No person shall establish, keep or use any ferry for the conveyance or passage of persons or property, for profit or hire, unless he shall be licensed as directed by this Act, under the penalty of $5 for each day the same is maintained, and $3 for each person and each article of property so conveyed, to be forfeited to the county in which the ferry is situated. This Section shall not apply to ferries heretofore established by law.