Chap. 61.—An ACT defining the status of tobacco warehouses of the
) commonwealth.

Approved February 20, 1878.

Whereas doubt exists as to the status of the tobacco ware-
houses of the commonwealth; and whereas it is claimed that
an act entitled an act to revise the laws relating to the in-
spection of tobacco and warehouse charges, and to insure the
proper delivery of tobacco to the consignees, and to repeal
all acts on the subject which were ™ force on first January,
eighteen hundred and seventy-seven, approved April fourth,
eighteen hundred and seventy-seven, in effect converted all
public warehouses to be private warehouses; and whereas it
is essential to the public interests that the status of the
warehouses of the commonwealth be definitely prescribed ;
therefore,

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly, That all tobacco
warehouses in the commonwealth that were operated as
public warehouses at the time of the passage of the act en-
titled an act to revise the laws relating to the inspection of
tobacco and warchouse charges, and ‘to insuro the proper

delivery of tobacco to the consienecs, and to repeal all acts

on the subject which were in force on the first January,
eighteen hundred and seventy-seven, approved April fourth,
eighteen hundred and seventy-seven, be and they are hereby
declared to be public warehouses within the intent and
meaning of the said act, except such warehouses as were
made private warehouses under the laws in force prior to
April fourth, eighteen hundred and seventy-seven, or under
the provisions of said act approved April fourth, eighteen
hundred and seventy-seven, by having duly and properly
advertised notice of such change: provided that the owner
or owners of warehouses established by law, desiring to dis-
continue such warehouses, shall have the right to close his
or their warehouse at pleasure, after giving to the owner or
his agent of each hogshead stored therein, sixty days’ notice
of such intention, or after publishing such intention for four
weeks in some newspaper published in the city or county in
which such warehouse is established: provided that if said
proprietor shall close his wareltouse, as herein provided,
within four months from the time any hogshead shall have
been received, the charges prescribed by law shall be only
one-half therein allowed.
2. This act shall be in force from its passage.