Chap. 117.—An ACT prescribing Duties of ‘Telegraph Companies,
Passed February 21, ise3,

1. Beit enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
it shall be the duty of ev ery telegraph company doing busi-
ness in this state, to receive dispatches from and for other
telegraph companies or Hines, and from and for any person;
and upon payment of the ustial char ges theretor, according
to the regulations of the company, to transmit the same
fnithtilly and impartially, and as promptly as practicable, and
in the order of delivery to the said company. For every
failure to transmit. a dispatch faithfully and impartially, and
for every fiilure to transmit a dispatch as promptly as prac-
ticable, or in the order of its delivery to the company, the
company shall forteit the sum ot one hundred dollars to the
person sending or wishing to send such dispateh, and shall
moreover be liable to an action for damages by any party
aggrieved, But nothing herein shall prevent any such com-
pany from giving preterence to dispatches on official business
trom or to officers of the United States, or state of Virginia,
or from making arrangements with proprietors or publishers
of newspapers jor the transmission to them, for publication,
of intelligence of general and public interest, out of. its
regular order.

2. It shall be the duty of every telegraph company, upon
the arrival of a dispatch at the point to which it is to be
transmitted by said company, to deliver it promptly to the
person to whom it is addressed, where the reculations of the
company require such delivery, or to forward it promptly as
directed, when the same is to be forwarded. For every
failure to deliver or forward a dispatch as promptly as prac-
ticable, the company shall forfeit one hundred dollars to the
person sending the dispatch, or to the person to whom it
was addressed, and shall moreover be liable to an action for
damages by any party agerieved.

3. Every person, firm, association or company, doing the
business of telegraphing for the public, shall be liable, as a
telegraph company. to the provisions of this act.

4. This act shall be in foree frem its passage.

Chap. 117.—An ACT prescribing Duties of ‘Telegraph Companies,
Passed February 21, ise3,

1. Beit enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
it shall be the duty of ev ery telegraph company doing busi-
ness in this state, to receive dispatches from and for other
telegraph companies or Hines, and from and for any person;
and upon payment of the ustial char ges theretor, according
to the regulations of the company, to transmit the same
fnithtilly and impartially, and as promptly as practicable, and
in the order of delivery to the said company. For every
failure to transmit. a dispatch faithfully and impartially, and
for every fiilure to transmit a dispatch as promptly as prac-
ticable, or in the order of its delivery to the company, the
company shall forteit the sum ot one hundred dollars to the
person sending or wishing to send such dispateh, and shall
moreover be liable to an action for damages by any party
aggrieved, But nothing herein shall prevent any such com-
pany from giving preterence to dispatches on official business
trom or to officers of the United States, or state of Virginia,
or from making arrangements with proprietors or publishers
of newspapers jor the transmission to them, for publication,
of intelligence of general and public interest, out of. its
regular order.

2. It shall be the duty of every telegraph company, upon
the arrival of a dispatch at the point to which it is to be
transmitted by said company, to deliver it promptly to the
person to whom it is addressed, where the reculations of the
company require such delivery, or to forward it promptly as
directed, when the same is to be forwarded. For every
failure to deliver or forward a dispatch as promptly as prac-
ticable, the company shall forfeit one hundred dollars to the
person sending the dispatch, or to the person to whom it
was addressed, and shall moreover be liable to an action for
damages by any party agerieved.

3. Every person, firm, association or company, doing the
business of telegraphing for the public, shall be liable, as a
telegraph company. to the provisions of this act.

4. This act shall be in foree frem its passage.