Chap. 490.—An ACT to limit the amount recoverable for the loss of, or injury
to, wearing apparel, cloth, or other articles delivered to any person or cor
poration to be dyed, or laundered. [H B 302

Approved March 25, 1920.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia as follows
No person or corporation engaged in the business of dyeing, o
laundering wearing apparel, cloth or other articles, shall be liable, o
in any action or suit against him or it be held liable, for the loss otf.
or injury to, any wearing apparel, cloth, or other articles delivered tc
him or it to be dyed or laundered, in an amount exceeding twenty
times the charges made or to be made by him or it for the work done
or contemplated to be done on any such wearing apparel, cloth. or
other articles, unless at the time of the delivery to him or it of anv
such wearing apparel, cloth, or other articles, the value of the same
(and where there are more than one piece or article the value otf
each piece or article), be agreed upon and evidenced by a writing stat-
ing such value (or separate values where there are more than one piece
or article), signed by him or it; provided, however, that nothing in this
act contained shall be construed as requiring of any such person or
corporation more than the exercise of such degree of care as is now
imposed by existing law, and that in no event shall he or it be held
liable in any suit or action involving any such loss or injury for anv
sum greater than the damages suffered, and proved, by the plaintitf
therein where such damages would not under the rules of law existing
prior to the enactment of this act exceed twenty times the amount ot
such charges; and provided, further, that nothing in this act shall be
construed as interfering with or inhibiting, or impairing the obliga-
tion of, any written contract now existing, or hereafter made between
any hotel, railroad company, steamboat company or other patron and
any person or corporation engaged in the business of dyeing or lJaun-
dering of wearing apparel, cloth, or other article, in relation to such.
work ;

And provided further, that no liability shall rest upon, or be borne
by any hotel for any loss of or damage to wearing apparel, cloth.
or other article, the property of any guest of such hotel who shall
have delivered, or caused the same to have been delivered, for dyeing
or laundering to any person or corporation engaged in the business
of dying or laundering ;

And provided further, that the prices to be charged for service.
based upon the valuation of the articles to be laundered, or dyed.
together with a reference to this act, shall be printed upon the face
of all laundry slips used by any person or corporation engaged in the
laundering business, and upon the face of all other slips, of a simular
character, used by any other person or corporation engaged in the
business of dyeing wearing apparel, cloth or other article.