CHAP. 362.—An ACT to provide a new charter for the town of Parksley,
in the county of Accomac, and to repeal an act entitled an act to
incorporate and provide a charter for the town of Parksley, Virginia,
Approved March 12, 1904. (H. B. 493.)

Approved March 20, 1916.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
the territory in Accomac county contained within the following
boundaries: commencing at the intersection of Willis street. if
produced or extended westwardly, with the line between the
land of the Parksley Land and Improvement company and the
Stran farm, thence, northwardly at a right angle with said
street on a straight line running to the stream of Katy Young’s
branch; thence eastwardly, following said stream running to
the county road leading from the town of Parksley to Rue post-
office: thence southwardly following said road running to the
county road leading from Parksley to the county almshouse:; and
thence southwardly in the same course running to Willis street,
if produced or extended eastwardly; and thence westwardly fol-
lowing said Willis street, if produced or extended, as aforesaid,
running to the point of beginning, shall constitute an incorpo-
rated community and town by the name of the town of Parks-
ley, and that the same shall have and exercise the powers con-
ferred on towns of less than five thousand inhabitants, by law,
and be subjected to all the provisions of all laws now in force,
or which may hereafter be enacted with reference to the govern-
ment of towns of less than five thousand inhabitants.

2. The officers of said town shall consist of a mayor, six
councilmen, a town clerk, a sergeant, who shall be ex-officio
treasurer, all of whose compensation shall be fixed by the coun-
cil; the mayor shall by virtue of his office possess all the powers
and authority and jurisdiction of a justice of the peace of Ac-
comac county.

3. Until an election is held as hereinafter provided for,
John D. Johnson shall be mayor; George W. Gillespie, Oscar L.
Ewell, Doctor Ira Hurst, Roy D. White, L. C. Gordy and Syl-
vanus W. Parks shall be councilmen. The said council shall
have power to appoint annually a sergeant and a town clerk and
such other officers as may be necessary to conduct the business
of the town, and fix their compensation and prescribe their du-
ties, and require such bond as may be deemed proper and suffi-
cient; all of whom shall hold office until a successor is appointed
or elected and qualified as such.

4. Should any of the officers herein appointed fail or refuse
to accept or refuse to qualify in thirty days after their term of
office under this act shall begin, then it shall be the duty of the
council to fill all vacancies by appointment.

5. The said council shall have the power to pass all by-laws
and ordinances for the proper government of said town, and
not in conflict with the Constitution and laws of the State of
Virginia or the Constitution and laws of the United States, ‘and
shall have all of the powers and privileges and be subjected to
all restrictions provided by the general laws of this Common-
wealth for the government of towns and the powers of officers
of towns.

6. The first election under the charter for election of mayor
and councilmen of said town shall be held on the second Tuesday
in June, nineteen hundred and sixteen, and every two years
thereafter, and their term of office shall commence on the first
day of September after their election, and the said election shall
be held in accordance with the general laws of the State of
Virginia, and any vacancy occurring in said offices shall be
filled by the said council.

7. In addition to the powers conferred specifically upon said
town, the council shall have power to lay off streets, walks or
alleys; alter, improve and light the same, and have them kept
in good order; to provide all buildings proper for the use of said
town ; to provide a prison house; to prevent injury or annoyance
from anything dangerous, offensive or unhealthy, and cause any
nuisance to be abated; to provide in or near the town water
works and places for the interment of the dead, and to make
regulations governing the building of houses in said town. .
8. The said council shall also have power to impose a spe-
cific license tax on all shows, performances and exhibitions
which may be given in said town. It shall also have power to
impose a specific license tax on all business for which a State
license tax is required, provided the same shall not exceed that
now imposed by law payable into the State treasury, and to levy
annually such taxes as may oe deemed necessary on all real and
personal property within said town for the purposes of said cor-
poration, provided that said levy shall not exceed fifty cents on
the one hundred dollars valuation of property as per State as-
sessment.

9. The sergeant of said town, who shall be ex-officio treas-
urer as aforesaid, shall collect the licenses and taxes due said
town and shall receive therefor in addition to such compensation
as may be allowed by said council, a commission of five per cen-
tum of all amounts collected by him.

10. That for the purpose of carrying into effect the police
regulations of the said town, they shall be allowed the use of
the jail of Accomac county for the safe-keeping and confinement
of all prisoners who shall be sentenced to imprisonment under
the ordinances of said town, and where any judgment shall be
rendered against a prisoner for any penalty under any laws of
the State of Virginia, or any ordinance of the said town and the
same is not immediately paid, the person or persons so in de-
fault may be required by order of the mayor or councilmen.
who may try such case in the absence of the mayor, so passing
sentence, to work out such fines or penalties and costs of prose-
cutions on the public roads or streets of said town or any other
public improvements within said town, at fifty cents per day,
under the direction of the sergeant and such other rules and reg-
ulations as may be deemed proper by the mayor or council of
said town.

11. At the first regular election to be held in said town, to-
wit: on the second Tuesday in June, nineteen hundred and six-
teen, a vote shall be ordered and taken to determine the sense
of the qualified voters in said town as to the final adoption of
this act, said election shall be held in accordance with the pro-
visions of the general election laws of this State, except that the
tickets provided shall be separate from those provided for the
election of the officers and shall have written or printed thereon.
“For Incorporation” “Against Incorporation.” And if it shail
appear from the abstract and returns of such election that a ma-
jority of the votes so cast are in favor of incorporation of said
town, then this act shall continue in full force and effect, but
in the event a majority of such votes shall be cast against in-
corporation, then the provision of this act shall not be in force
on and after the first day of August, nineteen hundred and six-
teen; and the recorder of said town shall in such case certify
the same to the judge of the circuit court of Accomac county, and
the force and effect of this act shall thereafter cease and de-
termine.

12. That an act entitled an act to incorporate and provide
a charter for the town of Parksley, Virginia, approved March
twelfth, nineteen hundred and four, be and the same hereby is
repealed.

13. To improve the sanitary conditions and secure police
protection at once, an emergency is declared to exist and this
act shall take effect and be in force from its passage.