Chap. 246.—An ACT to incorporate the Metropolitan quick transit
bridge company.

Approved May 16, 1887,

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
T. C. Williams, E. Y. Cannon, N. W. Bowe, Reuben Sheritfy,
James B. Pace, James H. Dooley, James F. Bradley, C. C.
McRae, W. L. Moody, C. KE. Wellford, B. B. Weisiger, and
John KE. Taylor, of Virginia, and R. 8. Andrews, of Maryland,
and their associates, successors, and assigns, and such persons
as may hereafter be associated with them, be and they are
hereby declared a body corporate and politic, by the name
of the Metropolitan quick transit bridge company; and said
corporation may by or under its corporate name, make use of
a corporate seal, may sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded,
contract and be contracted with.

2. The capital stock of said company shall not be less than
one hundred thousand dollars nor more than six hundred
thousand dollars, and may be increased from the minimum to
the maximum from time to time as the board of directors of
said company may determine.

3. The stock to be not less than one hundred dollars per
share; said company may organize when twenty-five per
centum of tbe minimum capital stock has been duly sub-
scribed and paid up; and said incorporators, or a majority of
those herein mentioned, who are hereby commissioned for the
purpose, may open books of subscription in such manner,
time, and place or places as they may see fit, and by consent
of a majority of said incorporators, when said minimum
amount herein before mentioned has been paid in, and said
incorporators may thereafter proceed to organize by electing
proper officers.

4. No subscriber of the stock of this company shall be
liable for more than the stock subscribed for by him, and any
unpaid quota thereon. Each share of stock shall entitle the
stock bolder thereof to one vote. There shall be annual meet-
ings of said company for the election of the ofticers thereof.
5. The said company may construct a bridge over James
river, connecting the north and south banks, at some point
near what is called the Threc-mile locks, or ‘the city water
works above the head of Belle Isle; and it may construct also
a bridge between that point and Rocketts, express permission
being “herein granted for said company to construct either
one or two bridges as it may sec fit, such bridge or bridges
being constructed of iron, stone, brick, or lumber, or partly
of different materials, as it may deem best. It may so con.
struct said bridges or bridge as to permit railroad tracks and
cars, engines, and carriages to pass thereon, or street railway
or dummy cars, and provide for the safe passage also of foot
passengers and vehicles propelled by horse-power, and for the
passage of cattle, sheep, horses, and other animals.

6. It may make suitable charges or tolls at prices not ex-
eeeding those charged by the proprietors or those having in
charge Mayo’s br idee for such travel as passes over the bridge,
and may charge by proper rules and regulations a tariff or
toll on such railroad cars, dummies, street cars, or passen-
gers as may be agreed on with companies desiring to use said
bridge or bridges.

7. The said company may, by proper crossing or archway
and not at grade, cross the Richmond and Alleghany railroad
and the Richmond and Danville railroad, and if they fail to
agree as to the proper construction to be erected when it
crosses said roads, it may have said matter arbitrated by
‘ach road selecting an arbitrator, also may, if that fail to
agree, select a third arbitrator, who must be a civil engineer,
and their decision shall be final, and they shall furnish a de-
tailed plan showing what device and plan they have deter-
mined as the proper and safe and permanent mode of cross-
ing said roads or road, as the case may be.

8. Said company herein incorporated may have the power
to own asufficient amount of land for its abutments: provided
said Jand is vacant and has no improvements thereon, and the
counties of Henrico or Chesterfield through their proper au-
thoritics, may open a sufficient outlet to said abutments, and
dedicate said outlet to the nearest public road to the public,
if the company herein incorporated desire the same; said
company may purchase three hundred acres in either Hen-
rico or Chesterfield, lying near to said bridge or bridges, and
lay out the same in drives or parks, and sell off or hold the
same as it may sce fit. It may appoint certain toll-gatherers
or park-keepers, and apply to the proper authorities to have
them vested with police power to protect and preserve the
property of said company, and preserve order thereon.

9. The said company in its corporate capacity may have
the right to borrow money in such sums as it may deem best,
and to issue bonds and secure the same by mortgages or trust
deed, and discount such bonds at prices to realize such sums
as the board of directors of said company may deem best to
the interest of said company, and to secure such bonds may
incumber its property, real and personal, rights and_ privi-
leges, and its corporate effects of every description.
10. This company in accepting the privileges of this char-
ter, hereby agrees to pay all taxes due the State of Virginia,
and that may be hereafter assessed against it, in lawful
money of the United States and not in coupons from Vir-
ginia bonds.

11. The construction of either bridge herein mentioned,
must commence within three years and be completed within
five years, or this act is void as to the privilege of construct-
ing said bridge, but the failure to construct one bridge within
the time mentioned, shall not invalidate any privileges granted
as to the bridge, which may be duly commenced and finished
within the time herein prescribed.

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