CnChap. 251.—An ACT to incorporate the Virginia, Washington
and Maryland ferry company.

Approved February 16, 1892.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia,
That C. W. Ridley, Griffith E. Abbot, David C. Leech, Lu-
ther W. Speer, Park Agnew, M. B. Harlow, Francis A.
Reed, William M. Reardon, and James R. Caton, and their
associates and successors, be, and are hereby, created and
constituted a body politic and corporate by the name and
style of the Virginia, Washington and Maryland ferry
company, for the purpose of establishing, maintaining,
and operating a steam ferry between Alexandria, Virginia,
the city of Washington, District of Columbia, the Mary-
land shore of the Potomac river, Sheridan's point, on the
Virginia shore of the Potomac river, and intermediate
points between Alexandria and Sheridan’s point, on the
Virginia shore of the Potomac river; and by that name
and style shall have perpetual succession, may sue and be
sued, contract and be contracted with, plead and be im-
pleaded, and have a common seal, and change the same at
pleasure; and shall have all the rights and privileges of a
corporation, and be subject to all the rules, regulations,
and restrictions imposed by,the code of Virginia relating
to jan stock companies, so far as they are applicable to
and not inconsistent with the provisions of this act.

2. The said company shall have power to establish, main-
tain, and operate a steam ferry between Alexandria, Vir-
ginia. the city of Washington, District of Columbia, the
Maryland shore of the Potomac river, Sheridan’s point, on
the Virginia shore of the Potomac river, and intermediate
points between Alexandria and Sheridan’s point, on the
Virginia shore of the Potomac river, for the transportation
and ferriage of persons, vehicles, cattle, freight, goods, and
merchandise, and to charge tolls therefor, and to purchase
or lease a steamboat or steamboats and outfit, and to lease,
purchase, construct, or build, and own and hold wharves,
docks, and landings for its purposes and general business
and regulations, and to acquire and hold such real estate
at such of its landings as it may desire by purchase, gift,
or lease, and to dispose of the same when not necessary
for the purposes of the company.

3. The capital stock of the said company shall be not
less than fifty thousand dollars, nor more than two hun-
dred and fifty thousand dollars, to be divided into shares
of the par value of one hundred dollars each; and for the
purpose of obtaining subscriptions to the said capital stock,
the said corporators may receive subscriptions to the said
stock in money, land, labor, material, outfit, supplies, or
other available means for that purpose, and are authorized
to receive subscriptions from individuals, other companies,
associations, or corporations, and other companies, associa-
tions, or corporations are authorized to subscribe to and
hold the stock of the said company. And the said com-
pany is authorized and empowered to subscribe to and
hold stock in other companies, associations, or corpora-
tions.

4, The principal office of said company shal! be at Alex-
andria, Virginia.

5. The said company may, by a two-thirds vote of the
board of directors, issue bonds for an amount not exceed-
ing its capital stock, and secure the same by deed of trust
or mortgage upon all or part of the property, real and per-
sonal, and franchises of the company.

6. The officers of the company shall be five directors, to
be elected by the stockholders in their annual meeting,
and a president, secretary, and treasurer, the three last
named to be elected by the board of directors. And the
said company may by its by-laws prescribe the duties of
its officers and directors, and require and take bonds from
its officers for the faithful discharge of their duties. A
majority of the directors shall constitute a quorum.

7. It shall be lawful for any incorporated company to
aid in constructing, equipping and operating the said
steam ferry, and for that purpose may acquire the bonds
or stock of the said company, and the said company may
run, use, and operate by lease or otherwise, the vessels of
any other transportation or ferry company, or person or
persons, upon such terms as may be agreed upon between
the party or parties, or corporations owning the said ves-
sels and this company. ,

8. That the said company is authorized to construct at
any point along its route on the Potomac river, and to own
and mantain warehouses, store-houses, wharves, docks,
landings, hotels, and summer resorts, and to waintain,
construct, equip, and operate lines of railway not exceed-
ing ten miles in length from such wharves, landings,
hotels, and summer resorts, and to unite, intersect, or
join the said roads with any railroad now built or con-
structed, or hereafter to be built or constructed, and to
connect with any railroad constructed or to be constructed,
and to make traffic arrangements and contracts with any
railroad company, or other transportation or ferry com-
pany, for the carriage or ferriage of passengers, vehicles,
cattle, freight, goods, and merchandise, and shall have
power to purchase, lease or acquire by other lawful method
so much real estate a& it may desire at any of its landings,
or summer resorts, not exceeding twenty acres at any one
point, and when such lands are not required for the use
of the company, to sell and convey the same.
9. The incorporators herein named or a majority of
them, are authorized to open books for subscription to its
stock, after such notice, and at such time and place as
they may deem fit.

10. This charter is granted upon condition that the
3aid company shall, within two years from the passage of
this act, establish and have in operation the said ferry
between Alexandria and one or more of the points herein-
before named, and continue to operate the same between
Alexandria and the points then established, thereafter
without intermission, otherwise all rights hereunder shall
cease, determine and be void: provided, however, that if
the said company shall, within two years, establish and
have in operation a ferry between Alexandria and any
one or more of the points hereinbefore named, then this
charter shall have full force and effect as a charter for a
steam ferry between Alexandria and the points then es-
tablished and then in operation as a ferry line, and no
more.

11. This act shall be in force from and after its passage.