Chap. 403.—An ACT to appropriate money for the construction of a building in the
Town of Big Stone Gap, in Wise county, in which to house a collection of
museum pieces which Honorable C. Bascom Slemp has offered to donate to the
Commonwealth of Virginia; to provide that said appropriation shall not become
available unless and until certain conditions are complied with; and to accept
the offer of the said C. Bascom Slemp in the event of such appropriation being
made available. [H B 460]

Approved April 4, 1942

Whereas, Honorable C. Bascom Slemp, a resident of the Town of
Big Stone Gap, in the County of Wise, a former member of Congress from
the ninth Virginia district and who also served as secretary to one of our
deceased Presidents, has acquired a large collection of things of common
interest to the citizens of this Commonwealth, the collection of which
required much time and effort and the expenditure of large sums of
money, which collection is of inestimable value, and consists of a number
of oil paintings and portraits of distinguished southwest Virginians ; re-
productions of a number of the old houses in that section, on a scale of
one-half inch to the foot; many articles used in the homes and on the
farms by the early settlers; a number of dioramas representing old farm
and home activities ; and numerous other things of common interest ; and,

Whereas, the said C. Bascom Slemp has offered to donate his entire
collection to the Commonwealth of Virginia for the information and enter-
tainment of her citizens and others coming within her borders, and to
also donate interest bearing bonds, to be selected by the Treasurer of
Virginia, in the sum of at least twenty-five thousand dollars, and twenty-
five thousand dollars in cash, the income therefrom to be used in and
about the upkeep of said collection and a museum building in which to
house the same, provided suitable ground can be secured upon which to
erect such building, and funds provided for the construction of the build-
ing and laying out and landscaping the grounds; and,

Whereas, the Town of Big Stone Gap has agreed to provide, free of
cost, a suitable and satisfactory plot of land for such purpose, in one of its
parks and within its corporate limits, and to convey the same to the Com-
monwealth of Virginia, or to such agency of the State as may be desig-
nated to hold the title thereto, upon being assured that funds will be pro-
vided for the construction of said building ; and,

Whereas, it is deemed fitting and proper that the Commonwealth of
Virginia provide the funds for the construction of said building and for
laying out and landscaping the grounds around the same, in order that
she may be enabled to accept the generous offer of her distinguished citi-
zen, which she does hereby accept, subject to certain contingencies herein-
after mentioned, and it is also deemed proper that in the event such funds
be made available the title to the said grounds be vested in and held by
the State Commission on Conservation and Development, for the use and
benefit of the Commonwealth; that the said building be such as said
Commission may designate, and that it be constructed under the super-
vision of its chairman; now, therefore,

1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia, as follows:

Section 1. There is hereby appropriated out of any funds in the
State treasury not otherwise appropriated, a sum sufficient, not, however,
to exceed twenty-five thousand dollars, for the construction of the afore-
said museum building and laying out and landscaping the ground upon
which it may be located, the same to be paid out by the State Treasurer on
the warrants of the Comptroller, issued upon vouchers signed by the
chairman of the Commission on Conservation and Development, or by
some other person thereunto authorized by him.

Section 2. The foregoing appropriation shall not become available
unless and until the following conditions are complied with: (a) that the
Town of Big Stone Gap, by apt and proper deed and without cost, convey
to the State Commission on Conservation and Development, free from
liens and encumbrances, for the use and benefit of the Commonwealth of
Virginia, a plot of land in one of her parks and within her corporate limits,
upon which to erect the said museum building, the location and dimen-
sions thereof to be approved by the chairman of said Commission; (b)
that the Town of Big Stone Gap, by resolution of its council, and/or some
responsible person or persons, agree to supplement the income from the
bonds to be donated by the said C. Bascom Slemp, sufficient to assure the
perpetual maintenance and upkeep of said building and grounds and the
museum pieces to be housed in the building, and to pay for personal serv-
ice necessary to keep the building open to the public during such days and
hours as the said chairman may prescribe, and to display the said museum
pieces and give information concerning the same; (c) unless and until the
Governor has certified in writing to the Comptroller that in his judgment
the said appropriation of twenty-five thousand dollars can be paid out of
the current revenues to be collected and paid into the general fund of the
State treasury during the biennium which ends June thirtieth, nineteen
hundred and forty-four, without creating or adding to a deficit in such
current revenues for the said biennium.

Section 3. The museum to be established under the foregoing pro-
visions of this act shall be known as the “Southwestern State Museum”,
or by such other appropriate name as may be agreed upon between the
donor and the Commission on Conservation and Development.