to establish or maintain, or to assist in establishing or maintaining churches, schools or mission stations, or to erect or assist in the erection of such buildings as may be necessary for any of such purposes, with or without the payment of any money or other consideration therefor; and upon such concurrent votes being given, the trustees shall execute such transfer or conveyance; and upon the same being made, the title to and the ownership and right of possession of the property so transferred and conveyed shall be vested in and conveyed to such grantee; provided, however, that nothing herein contained shall impair or affect in any way any existing claim upon or lien against any property so transferred or conveyed, or any action at law or legal proceeding; and such transfer shall be subject, in respect to the amount of property the said grantee may take and hold, to the restrictions and limitations of all laws then in force. § 4. The heading in said act "Article VI," immediately preceding the words "Special provisions for incorporation of churches of other denominations," is hereby amended to read as follows: “Article VII." § 5. The heading in said act "Article VII," immediately preceding the words "Special provisions for the incorporation and government of two or more unincorporated churches as a union church," is hereby amended so as to read as follows: ARTICLE VIII. § 6. The heading in said act "Article VIII," immediately preceding the words "Laws repealed; when to take effect," is hereby amended so as to read as follows: ARTICLE IX. § 7. The index to chapter seven hundred and twenty-three of the laws of eighteen hundred and ninety-five, entitled "An act in relation to religious corporations, constituting chapter forty-two of the general laws," preceding article one of said act, as amended by chapter three hundred and thirty-six of the laws of eighteen hundred and ninety-six, is hereby amended by inserting after article five as follows: VI. Special provisions for the incorporation and government of Congregational and Independent churches; also by striking out the figures "VI" and inserting in place thereof the figures " VII;” Vol. I 97 Records of observations evidence. Act amended. also by striking out the figures "VII" and inserting in place thereof the figures" VIII;" also by striking out the figures" VIII" and inserting in place thereof the figures "IX." § 8. This act shall take effect immediately. Chap. 622. AN ACT to authorize the records of the New York state weather Became a law May 19, 1897, with the approval of the Governor. The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Section 1. Any record of the observations in regard to the conditions of the weather, or in regard to the amount and conditions of the precipitation, taken under the direction of the New York state weather bureau, or any copy thereof, when certified in the form of and pursuant to law by the officer in charge thereof at the place where such record is duly filed, that the same is a true copy of such record, may be read in evidence in any court of this state, and shall be prima facie evidence of the facts and circumstances therein stated. § 2. This act shall take effect immediately. Chap. 623. AN ACT to amend section one hundred and seven of chapter four Became a law May 19, 1897, with the approval of the Governor. The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Section 1. Section one hundred and seven of chapter four hundred and twenty-nine of the laws of eighteen hundred and ninety six, entitled, "An act to amend title two of chapter three of part four of the revised statutes relating to state prisons, and for other purposes connected therewith as amended and superseded by chapter three hundred and eighty-two of the laws of eighteen hundred and eighty-nine, to conform the same to the provisions of the revised constitution," is hereby amended so as to read as follows: classifica prices. 107. The comptroller, the state commission of prisons and the Board of superintendent of state prisons and the lunacy commission are tion. hereby constituted a board to be known as the board of classification. Said board shall fix and determine the prices at which all Fixing of labor performed, and all articles manufactured and furnished to the state, or the political divisions thereof, or to the public instituticas thereof, shall be furnished, which prices shall be uniform to all, except that the prices for goods or labor furnished by the penitentiaries to or for the county in which they are located, or the political divisions thereof, shall be fixed by the board of supervisors of such counties, except New York and Kings counties, in which the prices shall be fixed by the commissioners of charities and correction, respectively. The prices shall be as near the usual market price for such labor and supplies as possible. The state commis. Form for sion of prisons shall devise and furnish to all such institutions a proper form for such requisition and the comptroller shall devise and furnish a proper system of accounts to be kept for all such transactions. It shall also be the duty of the board of classifica- Classification to classify the buildings, offices and institutions owned or man- etc. aged and controlled by the state, and it shall fix and determine the styles, patterns, designs and qualities of the articles to be manufactured for such buildings, offices and public institutions in the penal institutions in this state. So far as practicable, all supplies Supplies used in such buildings, offices and public institutions shall be uni- ings, etc. form for each class, and of the styles, patterns, designs and qualities that can be manufactured in the penal institutions in this state. § 2. This act shall take effect immediately. requisi tion. tion of buildings, for build Act amended. Preference of wages and salaries. Chap. 624. AN ACT to amend chapter four hundred and sixty-six of the laws Became a law May 19, 1897, with the approval of the Governor. The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Section 1. Section twenty-nine of chapter four hundred and sixty-six of the laws of eighteen hundred and seventy-seven, entitled "An act in relation to assignments of the estates of debtors for the benefit of creditors," as amended by chapter three hundred and twenty-eight of the laws of eighteen hundred and eightyfour, as amended by chapter two hundred and eighty-three of the laws of eighteen hundred and eighty-six, is hereby amended so as to read as follows: § 29. In all distribution of assets under all assignments made in pursuance of this act, the wages or salaries actually owing to the employes of the assignor or assignors at the time of the execution of the assignment for services rendered within one year prior to the execution of such assignment, shall be preferred before any other debt; and should the assets of the assignor or assignors not be sufficient to pay in full all the claims preferred, pursuant to this section they shall be applied to the payment of the same pro rata to the amount of each such claim. § 2. This act shall take effect immediately. Chap. 625. AN ACT to legalize the election and official acts of persons here- Became a law May 19, 1897, with the approval of the Governor. The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and and official ized. Section 1. The election and all official acts of all persons here- Election tofore elected or designated as officers of any of the fire districts acts legalestablished outside of a city or an incorporated village in this state, in so far as such elections or designations may have been or may be affected, impaired or questioned by the reasons of such elections or designations having been had and made by ballots other than official ballots, or for any omission of any of the requirements of the election law of this state, are hereby legalized, ratified and confirmed, and the same shall have all the force, effect and validity as if the said election law had been fully and in all respects complied with. § 2. Nothing in this act shall affect any suit or proceeding now Proviso. pending. § 3. This act shall take effect immediately. Chap. 628. AN ACT to amend the fisheries, game and forest law, relating to Became a law May 21, 1897, with the approval of the Governor. The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Section 1. Section one hundred and ten of chapter four hundred and eighty-eight of the laws of eighteen hundred and ninetytwo, the title to which was amended by chapter three hundred and ninety-five of the laws of eighteen hundred and ninety-five to read "An act relating to game, fish and wild animals and to the forest preserve and Adirondack park, constituting chapter thirtyone of the general laws and to be known as the fisheries, game |