Chap. 461.—An ACT to incorporate the Ballston railroad company.

Approved February 23, 1900.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That J. K. M.
Norton, John F. Carlin, C. H. Yohe, Joseph Broders, and J. M. Hill,
or such of them as may accept the provisions of this act, their asso-
ciates, successors, and assigns, be, and they are hereby, incorporated

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and made a body politic and corporate, under the name and style of the
Ballston railroad company, and by that name shall be known in law,
and as such are authorized and empowered to survey, locate, construct,
equip, and operate a line of railroad of a narrow or standard gauge from
some point in Alexandria county, on the Potomac river, opposite the
city of Washington; thence through the county of Alexandria, and city
of Alexandria, and counties of Fairfax and Prince William to any point
in either of the said counties of Fairfax or Prince William, which the
board of directors of said company may designate; full power and
authority is hereby given to said company to pass through any or all of
said counties or said city, by any route the said company may adopt.

2. The said company shall have perpetual succession, and have power
to sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, defend and be defended,
in all courts, whether in law or equity, and may make and have a com-
mon seal and alter or renew the same at pleasure, and shall have and
possess and enjoy all the rights and privileges of a corporation or body
politic in the law, necessary for the purposes of this act.

3. The capital stock of said company shall not be less than twenty-
five thousand dollars, and not more than fifty thousand dollars, divided
into shares of the par value of one hundred dollars each. The above
named J. K. M. Norton, J. M. Hill, C. H. Yohe, John F. Carlin, and
Joseph Broders, or any three of the above named incorporators, to be
selected by themselves, are hereby created a commission, and are
authorized to receive subscriptions to the capital stock of said cor-
poration, and for this purpose may open subscription books in such
manner, and after such notice as they may deem necessary, and may
keep the same open until the minimum amount above named shall have
been subscribed. Thereafter, within their discretion, they may call a
meeting of the subscribers, and organize the company. From time to
time, the capital stock may be increased, under such regulations, and
upon such terms, and at such price as the board of directors of said
company may prescribe, until the maximum amount above named
shall have been issued; and the board of directors may receive cash,
labor, material, franchises, bonds, or stock of other incorporated com-
panies, lands, rights of way, and other property, real or personal, in

ayment of subscriptions to the capital stock, at such valuation as may
be agreed upon. .

4. It shall be lawful for said company to transport passengers, ex-
press, freight, and baggage, and mails of the United States, and to
collect fare and tolls for the same. The said company may use either
horses, cable, steam, compressed air, or electric power to propel the
cars on said road.

5. It shall be lawful for the company to acquire by gifts, purchase,
or lease, or condemnation, land for its right of way, depot, stations, and
other purposes necessary for the successful construction and operation
of its road through any of said counties, or through the said city of
Alexandria, and the said company may acquire by condemnation, such
land as may be needed for its right of way, and for its necessary
stations, offices, depots, and for such other purposes as is necessary fo1
the proper conduct of its business, and may connect or unite its line o1
lines of railroad with any other railroad heretofore incorporated, or
hereafter to be incorporated, by the general assembly of Virginia, or may
consolidate its stock, property, or franchises with those of any other
railroad company, upon such terms as may be agreed upon between the
respective board of directors of such companies so united or consoll-
dated, and for such purposes, power is hereby granted it, and to such
other company or companies to make and carry out such contracts
as will facilitate and complete such connections or consolidation.

‘The said company may sell or lease the whole or any part of its rights,
properties, appurtenances, or franchises to any other railroad, and may
acquire or lease from the owners of such other railroad company, the
Whole or any part of its rights, properties, appurtenances, or franchises.

The said company may acquire, by subscription, purchase, or
otherwise the stock or bonds of any other incorporated company, and
it shall be lawful for said company to issue or sell its bonds trom time
to time for such sums and upon such terms as its board of directors may
deem expedient, and may secure the payment of any bonds by a deed
or deeds of trust or mortgage or mortgages upon all or any of its rights,
property, railroad appurtenances, and franchises, including its franchise
to be a corporation, and may reserve the right to the company to confer
on the holders of any bonds of said company the right to convert the
principal thereof into stock of the said company at anv time; and
any other incorporated company may, by purchase, subscription, or
otherwise, obtain, hold, or transfer the bonds or stock of said company.

%. The officers of said corporation shall be a president, vice-president,
secretary and treasurer, and a board of directors, including the presi-
dent and vice-president, who shall be ex officio members, and such other
oflicers as the board of directors may from time to time determine: and
the terms of office, modes of election, and duties of said officers shall
be prescribed by the by-laws of said corporation, subject to the general
mw of this state.

8. ‘The principal office of said corporation shall be in the city of
Alexandria, Virginia.

9. All taxes due to the commonwealth by said company shall be paid
in lawful money of the United States, and not in coupons.

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