Chap. 352.—An ACT to incorporate Bondtown, in Wise county.

Approved February 23, 1894.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That the
settlement on Big Tom’s creek, in Wise county, as the same has been
laid off into lots, squares, streets and alleys, shall be, and is hereby,
made a town corporate by the name of Bondtown, and by that name
shall have and exercise all the powers conferred on towns of less
than five thousand inhabitants by the code of Virginia, and be sub-
ject to all the provisions of said code, and to all laws now in force,
and which may hereafter be enacted, in reference to the government
of towns with less than five thousand inhabitants, so far as the same
are not inconsistent with the provisions of this act.

2. The limits of said town shall be as follows: Beginning at a
black oak, a corner to W. H. Bond, junior, and the Alderson heirs;
thence south seventy-five degrees east three hundred and eighty-five
feet to a wild cherry, a corner to W.H. Bond, senior, W. H. Bond,
junior, and the Alderson heirs; thence south twenty-two degrees
three minutes east eight hundred and ninety-nine feet to a stake in
the Preston line; north fifty-seven degrees sixteen minutes east one
hundred and thirty-three feet to a stump; north fifty-five degrees five
minutes east four hundred and two feet to a beech on branch; north
fifty-eight degrees forty-six minutes east two hundred and ninety
feet to a rock; north seven degrees three minutes west seven hun-
dred and forty-four feet to a black gum and spotted oak stump;
north twenty-five degrees twenty-nine minutes east two hundred and
forty-four feet to a dogwood and hickory ; north seventy-nine degrees
twenty-three minutes west five hundred and fifty-three feet to a beech
on west side of Big Tom’s creek; north seventy-eight degrees nine
minutes west six hundred and twenty-seven feet to white oak stumps;
south thirty-one degeees thirty-two minutes west three hundred and
two feet toa black walnut; south seventy-four degrees thirty-one
minutes west two hundred and thirteen feet to a double black oak
stump; thence a straight line to the beginning.

3. The officers of said town shall consist of a mayor, five trustees,
recorder and sergeant. The mayor and trustees shall compose the
town council until an election is held as hereafter provided for. G.
W. Bond shall be mayor and J. E. Massie, George A. Kent, T. E.
Neel, T. P. Morgan and L. M. Powers shall be trustees of said town,
and shall hold office until their successors are duly elected and
qualified. Should any of the officers hereby appointed refuse or fail
to accept or qualify within thirty days after the passage of this act,
then it shall be the duty of the councilmen that do qualify to fill
such vacancy by appointment.

4. The recorder of said town shall be elected by said town council.

5. The recorder shall keep in a well-bound book, to be provided for
the purpose by the town council, an accurate record of the proceed-
ings of the council, its by-laws, acts and ordinances, which record
shall be open at all times to the inspection of any voter of the town,
and the recorder shall be ex officio treasurer of said town; he shall
give bond, with good security, in such sum as the council shall fix;
his duties and compensation shall be prescribed by the town council,
and the council may elect such other officers as they deem proper,
and define their duties, powers and compensation. The council shall
prescribe the tenure of all officers appointed by it.

6. The sergeant of said town shall be appointed by the mayor and
councilmen, to hold at their pleasure; such assistants of the sergeant
as the council shal] deem necessary shall also be appointed by the
mayor and councilmen, to hold at their pleasure.

The sergeant and his assistants shall be conservators of the peace,
and vested with the full power of constables within the town limits
and for one mile beyond said limits. The sergeant shall collect the
town taxes, and may distrain and sell therefor in like manner as
state taxes are enforced and collected, and to perform such other
duties and receive such compensation as the council may prescribe.

7. The election for mayor and trustees provided for by this act
shall be held on the fourth Thursday in June, eighteen hundred and
ninety-four, and on the same day in each year thereafter; said officers
shall qualify on the first Monday in July following, by taking the
oath of office before the clerk or other person authorized to admin-
ister oaths.

8. The town council shall, not less than twenty days before any
election under this charter, appoint a registrar and three judges of
election, who may also act as commissioners of election. The regis-
trar shall, in the manner prescribed by law, make and revise lists of
all persons qualified to vote, and who shall reside within the corporate
limits of said town. :

9. That for the purpose of carrying into effect the police regula-
tions: of said town, the said town shall be allowed the use of Wise
county jail for the safe-keeping and confinement of all persons who
shall be sentenced to imprisonment under the ordinances of said
town. ‘The supervision and control of streets, roads, highways and
alleys shall be vested in the town council of said town.

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