Chap. 187.—An ACT to incorporate the Peoples light, fuel and power company of
Norfolk, Virginia,

Approved February 1, 1898.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That Robert
Cooke, Thomas H. Willcox, W. W. Dey, T. R. Bork ind and James
Tre hy, of the city of Norfolk, Virginia, and such other persons as are
now, or may hereafter be associated with them, and their successors he,
and they are hereby, created and constituted a body politic and corporate
by the name of the Peoples light, fuel and power company of Norfolk,
Virginia, and by that name and style shall have perpetual succession
and a common seal, which it may alter and amend at pleasure, and sue
and be sued, and be contracted with, and be generally invested with all
the rights and privileges appertaining to Incorpor: ite companies under

the laws of the state of Virginia and of the United States, and restrictions
now imposed upon the same by the general assembly of the state; and
upon the further condition that it shall pay in current money of the
United States all taxes and other demands due by it to the state of Vir-
ania.

2. The said company shall have power to construct, lease, purchase
or acquire by consolidation or otherwise, with any other company or
companies, and operate and maintain in the city and county of Norfolk,
or both, or elsewhere in the state of Virginia, suitable works, machinery,
and plants for the manufacture of gas and electricity from coal or other
substances, and for the sale and distribution of the same, and it shall
have power to sell or distribute the same for public or private Mlumina-
tion for heating and for power, and for any other purposes for which the
sume may be used, and to contract with municipalities, corporations,
firms and individuals in respect thereto, and it shall have power to do
such acts and things and to conduct such enterprises as are convenient
or advantageous in connection with, or incidental to the enjoyment of
the powers hereinbefore conferred, and may, with the consent of the
councils of the city of Norfolk, or the board of supervisors of the county
of Norfolk, use the streets, highways, avenues and public parks and
sjuares of said city or or county, for laying its pipes and making connections
therewith, or for erecting its poles or posts and stringing wires thereon,
or for conducting pipes or conduits thereunder and placing their wires
therein.

3. The capital stock of said company shall not be less than twenty-
tive chousand dollars nor more than five hundred thousand dollars,
which said stock shall be divided into shares of the par value of one
hundred dollars each.

The said stock shall be deemed personal property, and shall be trans-
ferable on the books of the company in such a manner as may be de-
seribed by the directors, and each share of said stock shall be entitled to
one vote at all meetings of the stockholders.

The incorporators above named, or a majority of them, may receive
subscriptions to the capital stock of said company in such manner as
they may deem best, and no advertisement of the time and place at
which the books will be opened for subscriptions shall be necessary.

The said company may receive in payment of its capital stock, labor,
material, stocks or bonds of individuals or corporations, and such other
values or evidences of indebtedness as the directors deem proper, and it
may issue said stock above or below the par value thereof and at such
prices as may be determined by the directors of the company, and may
use its said stock so to be issued in payment for any property, real or
personal, which it may purchase or otherwise acquire.

4. Thesaid company shall have power to hold and acquire so much real
estate ag may be necessary for its purposes, not to exceed, however, at
unv one time, twenty acres.

do. The principal offices of the company shall be kept in the city
of Norfolk, Virginia, and the board of directors shall have power to
establish and maintain other offices within or without the state of Vir-
vinla.

6. The said company shall have power, and is hereby authorized,
frorn time to time, to borrow such sum or sums of money as it may
deem useful and proper for its purposes, and for such loan or loans, to
issue its bonds, registered or coupon, payable at such time or times,
and in such amounts, and at such rate of interest as the stockholders
may determine; the said company may secure the same by deeds of
trust, or mortgages on any or all of its property, rights and franchises.

The officers of said company shall consist of a president, vice-
president, secretary and treasurer and a board of five directors, but that
number may be increased from time to time by the stockholders. The
said board shall have power to establish and make such rules and regula-
tions and by-laws, not inconsistent with the laws of the state of Virginia
or of the United States, they may deem proper or desirable for the man-
agement and control of the affairs and business of the said company
and for the governmert of their officers, clerks, agents and other em-
ployees, which shall be binding upon all persons connected with or in
the employ ment of the company.

8. All meetings of the stockholders and directors of said company
shall be held at such time and place and upon such notice as the board
of directors may, from time to time, determine.

9. The board of directors shall have the management and control of
the business affairs of the company, and shall, during the first, fill any
vacancies which may occur in the offices, or in their own body, from
death, resignation, refusal to act or any other cause.

The president shall preside at all meetings of the board, when present,
and in his absence the vice-president shall preside. They may also ap-
point from their number an executive committee, and prescribe its
duties, and also those of the other officers and employees of the company.
They may also appoint such officers as may be necessary for the man-
agement of the business of the company, and may, whenever deemed
proper, subscribe to, purchase or otherwise acquire and hold the stock of
any other corporation, organized in Virginia or elsewhere, and exercise
in respect thereof, all rights, powers and privileges of individual owners
thereof. ‘

10. The said company is hereby authorized and empowered, upon a
vote of a majority of the stockholders thereof, in meeting assembled, to
sell or lease, or consolidate or merge the privileges, properties, mghts,
works and franchises with those of any other corporation now chartered,
or which may hereafter be chartered for purposes the same as, or similar
to, those for which the company is chartered, and in such matter, and
upon such terms, and under its own name or the name of such other
company, or any other name, as the stockholders of the several compa-
nies so consolidating may agree upon.

In the event of such consolidation the said company is hereby au-
thorized to receive as a part of the terms of, and consideration for.
such consolidation so much of the stocks and bonds of such con-
solidated company as may be provided in the agreement of consol-
idation, and may hold, use, or otherwise dispose of such stocks and
bonds as it may deem proper. The consolidation and merger of such
companies and the organization of such consolidated companies shall he
deemed and taken as final and complete so soon as the agreement of
such consolidated companies, fixing the terms and conditions as such
consolidation and organization, shall be lodged for record in the office ot
the secretary of the commonwealth; and the said consolidated company.
under whatever name may be so agreed upon, shall thereupon be, anil
it hereby is,invested and clothed with all the rights, powers and privileges,
franchises and properties of the company hereby incorporated, as well
as with all the rights, privileges, franchises, and properties of the other
company with which it may be so consolidated, as fully and completely
as if the same had been transferred by deed.

11. Before said company shall use the streets, highways, avenues ani
public parks and squares of any city or county for laying its pipes or
making connection therewith, or for erecting its poles or posts and string-
ing wires thereon, or for conducting its pipes and conduits thereunder
and placing the wires therein, it shall first obtain the consent of the
councils of such city, and of the board of supervisors of such county:
provided, however, that no part of any public highway in any county
shall be occupied without the consent of the landowner be first acquired
by purchase or otherwise.

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