formed under this article or for any two or more of such purposes of a kindred nature, by making, acknowledging and filing a certificate, stating the particular objects for which the corporation is to be formed, each of which must be such as is authorized by this article; the name of the proposed corporation; the territory in which its operations are to be principally conducted; the town, village or city in which its principal office is to be located, if it be then practicable to fix such location; the number of its directors, not less than three or more than thirty; and the names and places of residence of the persons to be its directors until its first annual meeting. Such certificate shall not be filed without the written approval, indorsed thereupon or annexed thereto, of a justice of the supreme court. If such certificate specify among such purposes the care of orphan, pauper or destitute children, the establishment or maintenance of a maternity hospital or lying-in asylum where women may be received, cared for or treated during pregnancy or during or after delivery, or for boarding or keeping nursing children, the written approval of the state board of charities shall also be indorsed thereupon or annexed thereto, before the filing thereof. On filing such certificate, in pursuance of law, the signers thereof, their associates and successors, shall be a corporation in accordance with the provisions of such certificate. § 2. This act shall take effect immediately. Recon struction Chap. 207. AN ACT authorizing the reconstruction of the bridge over the Became a law April 7, 1897, with the approval of the Governor. The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Section 1. The superintendent of public works is hereby authorof bridge ized to remove the iron bridge now spanning the Erie canal, in the city of Rochester, at Monroe avenue, including the substructure thereof, and to erect in its place a new masonry substructure, with a new steel bridge surmounting the same. Plans and specifica tions. Appropriation. § 2. The plans and specifications of all the parts of said bridge shall be furnished by the state engineer and surveyor. They shall include the immediate construction of all the masonry of the substructure. For the superstructure, the said plans and specifications shall include ultimate provision for two properly-supported asphalt roadways, with sidewalks on the outside, the roadways to be twentyfive feet in width and sidewalks eight feet wide; but for immediate purposes only one roadway and sidewalk to be constructed at one. side of the street; all of which shall be duly defined in the said plans and specifications. 3. The sum of thirty-two thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated for the purposes specified in this act out of any moneys in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, to be paid by the treasurer, on the warrant of the comptroller, to the superintendent of public works. § 4. This act shall take effect immediately. Medals of honor. Chap. 208. AN ACT to provide life saving medals for heroic conduct in saving Became a law April 7, 1897, with the approval of the Governor. The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Section 1. That the state comptroller is hereby directed to cause to be prepared medals of honor with suitable devices, to be distinguished as life-saving medals of the first and second class, which |