Chap. 656.—An ACT to authorize the board of supervisors of the counties of
Gloucester and Mathews to make a special levy to be Known as the Confeder-
ate relief find.

Approved March 2, 1898.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That it shall be
lawful, and authority is specially given to the board of supervisors of the
counties of Gloucester, Mathews, Montgomery and Campbell, and the
councils of the city of Lynchburg, in the discretion of each of the said
boards and council of said city, to make an annual levy when the other
county and city levy is made on the real and personal property in each
county and city, not exceeding four cents on every one hundred dollars’
worth of said property to be collected and set apart and be known as
‘*the Confederate relief fund,’? to be used and paid out as hereinafter
provided.

2. The levy, when made, shall be collected by the county and city
treasurer as other county levies are collected, and the treasurer shall
receive same compensation for collecting and paving out this levy as he
receives for collecting and paying out other county and city levies, and
shall make a scttlement with the board of supervisors and city council
when he settles for other county and city levies in his hands.

3. The county court of each county and corporation court of Lynch-
burg shall, at the April term of said court, appoint annually a commit-
tee of three discreet citizens in each magisterial district in each county,
and in each ward of the city of Ly nehburg, before whom all applications
shall be made for relief under this act; and when applications are made,
the committee shall examine into all the facts surrounding each appli-
cant and make a report in writing to the court, stating all the facts in
each case: provided, if there is a camp of Confederate veterans in the
county and city, the camp may recommend to the court, at the April
term, the committee of three in each magisterial district in the county,
subject, of course, to the approval of the court.

4. The applications for relief must be filed and reports made by the
committees on or before the first day of June of each year, and the court
at the June term shall examine into all the applications and reports and
decide on each one, whether aid should be given or not; if aid should be
given, how much to each. The court shall require the committee to be
in attendance when the applications and reports are heard, and also the
applicants, if possible for them to attend.

5. The court shall cause to be certified to the board of supervisors and
city council the approximate amount to be levied for, as the annual levy
(should the board in its discretion see fit to make the levy), for the Con-
federate relief fund.

6. Should the board of supervisors and city council in their discretion
make the levy it shall be certified to the county court and corporation
court of Lynchburg, stating the amount levied forthe Confederate relief
fund, and the county court and corporation court of Lynchburg at the
October term of the court distribute the said amount among the appli-
cants, giving to each such an amount as the facts and circumstances
may require in the discretion of the court, payable at such time and to
whom as the court may see fit and right.

7. The Confederate relief fund in the hands of the treasurer shall be
paid out by the treasurer only on an order of the county court of said
county and corporation court of Lynchburg and these orders to be re-
ceived by the board of supervisors and council of city of Lynchburg
from the treasurer in his annual settlement as proper and legal vouchers.

8. The citizens appointed on the committees above provided for shall
not receive compensation for services rendered under this act, but are re-
quested to serve purely from the respect they have for the Confederate
soldiers and widows of Confederate soldiers.

9. The maimed or disabled or afflicted or needy Confederate soldiers,
sailors or marines who served in the Confederate army or navy during
the war and were honorably discharged therefrom, or the poor and
needy widows of Confederate soldiers w vho died in Confederate service, or
the poor and needy widows of Confederate soldiers who were loyal to
Virginia during the war and have died since the war, and none others
shall receive the benefit of the Confederate relief fund provided for in
this act.

10. The board of supervisors and council of city of Lynchburg shall
not hear or determine any application for relief under this act, but all
applications must be made as provided in this act and no other way:
provided, in case of extreme necessity the county court and corporation
court of city of Lynchburg may require the committee of the district or
ward where the applicant resides to examine into the application and
report, and if the county court should be of the opinion that relief
should be given, then the court or the corporation court of city of
Lynchburg may give an order on the treasurer for the amount, if there
should be a surplus in his hands not otherwise appropriated belonging
to the Confederate relief fund.

11. This act shall] be in force from its passage.