Chap. 88.—An ACT to authorize the taking of a census in the city of Manchester.

Approved March 13, 1903.

Whereas, by section ninety-eight of the Constitution of the State of
Virginia it is provided that the cities of the Commonwealth shall be
divided into two classes, according to the number of persons residing
therein, all cities which contain ten thousand inhabitants, as shown hy
the last United States census, or other census provided by law, being
placed in the first class, and all other cities in the second class; and,

Whereas, by the last United States census the city of Manchester ap-
pears to have only nine thousand seven hundred and fifteen inhabitants,
but in the opinion of this general assembly it really contains more than
ten thousand inhabitants, and such will be shown to be the fact by a
proper census of said city if now taken; therefore,

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That the com-
missioner of revenue for the city of Manchester be, and he is hereby,
directed, as speedily as possible after the passage of this act, to have taken
and certified, in the nELOn er herein provided, a census of the persons
resident in the said citv of Manchester and in each of the four wards
thereof. And for the purpose of making said census, the said commis-
sioner of revenue is hereby authorized to employ four assistants, and to
pay them at the rate of not less than one cent for cach name enrolled by
them on said census. The said census shall be so made as to show the
number of all persons living in the said city, dividing the same into
wards as now designated ; and the said commissioner of revenue is hereby
directed to have the same made and completed with all convenient specd,
and, if on completion of said census it shall appear that there are more
than ten thousand inhabitants residing in the said city, the said commis-
sioner of revenue is hereby directed to make yp two copies of the said
census and verify the same under his oath, and forward one of the copies
to the governor of the Commonwealth, and file the other in the clerk’s
office of the hustings court of the city ‘of Manchester; and upon the re-
ecipt of such census, so taken and certified, the governor is hereby directed
to make a proclamation certifying the fact that the said city of Man-
chester contains more than ten thousand inhabitants, and is a city of the
first class under the Constitution of the State.

2. The four persons herein authorized to be employed by the said com-
missioner of revenue to aid him in taking said census shall, before enter-
ing upon their duties, take and subscribe an oath, before some person
authorized by law to administer oaths, that they will make out and return
a true and accurate list of all the citizens living in the said city of Man-
chester, and otherwise perform such duties as may be devolved upon them
to the best of their ability. The said commissioner of revenue shall be
paid the sum of not less than one hundred dollars, and cach of the four
persons employed by him shall be entitled to receive not less than one cent
for each name enrolled bv him upon said census, which amount shall be
paid by the city council of the city of Manchester, upon the presentation
of a bill therefor by the said commissioner of revenue. And the said city
eouncil are hereby authorized and directed to pay the said bill when sO
presented.

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