Whereas the inhabitants of the town of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheney, have, by their petition, prayed to be incorporated, and that the said town and its vicinity, as hereafter described, should be erected into a borough: And Whereas it may contribute to the advantage of the inhabitants of the said town, as also to those who trade and resort there, and be of public utility, that nuisances, encroachments of all sorts, contentions, annoyances and inconveniences, in the said town and its vicinity, should be prevented: And for the promoting of rule, order and good government in the said town;
Sect. I. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in General Assembly met, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That the said town of Pittsburgh shall be, and the same is hereby, erected into a borough, which shall be called the borough of Pittsburgh for ever, the extent of which said borough of Pittsburgh is and shall be comprised in the following boundaries, to wit: Beginning at the point or confluence of the rivers Allegheney and Monongahela, and running up the north-east beach of the said river Monongahela, south fifty-seven degrees east, thirty-nine perches to Short-street; thence south sixty-four degrees east, two hundred and seven perches, to Grant-street; thence south seventy-four degrees east, forty-nine perches, to the mouth of Suke's run; thence north thirty degrees east, one hundred and fifty perches, to a post in Andrew Watson's field; thence north nineteen degrees west, one hundred and fifty perches, to the river Allegheney; thence down the said river Allegheney, south seventy-one degrees west, three hundred and fifteen perches, to the place of beginning.
Sect. II. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the freeholders and other inhabitants, housekeepers in the said borough of Pittsburgh, shall have power, on the third Monday in May in every year, to elect two fit persons to be burgesses of the said borough, who shall be freeholders therein; and that the person having the greatest number of votes shall be styled the chief burgess; and also to elect four suitable persons assistants, for advising, aiding and assisting the said burgesses in the execution of the powers and authorities hereby given them; and also to elect a high constable and town clerk, who shall be residents in the said borough of Pittsburgh at least one whole year previous to the time of such election.
Sect. III.And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the said burgesses, freeholders and inhabitants, within the said borough, and their successors for ever hereafter, shall be one body politic and corporate, in deed and in law, by the name of "The burgesses, freeholders and inhabitants of the borough of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheney;" and they, and their successors, shall have a perpetual succession, by the name of "The burgesses, freeholders and inhabitants of the borough of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheney;" and by that name shall, at all times hereafter, be persons able and capable in law to have, take receive, and possess lands, tenements, rents, liberties, jurisdiction, franchises and hereditaments, to them, and their successors, in fee simple, or for term of life, lives, years, or otherwise; and also goods and chattels, and other things of what nature or kind soever; and also to give, grant, let, sell, and assign the said lands, tenements, hereditaments, goods and chattels; and to do and execute all other things about the same, by the name aforesaid; and they shall for ever hereafter be persons able and capable in law to sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, answer and be answered unto, defend and be defended, in all or any of the courts within this commonwealth, in all manner of actions, suits, complaints, pleas, causes and matters whatsoever; and it shall and may be lawful to and for the said burgesses, freeholders and inhabitants of the borough of Pittsburgh aforesaid, and their successors for ever hereafter, to have and use one common seal, for sealing of all acts and instruments respecting any business, of what nature or kind soever, touching the said corporation, and the same from time to time, at their will, to change and alter.
Sect. IV. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That it shall and may be lawful for such of the burgesses, constables, assistants, freeholders, and other inhabitants, house-keepers in the said borough, who shall have resided within the said borough for at least one whole year next preceeding any such elections as are herein after directed, on the third Monday in May, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety-four, and on the same day yearly thereafter for ever, publicly to meet at the market-house within the said borough, and then and there to nominate, elect and choose, by ballot, two able freemen of the inhabitants of the said borough, having an estate of freehold therein, to be burgesses, one to be constable, and one to be town clerk, and four freeholders, as aforesaid, to be assistants within the same, for assisting the said burgesses in managing the affairs of the borough, and in keeping eh peace and good order therein, which election shall be held, from time to time, by the high constable of the preceding year; and the names of the persons so elected shall be certified, under his seal, to the Governor of the commonwealth, for the time being, within thirty days next after such election; and the burgess who shall have the majority of votes, shall be called the chief burgess; and if the freeholders and others of the said borough shall neglect or refuse to choose burgesses, and the said other officers, in manner aforesaid, that then it shall and may be lawful for the Governor to nominate, appoint, and commissionate burgesses, constables, town clerk, and assistants, for that year, to hold and continue in their respective offices until the next time of annual election appointed as aforesaid, and so often as occasion shall require.
Sect. V. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That it shall and may be lawful for burgesses, freeholders, and inhabitants of the said borough, and their successors, to have, hold and keep, at the place erected for that purpose within the said borough, two markets in each week: that is to say, one market on Wednesday, and one market on Saturday, in every week of the year, for ever; and there shall be a clerk of the market appointed by the burgesses and assistants of the said borough, who shall have the assize of bread, wine, beer, wood, coals, hay, corn, and other provisions, brought for the use of the inhabitants, and who shall and may perform all things belonging to the office of the clerk of the market within the said borough, and shall be removeable by burgesses and assistants as aforesaid, and another from time to time appointed and removed, as they shall find necessary.
Sect. VI. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the burgesses, freeholders and inhabitants of the said borough of Pittsburgh, respectively, shall for ever enjoy all the powers, jurisdictions, exclusions, authorities and privileges, and be subject to the same qualifications, restrictions, penalties, fines and forfeitures, within the said borough, as are enjoyed by and limited to the burgesses and inhabitants of the borough of Reading, in the county of Bucks, by virtue of an act of General Assembly, passed the twelfth day of September, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three, or such part thereof as is now in force; except only that the said borough of Pittsburgh shall not be a separate election district; but the elections districts in the said county of Allegheney shall be as heretofore provided by law.
Passed 22d April, 1794.
