CHAPTER 258

AN ACT to amend and reenact § 18-74 of the Code of 1950,
relating to filling in of abandoned wells and pits. rH 4299

Approved April 3, 1950

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 18-74 of the Code of 1950 be amended and reenacted
as follows:

§ 18-74. Persons causing well or pit to be dug to fill it
before abandonment; duty of owners of land.—Every owner,
operator, proprietor, superintendent or conductor of any saw-
mill or other manufacturing plant, or any other person who has
caused to be dug on his own or the land of another any well or
pit for the use of such sawmill, plant or person, shall fill such
well or pit with earth so that the same shall not be dangerous
to human beings, animals or fowls at the time of or before such
mill or plant shall be removed or such well or such pit otherwise
abandoned; * and any person owning land whereon any such
well or pit is located shall in the same manner fill with earth any
such well or pit which has been abandoned, provided such per-
son has knowledge of the existence of such well or pit.

But in the case of mining operations in lieu of filling the
shaft or pit the owner or operator thereof on ceasing operations
in such shaft or pit shall securely fence the same and keep the
same at all times thereafter securely fenced.

Any person violating any provision of this section shall be
deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be
fined not exceeding five hundred dollars.