CHAPTER 7

An Act to amend and reenact § 56-884 of the Code of Virginia as to open-
ing and maintenance of express offices so as to make the statute apply
only to railroad companies operating their own express business.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 56-384 of the Code of Virginia be amended and reenacted as
follows:

§ 56-384. Express office.—Every railroad company conducting * its
own express business shall open and maintain at each station where it has
a station agent along its line an office and appoint and keep an agent at
each of such stations to receive and deliver all express matter.

Chapter 7

Miscellaneous Provisions
§ 7.01. All contracts for the erection of public improvements and
buildings within the jurisdiction of the town where the estimated cost
thereof exceeds three thousand dollars, and in all cases where practicable,
shall be let to the lowest responsible bidder, all things considered, and
notice shall be given, at least twenty days before the work is finally let,
by advertisement in one or more newspapers published in the county; and
the party to whom any contract is let shall give bond as the council may
require, but in no event shall any contract be let to any member of the
town council, nor shall any member have any interest in such contract.

§ 7.02. The town council shall have the power to provide for the
inspection, testing, measuring, and weighing of any commodities or
articles for sale, consumption or use within the town; to establish, regu-
late, inspect and license scales, measures, meters and similar devices; and
to charge a reasonable fee for same, and to regulate the transportation
of such commodities through the streets.

§ 7.03. The town council shall have the power and authority to pro-
tect the persons and property of the inhabitants of the town and others
within the town, restrain and punish drunkards, vagrants and street beg-
gars; to prevent vice and immorality; to preserve the public peace and
good order; to prevent and quell riots, disturbances and disorderly assem-
blages ; to suppress houses of ill fame and gambling houses; to prevent and
punish lewd or indecent conduct or exhibitions in the town; and to expel
therefrom persons guilty of such conduct who have not resided therein
as much as one year; and for any violation of such ordinances may impose
fines and other punishments in addition to those prescribed by the laws
of the State.

§ 7.04. The town council shall have the power and authority to
prevent the coming into town of persons having no ostensible means of
support, and of persons who may be dangerous to the peace and safety
of the town.

§ 7.05. The town council shall have the power and authority, where
any crime has been committed or attempted to be committed in the town,
in their discretion to offer such reward as they think right to any person
or persons for information leading to the arrest or conviction of any such
criminal.

§ 7.06. The town shall operate under the county trial justice
system for the trial of violations of the ordinances of the town. However,
should the town council deem it advisable, to the best interest of the town.
to withdraw from such system, then the mayor shall try such cases and
shall be clothed with the authority to inflict such punishment and impose
such fines as may be prescribed for the violation of town ordinances.

The compensation of the mayor in the trial of such cases shall be as
fixed by the town council.

§ 7.07. In lieu of the mayor trying cases involving the violation
of town ordinances, the council may, in its discretion create, by ordinance,
the office of police justice and may appoint a police justice for the town,
to try all violations of town ordinances.

The term of office and compensation of such police justice shall be
as fixed by the town council.

§ The town council shall have the power to appoint a justice
of the peace for such town, who shall be clothed with all the powers and
authority of other justices of the peace and upon whom may be conferred,
in the manner provided in § 16-129 of the Code of Virginia the right and
authority therein set forth.

§ 7.09. The town is authorized to use the jail of Montgomery County
for the confinement of persons awaiting trial for, or convicted and sen-
tenced to jail for violation of town ordinances, upon such terms and con-
ditions as may he agreed upon between the governing bodies of the town
and county, respectively.

§ 7.10. Any person confined in jail as provided in this charter or
for violations of town ordinances may be required to work on the streets
and public works of said town during the time of confinement. Any
person refusing so to work may be subjected to solitary confinement
with a diet of bread and water for a period not exceeding thirty-six hours.

§ 7.11. All ordinances now in force in the town of Christiansburg,
not inconsistent with this act, shall be and remain in force until altered,
amended or repealed by the town council.

_ § 7.12. No ordinance hereafter passed by said council, as now con-
stituted or hereafter elected, for the violation of which any penalty is
imposed, shall take effect until the same shall have been published as the
council may order; and all laws regulating any ordinance of the council
may be read in evidence in all courts of justice, and all proceedings before
any officer, body or board, in which it shall be necessary to refer thereto;
but after the expiration of six months from the date of such ordinance
its publication shall not be questioned or its validity affected by any
failure to publish the same; but this section shall not apply to the ordi-
nances of whatever kind now in force in the town of Christiansburg so
as to require republication thereof.

§ 7.13. The present elective officers of the town shall be and remain
in Office until expiration of their several terms, and until successors have
been duly elected and qualified.

7.14. This act may for all purposes be referred to or cited as the
Christiansburg Charter of Nineteen Hundred and Fifty-four.

An act entitled “An Act appointing trustees for the town of Chris-
tiansburg, in the county of Montgomery, and for other purposes,” passed
January seven, eighteen hundred thirty-three, and all amendments thereof,
is hereby repealed. . |

An emergency exists and this act is in force from its passage.

CHAPTER 7

Judge of the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court.
7.01.—Election, qualifications et cetera.

The council may elect a special justice of the peace, who shall at
time of election possess the same qualications of the civil and police justice,
to be known as the judge of the juvenile and domestic relations court of
the City of Galax, who shall hold office for a term of two years from the
day of his election, and until his successor has been elected and has quali-
fied, unless sooner removed as provided by general law. He shall have and
possess all the authority and jurisdiction given judges of juvenile and
domestic relations courts by general law, provided, that the council may
designate the civil and police justice or the substitute civil and police
justice to act as the judge of the juvenile and domestic relations court.
The judge of the juvenile and domestic relations court shall receive such
compensation as the council may by ordinance or resolution prescribe.