Chap. 29.—An ACT to amend an act passed January 29, 1829, entitled
An act to appoint trustees for the town of Port Royal, in the County
of Caroline.

Approved January 8, 1875.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
an act passed January twenty-ninth, eighteen hundred and
twenty-nine, entitled an act to appoint trustees for Port
Royal, in the county of Caroline, be amended and re-enacted
so as to read as follows:

§ 1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia,
That the corporate limits of the town of Port Royal be ex-
tended from the present exterior lines of said towi. to the
following lines, to wit: Commencing at the north corner of
the lot of Messrs. Taylor and company, on the Rappahan-
nock river, and running thence in a southwest direction
parallel] with the main road leading into said town until it
reaches a point opposite the southwest boundary of said
town, and across to said boundary line, and along said line
until it reaches the southeast boundary line of said town,
and thence along said boundary line until it reaches the
river, and thence along the river to the place of beginning;
and that the same, as it has been heretofore and may be
hereafter laid off into lots, streets and alleys, be and the
same 1s hereby made a town corporate, by the name of Port
Royal, and by that name shall have and exercise the powers
conferred by the fifty-fourth chapter of the Code of Virginia
(eighteen hundred and seventy-three), so far as the same
may be applicable to the government of towns of less than
five thousand inhabitants and not inconsistent with the pro-
visions of this act.

§ 2. The council shall elect from their number one person
to preside at their meetings, who shall be the mayor of said
town, and when they are equally divided, shall, in addition
to his individual vote, give the casting vote; and in case- of
the absence of said mayor, the said council may select some
other member thereof to act as president pro tempore, who
Shall have all the powers of the mayor himself while pre-
siding over the meetings of said council, and in other mat-
ters pertaining to said town in the absence of said mayor.
The mayor shall have power at any time to call a meeting
of said council, and in case of his absence, from sickness, in-
ability or refusal, the council may be convened by the order
in writing of any three of the members thereof. The per-
son so elected president of said council and maygr of said
town as aforesaid shall be and is hereby invested with the
power and authority of a justice of the peace as to all
criminal matters arising within the corporate limits of said
town, and shall also have like jurisdiction as a justice of the
peace as to all civil matters arising within the limits of the
said town between the citizens of said town, or in cases
where a citizen of the said town is defendant; but acting
under and upon the by-laws and ordinances of said town,
not contrary to the laws of the state or of the United
States, and in accordance with the general laws of the land,
particularly such as concern the duties and powers of jus-
tices of the peace. And itis hereby made the duty of said
mayor, acting as justice of the peace as aforesaid, to sup-
press all disturbances, riots and disorderly conduct within
the bounds of said town; and the more effectually to do
this, he is hereby clothed with power to appoint such police
force to aid the sergeant of said town (who shall have con-
trol of the same) whenever aud as he may deem necessary.
He shal!- have power to issue process, hear and determine all
prosecutions, cases and controversies, civil and criminal,
arising within the limits of said town, subject to the limita-
tions as to civil matters hereinbefore mentioned, with like
jurisdiction as justices of the peace now have or may here-
after have, and shall have like powers with a justice of the
peace to commit any person charged with an offence before

im to the county jail, or to let to bail on recognizance to
appear before the county or circuit court having jurisdiction
of said offence. In all cases whatsoever, wherein the fine
or other matter or thing shall exceed the sum of ten dollats,
appeals may be bad to the county court of Caroline county
in the same time and manner and upon the same terms as
appeals are now taken by law from judgments of a justice
of the peace.

§ 3. The sergeant of the said town shall be a conservator
of the peace, and for that purpose be invested with all the
power of a constable within the limits of said town; also,
shall have the power to arrest offenders within a mile of the
limits of said town for offences committed within the limits
of said town, and convey any person to the county jail who
may be ordered by the mayor or president pro tempore of
the said council to be so committed, charged with any
offence against the laws of the commonwealth, there to be
dealt with as if committed by a warrant of a justice of the
peace, and shall be entitled to the same compensation as a
constable would be entitled to for like services. He shall
also have control of any special police force that the mayor
or president pro tempore may at any time appoint. He
shall collect tha town taxes and all fines imposed for the
violation of the by-laws or ordinances made for the govern-
ment of said town, or the general laws of this state, and for
this purpose shall be clothed with like powers to enforce the
collection of the same as a sheriff or constable now has or
may her@after have, and shall account for such fines and
taxes so collected as required by the laws of this state and
the ordinances and by-laws of said town. He shall also
perform such other ministerial duties as may be imposed
upon him by said council, and for his services shall receive a
reasonable compensation, to be fixed by the council. The
sergeant shall give bond, payable to the council of said town
and their successors, with good security, in the penalty of
five hundred dollars, for the faithful discharge of the duties
of his office.

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