Chap. 117.—An ACT to provide for the drainage of lands in the county of
Prince Edward. [H B 130]

Approved March 2, 1920.

_ Whereas, the present general drainage laws do not meet the con-
ditions existing in the county of Prince Edward; and,

Whereas, there are five or more streams traversing the county
which are all filled with obstructions, thereby flooding hundreds of
acres of valuable land, making it non-productive; and, .

Whereas, the corn production of the county is falling off each year
by reason of the existence of the conditions aforesaid; now, therefore,

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That when-
ever a number of adjacent landowners amounting to three-fourths of
the persons owning land along any of the streams of the county. of
Prince Edward are so situated that their lands can be properly drained
by common drains or canals, or that the cleaning out and straightening
of a stream will be beneficial to the landowners along the stream,
the three-fourths of the landowners aforesaid are authorized to file a
bill in equity in the circuit court of Prince Edward county stating
facts which make it proper to have their lands, and others named,
drained by common drains or canals, or stating facts which indicate
that the cleaning out and straightening of the stream designated will
be beneficial to the landowners along the stream, or both.

2. The three-fourths of the landowners aforesaid shall be made
plaintiffs and all others claims to be interested shall be defendants ;
a copy of said bill shall be served upon the defendants; and upon
the hearing of the bill the said court shall have jurisdiction to create
a drainage district or districts of the lands of the plaintiffs and de-
fendants, or such of them as-would be benefited by said drains or
canals, or by the cleaning out and straightening of the stream desig-
nated in the bill.

3. The said court shall, by its commissioner in chancery, ascer-

tain the proper width and depth of said drains or canals properly
to drain the lands in said drainage districts ; to ascertain what obstruc-
tions shall be removed from the streams; to what extent the streams
should be straightened ; the probable cost of all such work; the lands
of the parties that would be benefited; the acreage and assessed value
of said lands; the proportion in which each tract of land ought to
contribute to the expense; also the value of the land to be taken for
said canals, if any, and the damage to the owners of said land to
the residue thereof, if any, which damage shall be added to the other
expenses of the operations. The said commissioner shall also investi-
gate all dams across the stream, and wherever sandgates are neces-
sary, the court shall order same to be put in at the expense of the
owner of the dam.
_ 4. Upon the confirmation of the report of the said commissioner
in chancery, the said court is authorized to appoint a special com-
missioner, or commissioners, to collect the assessments reported, and
to contract for and supervise the work.

5. The assessments reported and confirmed shall be liens on the
lands of the respective owners, and if not paid to the special com-
missioner, or commissioners, in a time to be specified by the court,
may be enforced by the said court as a judgment lien is enforced.

6. The landewners assessed for the work aforesaid, their heirs,
devisees, and alienees, shall be entitled to the privilege of draining
their lands into the said canals, and subject to all the liabilities of the
original owners, and no other parties shall be entitled to the privilege
of draining into the said canals, except upon petition filed in the
said court, and upon terms ordered by it.

7. When the said work shall be completed and the rights of al
parties before the court determined in reference thereto, the court
shall dispose of any funds in the hands of the said special commis-
sioner, or Commissioners, as it may seem equitable, and remove the
case from the docket.

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