Chap. 418.—An ACT to incorporate the Samaritan endowment association.

Approved February 20, 1900.

Whereas there is established in the city of Lynchburg, Virginia, a
benevolent institution known as the independent order of good Samaritans
and daughters of Samaritans, composed of several lodges—namely: Silver
moon lodge, number eighty-seven; traveling sons and daughters lodge,
number one hundred and twenty-six; honorable sons lodge, number one
hundred and eighty-seven; diamond lodge, number three hundred and
eleven; union pilgrim lodge, number one hundred and fifty; and the
meridian lodge, number two hundred and twenty-eight, which have for
their mutual aid and assistance to its members in time of sickness and
other diseases, the burying of the deceased members, the protection
of the widows and orphans of the same, and the elevation of the moral,
social, and financial standing of its members; and

Whereas it is believed that the facilities of the said institution for the
accomplishment of its benevolent purposes would be greatly promoted
by obtaining an act of incorporation of the trustees of the said lodges
above named; therefore,

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That the silver
moon lodge, number eighty-seven, and Thomas Padgett, its trustee;
traveling sons and daughters of Zion lodge, number one hundred and
twenty-six, and Robert L. Cox, its trustee; honorable sons lodge, number
one hundred and eighty-seven, and 8S. H. Preston, its trustee; diamond
lodge, number three hundred and eleven, and W. H. Brown, its trustee;
union pilgrim lodge, number one hundred and fifty, and C. H. Hubbard,
its trustee; and the meridian lodge, number two hundred and twenty-
eight, and A. V. Brown, its trustee, and such other trustees as may repre-
sent such other lodges of good Samaritans as may hereafter be associated
with them and their successors be, and they are hereby, constituted a
body corporate under the name and style of the Samaritans’ endowment
association of Lynchburg, Virginia, and by that name shall have per-
petual succession and a common seal, which may be changed or altered
at will, may sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, and in all respects
shall be invested with the rights and privileges conferred and subject to
the restrictions and regulations prescribed for corporations by the general
laws, so far as the same are applicable to this corporation and not inean-
sistent with this act, hut shall under the auspices of the above named
lodges, and as such shall have the power, immunities, and franchises
exercised by other corporations granted by the laws of this state.

2. The officers of this association shall be a board of managers, as shall
be hereinafter stated or set forth, a president, a vice-president, secretary,
treasurer, and general manager, who may be selected from the board
of managers, or from any member in good standing in any of the lodges
connected with this association, and the board of managers shall at the
first regular meeting after the passage of this act proceed to elect the said
officers for the term of one year, and shall have the power to fix a reason-
able salary for each officer.

3. The officers of this association shall be elected annually by the
board of managers on the first Monday in January of each year.

4. The trustees above named shall constitute a board of managers,
in whom shall be invested the power of the general management of the
affairs of the association; the successors of the incorporators, or trustees,
shall be elected by the lodges of which they are members respectively, each
lodge electing one trustee. The said trustees or board of managers, and
their successors, shall hold office as trustees no longer than they remain
in office as members of their respective lodges aforesaid, or until their
successors enter upon the discharge of their duties as trustees or board
of managers. The said trustees, as a board of managers, shall have power
to fill vacancies in their own body, the person or persons to fill such
vacancies to be chosen from the lodge or lodges to which such member
or members belonged who caused the vacancy or vacancies, and shall
have power to appoint such officers as may be requisite in such penalty
as they shall direct, conditioned for the faithful performance of their
duties.

5. Five trustees shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of busi-
ness, but the majority of all the trustees to constitute a quorum for the
sale of real property.

6. The principal office of this corporation shall be in the city of
Lynchburg, Virginia, and its chief business transacted there. The capi-
tal stock of this association shall not he less than five hundred dollars
nor more than five thousand dollars, divided into shares of ten dollars
each. The said association shall have the power to borrow money, issue
bonds and notes, evidencing the same, to secure the said loan by mort-
gage or deed of trust on its property and franchise and by hypothecating
its personal property, of whatever kind, to capital stock of other corpora-
tions.

%. The stockholders shall be liable only for the unpaid subscription
on their stock, and not otherwise liable for the debts or obligations of
the association.

8. The said association may acquire, receive, hold, purchase, and
enjoy, and may sell, convey, and invest and otherwise manage or dis-
pose of all lands, money, or other property, real or personal, which may
be given to or otherwise acquired by the said association, by its trustees
and their successors in office, which may be conducive to the objects of
said association, provided such lands shall not be more than five hun-
dred acres. They may establish saving and insurance departments of
the association for the benefit of Samaritans, their families and friends,
with branch offices at such places as its proper officers may think advisa-
ble and proper. They may open said departments under such rules and
regulations as they may deem best, not contrary to the laws of this state
or the United States. They shall have power to provide a fund from
which, at death, there may be paid to the person or persons designated
by the deceased certificate holder a sum not to exceed one hundred and
twenty-five dollars, said fund to be raised and maintained by weekly,
monthly, or quarterly payments of a sum to be fixed by the board of
managers of the association, and shall have power to make rules to com-
pel the payments of all dues to the said association. They may, when-
ever they deem it proper, under the insurance department, insure the
lives of Samaritans and such other persons as desire it, for themselves or
their children, on mutual plan for both sick and death benefit, and under
such regulations as they think proper, collect the assessments weekly,
monthly, or quarterly in advance, and shall pay the amounts set out in
the certificates of membership or policies to the party or parties therein
named, if the holder thereof has complied with all the terms and re-
quirements of the contract during life and has made no false statements
in his or her application for membership. They shall have power to
make by-laws with any and all conditions for the payments of all or any
part thereof of the entrance fee to be paid by such stockholders at the
time of subscription, and shall have power to compel the punctual per-
formance of all duties to the association by all of its officers and mem-
bers, by such fines and forfeitures as the board of managers may from
time to time provide.

9. The association shall have the power in the saving department to
receive money on deposit, granting certificates therefor, in accordance
with the conditions set forth in the code of eighteen hundred and eighty-
seven and the acts amendatory thereof: provided, that said association
is not authorized to receive deposits of a less sum than one dollar. In
no case are such deposits, or the certificate given therefor, to be liable
for the debts or obligations of said association, however made or con-
tracted. The capital stock of this department shall be not less than five
hundred dollars nor more than five thousand dollars, divided into shares
of five dollars each.

10. The board of managers shall consist of one trustee from each lodge
named above and one from every lodge which may hereafter connect
itself with this association. ‘The corporators named in this act shall
hold office as board of managers for one year from the passage of this
act, or until their successors enter upon the discharge of their duties
as managers hereof, after which time a board shall be elected annually
by their lodges respectively.

11. The board of managers shall invest any money in hand belonging
to the association in such securities as will yield a fair and reasonable
profit to the association, and execute such powers as the association
could execute when in session.

12. The board of managers shall have power to make such by-laws
for the government of the association as they may think proper, and
to make by-laws governing its own body, and to do such other acts as the
interests of the association may require, subject to the confirmation of
the association.

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