Chap. 501.—An ACT to incorporate the Walkerton and Mattaponi bridge
company.

Approved February 24, 1&98.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That Philip W.
Lewis, William H. Walker and William Dew, and such other persons
as they may associate with them, and their successors, be, and they are
hereby, made and constituted a body politic and corporate by the name
of the Walkerton and Mattaponi bridge company, and shall have the
powers, rights and franchises necessary and proper for the purpose of
locating, constructing, equipping and maintaining a bridge over Matta-
poni river at Walkerton, in King and Queen county.

2. The corporators hereinbefore named may organize the company bv
electing a president, and may elect and appoint such other oflicers as
may be necessary for the proper management of the said company’s
affairs, and thereupon they shall have and exercise all the general powers
and functions of a corporation, and be subject to all the restrictions im-
posed by the laws of the state applicable to internal improvement
companies, except so far as the same may be changed or modified by
this act.

3. This company shall have authority to build a bridge over Mattaponi
river from the shore in the county of King and Queen, at Walkerton, to
the opposite shore in the county of King William : provided, said bridge
shall not materially obstruct navigation in said river. And it shall be
the duty of said company to provide a draw in said bridge, conveniently
arranged and carefully kept so that boats, vessels and other water-crafts
navigating said river may not be unnecessarily delayed in passing said
bridge.

4. The capital stock of this company shall not exceed five thousand
dollars, to be divided into shares of the par value of ten dollars each,
and said stock may be all common or such part or parts preferred as said
company may from time to time determine. Each share of stock shall
be entitled to one vote.

5. It shall be lawful for said company to acquire in subscriptions to
the capital stock of said company money, lands, work, labor, materials,
property, bonds, or other means available for their purposes, and to
receive subscriptions from individuals, other companies, associations or
corporations ; and the said company may sell, lease, or otherwise dispose
of any lands or property acquired under this section.

6. The directors of said company may open the books for subscrip-
tion of stock from time to time, as they may deem expedient, until the
stock is fully taken, and instalments on original subscription of stock,
as well as those afterwards received, shall be paid at such times and places
and in such amounts as said directors may prescribe.

7. The directors may receive in payment of any subscriptions for
stock in said company any property adapted to the construction, opera-
tion or maintenance of said bridge, or which by sale or exchange they
deem may be converted to the use ‘of the company, or may receive all
or part of such subscriptions i in services, labor and materials; and said
board may contract for services, labor, supplies or materials for the
construction of said bridge or its appendages, or the equipping, main-
tenance and operating the same, and for property which, or its pro-
ceeds, may be beneficial and useful to said company in carrying out the
objects of said company, and pay therefor, wholly or partly, in the
capital stock of said company.

8. The construction of said bridge shall be commenced within one
year and completed within two years after the passage of this act.

9. Upon the completion of said bridge it shall be the duty of said
company to apply to the county courts of King and Queen and King
William counties for the appointment of two discreet citizens of each
county, whose duty it shall be to meet at said bridge and examine the
same, and make report to the said courts whether the said bridge has
been constructed in accordance with the requirements of this act; and
it shall be the duty of said courts, upon the consideration of such re-
port and any evidence adduced, to determine whether said bridge has
been properly constructed; and when said courts have determined that
said bridge is properly constructed they shall so enter of record in their
respective courts; and thereupon the said company shall be authorized
to fix and collect tolls for the use of said bridge.

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