[No. 69.] AN ACT to amend the title and sections two, four, five, seven, nine, thirteen, sixteen, nineteen, twenty, twenty-two and thirty-one of act number one hundred thirteen of the public acts of nineteen hundred nine, entitled "An act regulating steam vessels and vessels or boats operated by machinery, navigating the waters within the jurisdiction of this State, excepting vessels which are subject to inspection under the laws of the United States, and providing penalties for the violation hereof," and to add a new section thereto to stand as section thirty-one a. The People of the State of Michigan enact: amended. SECTION 1. The title and sections two, four, five, seven, Title and nine, thirteen, sixteen, nineteen, twenty, twenty-two and sections thirty-one of act number one hundred thirteen of the public acts of nineteen hundred nine, entitled "An act regulating steam vessels or boats operated by machinery, navigating the waters within the jurisdiction of this State, excepting vessels which are subject to inspection under the laws of the United States, and providing penalties for the violation hereof," are hereby amended to read as follows: TITLE. AN ACT regulating steam vessels and vessels operated by machinery, navigating the waters within the jurisdiction of this State, excepting vessels which are subject to inspection under the laws of the United States, and providing penalties for the violation hereof, and to declare waters navigated by such vessels public and navigable waters of the State of Michigan. tion of. SEC. 2. The Commissioner of Labor shall annually or oftener Steam vessels, if he has good cause to believe it reasonable, inspect or cause etc., inspecto be inspected every steam vessel or other vessel operated by machinery engaged in carrying passengers for hire, directly or indirectly, excepting vessels which are subject to inspection under the laws of the United States, examine carefully her hull, boats and other equipment, examine her engine and boilers, ascertain how long it will be safe to use the same, determine the pressure of steam to be allowed and so regulate the fusible plugs, safety valves and steam cocks as to insure safety, and he may require such changes, repairs and improvements to be adopted and used as he may deem expedient for the contemplated route. He shall also fix the number of passengers that may be transported. He shall also, whenever he deems it expedient, visit any vessel licensed under this act, and examine into her condition for the purpose of ascer Waters navigable. Certificates, what to contain. Where kept. Passengers, number of. Stairways, etc. Lights. taining whether or not any party thereon having a certificate from him has conformed to and obeyed the conditions of such certificate and the provisions of this act. The owner, master, pilot, captain or engineer of such vessel shall answer all reasonable questions, and shall give all the information in his or their power in regard to said vessel, her machinery and the manner of managing the same. In case of damage by fire or by explosion, collision or stranding, or by means of an electrical apparatus, he may investigate the cause thereof, and if found by him to have been occasioned by a violation of any of the provisions of this act or of the orders, regulations and requirements issued by him, he shall so certify to the prosecuting attorney of the county where such violation occurred, together with the names of the persons guilty thereof and the witnesses. All waters navigated by vessels subject to the provisions of this act are hereby declared to be public and navigable waters, subject to the jurisdiction of the State of Michigan. SEC. 4. The commissioner, if satisfied that such vessel is in all respects safe and conforms to the requirements of this act, shall make and subscribe duplicate certificates, setting forth the age of the vessel, the length, breadth and depth, the date of the inspection, the name of the vessel, the name of the owner, the master, the number of licensed officers and crew which he deems necessary to manage the vessel with safety, the number of boats and life preservers required and the number of passengers that she can safely carry, and if a steam vessel, the age of the boiler and the pressure of steam she is authorized to carry. One of such certificates shall be kept posted in some conspicuous place on the vessel if practicable, or kept in some convenient place on the vessel to be designated by the commissioner in the certificate, accessible to any one demanding it, and the other copy shall be kept by the commissioner and by him recorded in a book to be kept for that purpose. If the commissioner refuse to grant a certificate of approval, he shall make a statement in writing, giving his reasons for such refusal, and deliver the same to the owner or master of the vessel. SEC. 5. No greater number of passengers shall be transported upon any licensed steam vessel or other vessel included within the provisions of this act than the number allowed in the certificate of such vessel. SEC. 7. Every vessel engaged in carrying passengers for hire shall be provided with permanent stairways and other sufficient means convenient for passing from one deck to the other, with gangways large enough to allow persons freely to pass, which shall be open fore and aft of the length of the vessel, and to and along the guards, and shall be kept unobstructed. SEC. 9. The master of every steamboat or vessel propelled by machinery when navigating between sunset and sunrise, shall cause the same to carry the following lights: First. At the foremast head a bright white light of such white light. a character as to be visible on a dark night with a clear atmosphere at a distance of at least two miles; and be so constructed as to show a uniform and unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of twenty points of the compass, and to be so fixed as to throw the light ten points on each side of the vessel from right ahead to two points abaft the beam on either side; Second. On the starboard side a green light of such a char- Green light. acter as to be visible on a dark night with a clear atmosphere at a distance of at least two miles; and be so constructed as to show a uniform and unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of ten points of the compass, and to be so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead to two points abaft the beam on the starboard side; Third. On the port side a red light of such a character as Red light. to be visible on a dark night with a clear atmosphere, at a distance of at least two miles; and to be so constructed as to show a uniform and unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of ten points of the compass, and to be so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead to two points abaft the beam on the port side. The green and red lights shall be fitted with inboard screens projecting at least thirty inches forward from the lights, so far as to prevent them from being seen across the bow: Provided, That boats having no superstructure may Proviso. use combination lights; propelled by Fourth. All boats not propelled by machinery shall carry Boats not a white light visible on a dark night with a clear atmosphere machinery. over the entire horizon when used upon waters where motor boats are being used. what deemed. SEC. 13. Whoever intentionally loads or obstructs or Misdemeanor, causes to be loaded or obstructed in any way the safety valve of the boiler, or employs any other means or device whereby the boiler may be subjected to a greater pressure than the amount allowed by the commissioner's certificate, or intentionally deranges or hinders the operation of any machinery or device employed to denote the stage of the water or steam in any boiler, or to give warning of any approaching danger, or intentionally permits the water to fall below the prescribed low water limit of the boiler, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by Penalty. a fine of not more than five hundred dollars, or by imprisonment for a term of not exceeding three years, or both in the discretion of the court having jurisdiction. If in the opinion of the Commissioner of Labor or inspector it is necessary to do so, the safety valve may be taken wholly from the control of all persons engaged in navigating such vessel and secured at the expense of the owner of the vessel by the commissioner. SEC. 16. Every vessel subject to the provisions of this act Name, etc., shall have her name and the port to which she belongs painted on stern. Steam, unsafe quantity. Penalty. Misdemeanor, penalty. Act, posting of. Search lights, unlawful to flash. Penalty. on her stern on a black background in white, yellow or gilt letters or on a white background in black, yellow or gilt letters of not less than three inches in length. The commissioner may, however, in the case of small vessels, permit such names to be placed elsewhere and in letters of less length. SEC. 19. No master, engineer or other person having charge of the boiler or apparatus for the generation of steam of any steamboat or vessel carrying passengers for hire, shall create or allow to be created any undue or unsafe quantity of steam in order to increase the speed of such boat or to excel another boat in speed. Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars, or by imprisonment for a term of not exceeding three years, or both in the discretion of the court having jurisdiction. SEC. 20. Every master, engineer or pilot who shall violate any of the provisions of this act shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than two hundred fifty dollars, or by imprisonment not exceeding one year, or both in the discretion of the court having jurisdiction, unless a different penalty is prescribed. SEC. 22. The master of every vessel carrying passengers for hire shall keep a copy of the preceding sections of this act posted in a conspicuous place on such vessel for the inspection of all persons on board thereof. SEC. 31. Any person who shall flash or cause to be flashed the rays of a search light into the pilot house or into the eyes of the master, pilot, engineer or operator of an approaching or passing vessel, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and may, if he be a master, pilot, engineer or operator licensed under the provisions of this act, be further liable to have his license revoked in the discretion of the court having jurisdiction of the offense. Search lights shall not be known as navigating lights. SEC. 31a. This act is immediately necessary for the protection of the public safety. This act is ordered to take immediate effect. [No. 70.] AN ACT regulating the taxation of steam vessels, steam boats and other steam water craft of registered tonnage within the State of Michigan. The People of the State of Michigan enact: vessels, etc., SECTION 1. In consideration of an annual payment into the Steam State treasury by the owner of any steam vessel, steam barge tonnage tax. or steam boat engaged in the carrying of passengers, holding license for such purpose, or carrying passengers and freight, owned within this State or hailing from any port thereof, and employed in the navigation of international waters or waters of the Great Lakes, of a sum equal to twenty cents per net ton on the registered tonnage thereof, and the annual payment into the State treasury by the owner of any steam vessel, steam barge or steam boat engaged in the carrying of freight only, owned within this State or hailing from any port thereof and employed in the navigation of international waters, of a sum equal to ten cents per net ton on the registered tonnage thereof, such payment shall be received in lieu of all taxes, and such steam vessel, steam barge or steam boat shall be and the same is hereby made exempt from all further taxation, either State, county or municipal, upon the payment of the sums herein provided. what to SEC. 2. The owner of any steam vessel, steam barge or Verified steam boat hailing from any port of this State and employed statement, in the navigation of international waters or waters of the contain. Great Lakes, to comply with the terms of this act, shall annually, on or before the first day of December, file with the Auditor General a verified statement in writing containing the name, port of hail, tonnage and name of owner of such steam vessel, steam barge or steam boat, and shall thereupon pay into the State treasury a sum equal to ten cents for freighter or twenty cents for passenger boat per net ton on the registered tonnage of said vessel, and the said treasurer shall thereupon issue his receipt therefor. SEC. 3. The said State Treasurer shall annually, on or be- Money, fore the first day of December, pay into the county treasury where paid. of any county wherein is located the port of hail of any steam vessel, steam barge or steam boat complying with this act, all money so received from any steam vessel, steam barge or steam boat whose port of hail is within said county. The county treasurer of said county shall then pay to the city or township wherein is located the port of hail of said steam vessel, steam barge or steam boat such proportion of said money or tax as the amount of State and county tax paid by said city or township bears to the whole State and county tax in said county, as fixed and determined by the board of |