Chap. 288.—An ACT to amend and re-enact an act approved March 14, 1908,
and entitled an act giving to cities and towns upon leasing or purchas-
ing gas, elctric and water companies operating in territory contiguous
to its corporate limits the right to continue to operate, maintain and
extend same. [{H B 200]

Approved March 16, 1918.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That an
act approved March fourteenth, nineteen hundred and eight, and
entitled an act giving to cities and towns upon leasing or purchas-
ing gas, electric and water companies operating in territory con-
tiguous to its corporate limits the right to continue to operate, main-
tain and extend same, be amended and re-enacted so as to read as
follows:

2. Whenever any city or town shall lease or purchase any gas,
electric or water plant operating within territory contiguous to such
city or town, the said city or town so leasing or purchasing, shall
have all the rights, privileges and franchises of the company or
companies so leased or purchased, and the power to operate, main-
tain and extend the same, in all the territory which the plant or
plants so leased and purchased had the right of operation in; and
any city or town acquiring or leasing any said property hereunder
shall rest under obligation to furnish, from the said property so
leased or acquired, or from any other source, an adequate supply
of gas, electricity or water to the consumers of any said company
whose plant is so purchased or leased.

3. By reason of the fact that the time within which certain
cities or towns of the Commonwealth have the right to acquire
said plants will expire within less than ninety (90) days, an emer-
gency is declared to exist under section fifty-three of the Constitu-
tion and this act shall go into effect from its passage.