32 Pa. Stat. § 561
The court of common pleas of Clearfield county, or two of its judges, shall appoint three experienced and competent lumbermen, actually engaged in the business of taking square timber to market, who shall each give bond in five thousand dollars, with two sureties to be approved by the said judges, for the faithful performance of their duties, who shall be known as prize masters, and shall be subject to the control and jurisdiction of the said court in all things relating to their said duties; and it shall be their duty to take charge of all unmarked square timber, so as aforesaid taken adrift by extraordinary freshets or ice floods on the stream and its tributaries aforesaid, and found and being in the bed, on the banks, on lands adjoining the said streams, or in the custody and possession of persons whom they have reason to suspect obtained the same without authority, to gather up the same and secure it wherever found, and in whosoever possession the same may be, to distinctly mark the same with a mark by them to be selected and duly registered at all the booms and in the offices of the prothonotaries of Clearfield and Clinton counties, to keep accurate accounts of the same by size and length, kind of timber, and apparent value; and they shall hold said squared timber to deliver it to the owner or owners at any time prior to the sale thereof when he or they shall satisfy by proof the said prize masters, or a majority of them, that it is his or their property, and shall pay to them a just pro rata for the expenses incurred in taking up and securing the same; they shall, after three months from such freshets shall have passed, or at such other times as they may fix, proceed to sell in open market, for the best price they can obtain, all of the said timber then remaining in their hands, for which no owner hath appeared and proved his right; and after deducting expenses of the performance of their duties herein provided for, and of securing and selling said squared timber, they shall distribute the proceeds, under the order of the court aforesaid, pro rata among all those who shall prove to an auditor, to be by said court appointed, the quantity, value, kind and character of the timber so as aforesaid taken from them; and no provision of law now in existence shall authorize any boom company in said stream to charge for boomage, or hold therefor any square timber going into the said booms but on demand therefor, either by the owners thereof or by the prize masters herein named, the same shall be delivered up at the earliest day practicable; and a right of action shall accrue to and exist in favor of said prize masters for all unmarked square timber, which on demand therefor shall not be to them delivered by any corporation, person or persons, in whose possession the same may be; and the said corporation, person or persons, shall not be permitted to defend said action by showing title or ownership thereof in any other person or persons, corporation or corporations, than themselves: Provided, That they may show and prove a bona fide purchase thereof from the real owner, before suit is brought.
32 P.S. § 561