Chap. 174.—An ACT to Incorporate the Town of Mechanicsburg, in
the County of Bland.

Approved April 9, 1874.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly, That the town
of Mechanicsburg, in the county of Bland, as the same has
heretofore been, or may hereafter be laid off into lots, streets
and alleys, shall be and the same is hereby made a town cop
porate, by the name of the town of Mechanicsburg, and by
that name shall have and exercise the powers conferred upon
towns, by the fifty-fourth chapter of the Code of eighteen
hundred and seventy-three, so far as the same is in force;
and shall be subject to and governed by all laws now in force.
or which may hereafter pass, for the government of towns
containing less than five thousand inhabitants.

2. The ‘boundaries of said town shall be as follows, to-wit:
Beginning at Wm. P. Mustard’s spring, and running south-
east (so as to include said Mustard’s buildings) to’ A. G. Up-
dike’s line; thence in an easterly direction to mill road;
thence on a straight line to Walker’s creek, at the mouth of
the town branch; thence in a northerly direction to the top
of the Big Ridge, opposite the lines of Allen and John Muse
tard’s line; thence in a northerly direction, intersecting with
the line of said Mustards, and following said line to the north
corner of Allen Mustard’s field; thence in a westerly direc-
tion to Wm. P. Mustard’s spring (the beginning point) so as
to include Wm. P. and Allen Mustards’ orchards.

3. The officers of said town shall consist of seven trustees,
who shall compose the council, a majority of whom may con-
stitute a quorum, for the transaction of business; and the
following named persons shall constitute the board of trus-
tees, to-wit: Thomas Wohlford, Robert C. Green, 8. H. Bar-
rard, George Wohlford, Dr. J. M. Hamilton, James T Taylor,
and Allen Mustard, to hold their offices until their successors
-are elected and qualified according to law. The board of
trustees shall have power to pass all by-laws and ordinances,
for the government of said town, that they may deem proper,
not in conflict with the constitution of this state or the United
States; and also to provide for keeping the streets in order,
Opening new streets, and grading and paving the same, and
for other necessary improvements; for which purpose they
may levy such tax as they may deem proper on all the prop-
erty in said town, and on all vocations, professions, or busi-
ness as are now subject to taxation by the revenue laws of
the state: provided, that no tax be levied on any lands in the
corporate limits of the town, except on the lots which have
been surveyed and sold as town lots: provided, that such tax
on the real and personal property shall not exceed the rate
of fifty cents on the one hundred dollars worth of such
property.

4. The board of trustees shall elect from their own body a
president, who shall preside at all their meetings, and, when

Google
they are equally divided, shall, in addition to his individual
vote, give the casting vote. He shall also be mayor of the
town, and shall be vested with all the powers of a justice of
the peace within the limits of said town, except that no civil
warrants shall be tried by him.

5. In addition to the above-named officers, there shall be
elected annually by the qualified voters of said town, a town
sergeant, who shall be a conservator of the peace, and be in-
vested with the full powers of a constable within the limits
of said town, and also have power to arrest offenders within
one mile of said town. He shall collect the town taxes, and
may distrain and sell therefor in like manner as a collector
may distrain and sell for state taxes, and shall have, in all
other respects, the power to enforce the collection thereof.

6. This act shall be in force from its passage.