Chap. 415.—An ACT to amend and reenact sections 21, 22, 59, 65, 72, 73
and 121 of an act to provide a new charter for the city of Bristol, as
amended and to repeal all acts and parts of acts in conflict therewith,
approved March 14, 1908, and to add a new and independent section
125-a thereto. [HB 348]

Approved March 27, 191%.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
sections twenty-one, twenty-two, fifty-nine, sixty-five, seventy-two,
seventy-three and one hundred and twenty-one of an act to provide a
new charter for the city of Bristol, as amended, and to repeal all
acts and parts of acts in conflict therewith, approved March four-
teenth, nineteen hundred and eight, and to add a new and inde-
pendent section one hundred and twenty-five-a thereto, be amended
and re-enacted so as to read as follows:

Section 21. He shall by virtue of his office, if appointed by the
judge of the eorporanien court as police justice, and while acting as
such, possess all the jurisdiction and exercise all the power and
authority, both in criminal and civil cases, of a justice of a peace
of said city, and for one mile beyond the corporate limits of said
city, In addition to the powers hereby given him by virtue of this
act; provided, however, that in every case tried by the said mayor
arising either under the general laws of the State or the ordinances
of Bristol, there shall be an appeal of right to the corporation court
of said city whenever the fine shall amount to a sum in excess of
ten dollars, the proceedings upon such appeal to be the same as are
provided for in the case of appeal from a justice of the peace.

Section 22. The mayor shall have control of the police force
for the purpose of maintaining peace and order, and executing the
laws and ordinances of the city. He shall have power to appoint
and swear in special policemen whenever the public safety demands
it, who shall have such powers as regular policemen, and such special
policemen need not be residents of the State of Virginia.

Section 59. The council may, in the name and for the use of
the city, contract debts and cause to be issued therefor certificates.
notes or bonds, but no debt of the city shall be payable more than
thirty-four years from the date thereof; provided, that the council
shall not have power to contract debts for the city or issue evidence
thereof, whether certificates, notes or bonds, for sums which, wher
added to the debt of the city then existing, shall cause the tota’
amount of the indebtedness of the city to be greater than eighteer
per centum of the value of the real estate in the city as assessed foi
taxation, except for the issue of bonds otherwise provided by law
Said council is hereby expressly authorized to execute and issue suck
certificates, notes or bonds in the name of said city for the purpos«
of erecting any public school building, jail, or other public buildin;
deemed necessary for the public use and benefit.

The city council shall have the power by a two-thirds vote t«
exempt from city taxation any manufacturing establishment for :
period not exceeding five years.

Section 65. There shall be set apart annually from the revenue
of the city a sinking fund equal to one per centum on the aggregate
outstanding debt of the city, which by its terms is not payable with-
in one year, and whenever the said city shall increase its bonded in-
debtedness or issue new bonds for the redemption of the existing
obligation, it shall create at their maturity, which sinking fund shall
be applied to such purpose and none other, and. shall be securely in-
vested in interest bearing municipal, State or government bonds or
other securities. The council may use said funds in the purchase
and redemption of any bonds for which said fund was created.
The council is hereby authorized to appoint a sinking fund com-
mission, composed of three freeholders who are residents of said
city, each for a term of one year from September first, whose duty
shall be to invest said sinking fund, as herein provided, or as other-
wise provided by law.

Section 72. The treasurer.—The treasurer shall be elected as
hereinbefore provided on the Tuesday dfter the first Monday in
November, nineteen hundred and five, and every four years there-
after, and shall hold his office for a term of four years, but he shall
not. be eligible for more than two consecutive terms, nor act as
deputy for his immediate successor. He shall qualify before the cor-
poration court of said city, and his oath shall be filed with the clerk
of said court, and he shall give bond with surety to be approved by
the council in a penalty to be determined by said council, but not less
than thirty thousand dollars in any one year. In event personal
security is offered, the council shall not accept less than five indi-
viduals, each of whom shall own real property in Virginia and shall
give satisfactory evidence to the council that he is worth at least half
the amount of the penalty of said bond ; otherwise some solvent bond-
ing company authorized to do business in Virginia shall be required
as surety.

Section 73. The treasurer shall receive such compensation as is
provided by law in the case of a county treasurer for the collection
of all State taxes or other funds, and for the collection of the city’s
revenues the council may prescribe either a monthly salary or per
centum to be charged on any and all taxes or funds collected or re-
ceived by him on account of or for the city, provided that his total
compensation from the city shall not exceed the sum of fifteen hun-
dred dollars per annum. No person shall be allowed to qualify a
second time as treasurer unless and until he shall have satisfactorily
settled his account as treasurer for the preceding term; and if such
settlement be not made on or before the regular time for his entering
upon the duties of his office for another term, the office shall be con-
sidered vacant and the vacancy shall be filled as hereinbefore pro-
vided.

Section 121. Assistant police.—The chief of police shal] recom-
mend to the council for confirmation two assistant policemen and
as many more as the council may deem necessary, and the council
shall fix their salary, not to be less than forty dollars per month.
Such assistant policemen shall be sworn in as provided by law.

The police force, composed of the chief of police and assistant
policemen, shall be under the control of the mayor for the purpose
of enforcing peace and order, and executing the laws and ordinances
of the city, and shall also perform such other duties as the council
may prescribe.

Section 125-a. The council shall have power to assess, or direct
the water commissioner to assess, water rents directly against the
owner or owners of buildings, or against the proper tenant or tenants,
and may by ordinance provide that where charges are made against
tenants, the owner or owners shall be directly liable in case such ten-
ant or tenants fail to pay when the rents or charges are assessed.

An emergency is declared to exist and this act shall be in force
from its passage.