Chap. 247.—An ACT to authorize and empower the State corporation com-
mission to close or discontinue any private dock or wharf affected with
a public use or easement in certain cases.

Approved March 16, 1910.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That the State
corporation be, and is hereby, authorized, upon the application of the
owner or owners thereof, after such notice as to it may seem reasonable,
to close or discontinue any private dock or wharf affected with a public
use or easement, and which is or may be located in or near any city or
town of this Commonwealth, where the city or town in which such dock
or wharf may be located is establishing, or has established, docks or
wharves open to the public, with or without payment of tolls, or in any
case where there are other wharves or docks, public or private, which are
equally open to the public use.

2. Upon the entry of an order by the State corporation commission,
pursuant to this act, closing or discontinuing, or authorizing the closing
or discontinuance of any such wharf or dock, the same shall thereupon
be forever discharged from any public use or easement, or any obliga-
tion theretofore imposed upon the owner thereof, or those under whom
he claims, by statute or otherwise, to maintain the same as a dock or
wharf for public entry, passage or use, and the same may thereafter be
closed and discontinued as a dock or wharf, so far as any public right of
use or enjoyment thereof may he concerned, and the owner thereof shall
have the right to use or dispose of the land upon which the said dock
or wharf may be located just as if it had never been charged with any
public use or easement. . a

But nothing herein contained shal! he held to impair the obligation
of any contract existing at the time of the passage of this act between the
owner of such wharf, or his predecessor, in the title and individuals,
other than the public.

8. All acts and parts of acts in conflict with this act are hereby
repealed.