Chap. 12.—-An ACT to amend and re-enact section 19-f of the charter of the
city of Richmond. [S. B. 14]

Approved September 2, 1933

1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia, That sec-
tion nineteen-f of the charter of the city of Richmond, be amended and
re-enacted so as to read as follows: |

Section 19-f. To establish, construct, maintain, keep in order, alter
or repair landings, wharves, docks, canals and streets and approaches
thereto and the lands contiguous or appurtenant thereto, which are now
owned or controlled by the city of Richmond or which may hereafter
be acquired by gift, purchase, condemnation or otherwise for such pur-
pose, either within the corporate limits or within five (5) miles thereof ;
and to that end the city of Richmond is expressly authorized to acquire
by condemnation or otherwise, docks, wharves, canals, approaches there-
to or lands to be used in connection therewith and to control, operate
and maintain the same for such purpose, and in connection therewith
may prescribe and collect reasonable charges from vessels coming to or
using the same, or may lease the use of such buildings, wharves, docks
or canals upon such terms and conditions as to them may seem proper,
and may regulate the use of other wharves and landings located within
the corporate limits or within five (5) miles thereof, and shall have
power to prevent or remove obstructions from the harbor of James
river and in and upon landings, wharves, docks or canals and collect the
cost of such removal from the person or persons responsible therefor ;
and the said city shall be authorized to close or discontinue the use of
any such wharf, landing, dock or canal now owned or hereafter ac-
quired by the said city, and upon the closing or discontinuance of such
use the same shall thereupon be forever discharged from any public
use or easement or from any obligation theretofore imposed by reason
of such public use or easement, by statute or otherwise. Provided, that
before the dock or any part thereof, conveyed by the Chesapeake and
Ohio Railway Company to the William R. Trigg Company, by deed
dated the first day of June, nineteen hundred and one, in accordance
with the provisions of the Act of Assembly approved February fifteenth,
nineteen hundred and one shall be closed or filled in, the city of Rich-
mond, at its sole cost and expense, shall make provisions for disposing
of the water required by said act to be delivered into said dock and shall,
at its cost and expense, maintain the provision so made, and in the event
of such abandonment, closing or discontinuance of the use of such land-
ing, wharf, dock or canal the said city shall have the right to use or dis-
pose of the land upon which the’ said landing, wharf, dock or canal
may be located together with all lands or other right appurtenant thereto,
to the same extent as if the said landings, wharves, docks, canals or
lands, or right thereto belonging had never been charged with any
public use or easement. ‘The said city shall also have the power to
improve and keep in good, safe and navigable condition James river
in the corporate limits and within twenty (20) miles thereof, and to
1933] ACTS OF ASSEMBLY

that end, may acquire by condemnation or otherwise, all lands or interest
therein, deemed necessary by the council for the improvement of James
river and the improvement of navigation, and in that connection, where
deemed desirable, may acquire lands for the construction of canals or
the widening of the river, and may hold such lands for such purpose, or
lease, sell or otherwise dispose of same for the better improvement of
James river, the maintenance of navigation, and to improve the harbor
facilities, and may provide and operate such connections by ferries,
bridges, or otherwise, as may be necessary for transportation between
the sections of land divided by such canals. They may also appoint
a port authority for the port of said city, who shall exercise such
powers and perform such duties as the council may prescribe up to the
port warden’s line, as they may be established from time to time by
the United States government. The city council of said city shall, in
addition, have and exercise all the powers and be charged with all the
duties imposed upon it by chapter one hundred and forty-five of the
Code of Virginia, nineteen hundred and nineteen, as the same now
exists or as the same may be hereafter amended, which powers it may
delegate to some proper committee of persons to be designated by the
said council.

2. The public interest requiring that this amendment to the charter
of the city of Richmond should be effective as soon as possible, an
emergency is declared to exist, and this act shall take effect from its
passage.