Chap. 23.—An ACT to incorporate the Norfolk Fuel and Gaslight
Company, of Norfolk, Virginia.

Approved January 27, 1888.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
Oliver A. Parker and Daniel E. Conkling, of Baltimore,
Maryland; D. Tucker Brooke, Andrew J. Dalton, and Samuel
Kimberly, of Norfolk, Virginia, and such other persons as
may be now or hereafter associated with them, shall be and
they are hereby incorporated and made a body politic and
corporate under the name and style of Norfolk Fuel and
Gaslight company, with full power to construct, purchase, or
lease suitable works, pipes, machinery, and all proper and
desirable appliances, either in the city or county of Norfolk,
or in both, for the manufacture, generation, distribution, and
sale of gas for fuel, motive power, and public and private
illumination or heating, or both, in the said city and county
of Norfolk, Virginia; and for the purpose of carrying into
full effect the powers and privileges herein granted and pro-
vided for, the said company shall have power to purchase
and lease such real estate, not exceeding twenty acres in the
said city or county of Norfolk, or both, as may be necessary
for their works, and for laying their pipes or for the carrying
on of their business, and shall be vested with all the powers.
conferred and subject to all the provisions prescribed by
chapters fifty-six and fifty-seven of the Code of Virginia,
edition of eighteen hundred and seventy-three, except so far
as this act may otherwise prescribe.

2. That the capital stock of said company shall not be
less than two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, to be
divided into shares of one hundred dollars each, to be raised
by subscription, for which purpose, if the stock be not other-
wise subscribed, books may be opened under the superintend-
ence of any two or more of the persons hereinbefore named,
and the amount of said capital stock may be increased from
time to time by order of the board of directors.

3. That each and every share of stock in said company:
shall entitle the owner thereof to one vote thereon, in person
or by oe

4. The said company may borrow money upon its bonds,
and to secure the same may execute mortgages and deeds of |
trust upon its property and franchises, and may hold stock
in any other corporation; and may acquire by purchase,
lease, or otherwise, the plant, works, property, and franchises
of any other gaslight, company in the city or county, of Nor-
folk now or hereafter incorporated; and any other company
may hold stock of said company.

5. That the said company shall be authorized, after obtain-
ing the consent of the proper authorities of said city and
county, to open, dig up, and excavate the roads, lanes, streets,
alleys, and public squares in the said county and city of Nor-
folk, for the purpose of laying, repairing, connecting, and
tapping their mains and pipes, and generally for the purpose
of doing what may be necessary and proper in the prosecu-
tion of its business of manufacturing, generating, and distri-
buting gas as provided in the first section of this act: pro-
vided, that when the same shall have been opened, dug up,
or excavated for such purpose, they shall, ag soon as practica-
ble, be repaired by the said company at its own cost, under
the direction of the proper authorities of the said city or
county, if the same may be had, so that the said roads, lanes,
strects, alleys, and public squares may be restored to their
former condition as nearly as practicable.

6. That any person who shall wilfully open a communica-
tion with the street gas mains or other gas pipes of said com-
pany without authority of the president or directors thereof,
or shall wilfully let on the gas after it has been stopped by
order of the president or directors, for repair or any other
purpose, or who shall put up any pipes or burners in: addi-
tion to the pipes and burners originally put up and inspected,
or introduce gas into any of them without authority as afore-
said, or shall wilfully do or cause to be done any act whereby
the works of said company shall be obstructed, injured, or
destroyed, such person shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and,
upon conviction thereof before any magistrate of the said city
or county, as the case may be, shall be fined for each offence
not less than ten nor more than thirty dollars, one-half of
which shall go to the informer and the other half to the city
or county, as the case may be; and such person shall farther
forfeit to the company double the amount of damages sus-
tained by it by reason of such offence or injury, to be recov-
ered by action or motion in any court of record.

7. The councils of the city of Norfolk and the supervisors
of the county of Norfolk shall have power to make such or-
dinances and resolutions as to prevent injury to the works
and property of said company situate and lying within their
respective limits, and to punish any person or persons who
may violate the same, by fine not exceeding fifty dollars for
each offence.

8. That all taxes due the state shall be paid in money, and
not in coupons.

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