Chap. 153.—An ACT for the issue of bonds to the amount of twenty-five
thousand dollars for the purpose of refunding the bonds heretofore issued
by the board of supervisors of Warwick county, the payment of which was
assumed by the city of Newport News.

Approved January 25, 1900.

1. Be it enacted by the general assemblv of Virginia, That in addi-
tion to the present indebtedness of the citv of New port News and the
certificates of debt or bonds which the council of the said city is other-
wise authorized by law to issue, the common council of the said city may,
in the name and for the use of the said city, cause to be issued certifi-
cates of debt or bonds (the form of which shall be prescribed by the
council), in the amount of twenty-five thousand dollars, payable in
United States currency, bearing a rate of interest not exceeding six per
centum per annum, and pavable in the diseretion of the council in not
less than twenty nor more than forty years from their date.

Provided, however, that the money arising from the sale of said bonds
shall be used and applied by the said council to the payment and re-
demption of the bonds issued by the board of supervisors of Warwick
county in the erection and furnishing of the court-house, jail, and
clerk’s office then in course of construction at Newport News before the
date of the incorporation of the said city of Newport News, in pursu-
ance of an act of the general assembly approved March first, eighteen
hundred and ninety-two; the said bonds having been issued for a sum
accregating the amount of twenty-five thousand dollars, and of the de-
nomination of five hundred dollars each and payable in ————— years
from their date, and bearing interest pavable semi-annually at the rate
of six per centum per annum, the payment of which bonds was as-
sumed by the city of Newport News under an act of the general assem-
bly, approved February twenty-fourth, one thousand eight hundred and
ninety-six; but such certificates of debt or bonds shall not be issued or
be valid unless and until the question of issuing the same shall have
been first submitted to the legal voters of the said city for their ap-
proval, at an election to be ordered and provided for by the council, and
three-fifths of said legal voters voting at said election who shall then
own any freehold estate in real estate in the said city; and two-thirds of
said legal voters voting at said election, who shall then not own any
frechold estate in real estate in the said city, shall have voted in favor
of the issue of said certificates of debt or bonds. Said election shall be
by viva voce vote, and only those who are legal voters of the said city,
under the laws of Virginia, shall have the right to vote. The words
“freehold estate,” as used in this section, shall be construed to em-
brace only a full ownership in fee simple at law or in equity or an estate
for life. The council shall cause to be prepared, at least sixty days prior
to any election hereunder, a list of the legal voters in said city owning
such freehold estate, and shall cause the same to be published in a
newspaper published in said city for at least four wecks prior to any
such election. The council shall, at least ten days before any such
election, convene in session, and at such session revise and correct such
list, if there be errors therein. Such list, when so revised and corrected,
shall be conclusive on any question as to who constitute the legal vote
in said city owning a freehold estate and entitled to vote at such elec-
tion.

Said election shall not be held until notice of the time, place, and
objects thereof shall have been first given by publication for at least
thirty days in a daily newspaper published in the said city. And the
said council shall not create or incur any other indebtedness which has
not been provided for in the annual levy of the said city or by some other
act of the general assembly of Virginia.

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