Chap. 51.—An ACT to Incorporate the Town of Newcastle, in the County
of Craig.

In force February 38, 1873.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
the village known as the town of Newcastle, in the county of
Craig (being the county-seat of said county), laid off within
the following described boundaries: beginning at the inter-
section of the southern boundary line of Broad street, in the
plat of said town, with W. A. Waugh’s mill race, and with said
race to the dam, crossing the Cumberland Gap road at that
point; and thence with the south bank of John’s creek to the
road leading from said town up John’s creek; thence, extending
said line crossing said road southwest to a point opposite the
southwestern boundary line of the property known as the
Mirnich property; thence to the western corner of said lot,
crossing the said Cumberland Gap road, and with said line to
its southern terminus; extending the same to the line of the
tract of land known as the Britt's land, and with said line tc
the intersection of the southern boundary line of said Broad
po- street, and with said line to the beginning, shall be, and is
hereby, made a town corporate, by the name and style of the
town of Newcastle, of the county of Craig; and by that name
and style shall have and exercise the powers hereinafter
granted; and that Wiliam Hamilton is hereby appointed
mayor thereof; and Jubal W. McOrmick, Jacob P. Spessard,
John W. McCartney, Dabney M. Phillips, James W. Marshall,
and Clifton G. Hill, are hereby appointed councilmen thereof ;
and the said mayor and councilmen shall have and exercise
all the powers hereinafter granted to said officers, and remain
f in office until their successors shall be elected and qualified
according to law; a majority of whom shall form a quorum for

the transaction of business.
2. The said mayor and councilmen shall be elected annually,
° on the fourth Thursday in May, by the electors of said town of
© gn the fou qualified to vote for members of the general assem-
bly, according to the general election laws of thecommonwealth.
The person so elected mayor of the said town as aforesaid,
shall be, and is hereby, invested with the powers and authority
of a justice of the peace within the corporate limits of said
town, to have and exercise the like jurisdiction in all cases
whatsoever, originating within said limits, as a justice of the
county now has, or may hereafter have, by law, but acting
upon, and under, the by-laws and ordinances of said town, in
accordance with the general laws of the land. It shall be the
duty of the said mayor to suppress all disturbances, riots, and
ni- disorderly conduct, within the bounds of said town. He shall
” have the power to issue process, hear and determine all prose-
cutions, cases, and controversies, arising under the by-laws and
ordinances, and issue executions, saving to parties the right of
appeal to the county court of Craig in all cases when the fine,
or other matter in controversy, shall exceed ten dollars. Such
4, appeal shall be taken in the same time and manner, and upon
the same terms, that appeals are now taken from judgments of

a single justice.

3. The mayor, or any two of said councilmen, shall have power
to calla meeting of said council as often as occasion may require.
4. The said council shall have power and authority to im-
prove the streets, walks, and alleys, of said town; to prevent,
and punish by reasonable fines, the firing of guns or pistols, or
running or riding horses at an unusual gait, in said town, or
any other violation of the by-laws of said town made, if in pur-
suance of the general laws of the state; to license and regulate
shows and other public exhibitions, and tax the same as they
yr they may deem expedient; to appoint all such officers as may »
be necessary for conducting the affairs of said town not other-
wise provided for in this act, and allow them such compen-
sation as they may deem reasonable; and, finally, to make all
such by-laws, rules, and regulations as they may deem necessary
and proper for the good government of said town: provided,
they be not contrary to the laws of this state or of the United
States, and the same to amend, repeal, or enforce by reason-
able fines and penalties, not exceeding, for any one offence, the
sum of twenty dollars, to be recovered with costs in the name
of the mayor of said town.

5. The said council shall have power and authority to assess
and collect an annual tax within said town, for the purposes
before mentioned, on all such property, real and personal, as
is now subject to taxation by the revenue laws of this common-
wealth: provided, that the tax on such real and personal estate
shall not exceed, in any one year, fifty cents on every hundred
dollars value thereof, and a tax not exceeding fifty cents, in any
one year, on all male inhabitants over twenty-one years of age
within said town; and moreover, it shall be competent for
said council to conduct and distribute water into and through
said town, upon a request of a majority of the qualified voters
of said town, such request to be made in such manner as the
said council may deem best calculated to obtain a full expres-
sion of opinion on the subject.

6. The said council shall appoint annually a ‘sergeant, or
town collector, who shall possess the like right of distress
and powers in collecting the said taxes, service and return of
process arising under the authority of this act, and the by-laws
made in pursuance of it, and shall be entitled to like fees and
commissions as are allowed by law to constables for similar
duties and services. Said sergeant shall execute bond, with
approved security, in such penalty as said council shall deem
necessary, payable to them and their successors in office, con-
ditioned for the faithful discharge of his duties and payment
over of said taxes and moneys collected and received by him
in virtue of his office; and he and his sureties, his and their
executors or administrators, shall be subject to such proceed-
ings, by motion or otherwise, before the county court of Craig,
for enforcing payment of such taxes, and other moneys by him
collected or received as aforesaid, at the suit or motion of the
said mayor, or other person entitled as collectors of county
levies are by law subject to for enforcing payment of the levies
by them collected.

7. All fines, penalties and amercements, and other moneys
received and raised by virtue of this act, and not otherwise
directed to be applied, shall be at the disposal of the council
for the use and benefit of said town.

8. This act shall be in force from its passage.