CHAP. 22.—An ACT to authorize the city of Fredericksburg to pro-
vide for supplying the city with war.

Approved March 28, 1879.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That .
notwithstanding any prohibition against the increase of the ,
debt of the city of Fredericksburg contained in the charter of:
said city, which is to be voted upon at the election in May
next, or in any other act of assembly, it shall be lawful for
said city of Fredericksburg to provide for supplying said city,
or the inhabitants thereof, with a suitable and adequate supply
of water, by leasing, or the purchase and enlargement or im-
provement of suitable water-works, or the erection of the same ;
and to that end to borrow money and issue and negotiate the
bonds of said city for the same to the extent of thirty thou-
sand dollars.

2. Said bonds shall be known and designated ag Fredericks: |
burg water bonds; they shall be registered, or coupon be.-ds,
as may be determined by the city council of said city; shall be
issued in such denominations, and bear such rate of interest,
not exceeding seven per centum per annum, as may be deter-
mined by said council, The principal of said bends shall be |
payable thirty years after the first day of January, eighteen |
rundred and seventy-nine, or upon the call of said city at any
time after ten years from said date, and the interest shall be -
payable semi-annually; they shall bear the corporate seal of |
said city, shall be signed by the mayor thereof and counter:
signed by the clerk of said council, and shall have printed on
the face or back thereof the ststement that they are issued pur-
suant to the provisions of this act and the ratification of the
voters of said city as prescribed herein. Said bonds shall be
negotiated or sold in such manner as may be prescribed by said
council, and they may be so negotiated or sold at less than
par: provided that only so much money shall be borrowed
hereunder, and such amount of said bonds issued therefor, as
may be necessary for the purposes herein declared; and no
money shall be borrowed, nor any of said bonds issued there-
for, unless and until a plan or scheme for supplying said city
with water shall be agreed upon and adopted by the council
thereof and ratified by the vote of the qualified voters of said
city as hereinafter provided.

&d. The control and management of such water-works shall
be under the direction of said council, to be exercised by itself
or through such committees or agencies as if may adopt. And
said council shall prescribe and regulate the rates of rents to
be paid for the use of water furnished by the city; may im-
pose fines and penalties for the injury or abuse of said works
or property connected therewith, or for the misuse or abuse of
the water-privileges furnished by said city; and may enforce
and collect such fines and penalties and the water rents, by
distress or otherwise, as said council may determine.
4. The revenues derived from the water rents, and the fines
and penalties collected pursuant to the third section hereof
shall, after paying the running expenses of said water works,
be appropriated towards the payment, first, of the interest on
the bonds herein authorized to be issued. next to providing a
sinking fund for the liquidation of said bonds, and then to such
objects as said council may determine. But to provide for
keeping up and running said works, and the payment of the
interest and principal of said bonds, said council shall, in aid
and supplement to said revenues, levy and collect taxes on any
or all subjects which it is now or may hereafter be authorized
to tax; and said council may also secure the payment of the
principal and interest of said bonds by a mortgage or deed of
trust upon all the works, rights and properties which may be
erected, built, or acquired under this act. The sinking fund to
be provided for the liquidation of said bonds shall not be less
than one per centrum per annum upon the amount of said bonds
outstanding.

5. For the purpose of erecting, building, enlarging or im-
proving water works as aforesaid, and laying the pipes there-
from. said city may acguire by purchase or otherwise, and hold
such real or personal property within or without said city as may
be necessary therefor; and may have such lands within or with-
out the said city necessary for such purposes condemned by
proceeding before the proper tribunal having jurisdiction over
the same, in the manner prescribed by the general laws of the
state for condemning lands for other works of internal improve-
ment.

6. After said council shall have matured and adopted a
scheme or plan for supplying said city with water as aforesaid,
it shall submit such scheme or plan to the qualified voters of
said city, at such time and in such manner as said council may
prescribe, for their ratification or rejection. Atleast ten days’
notice of the time and manner of such election shall be given
by publication in newspapers published in said city, and hand-
bills posted therein; and the result thereof shall b2 ascertained
and declared in the manner to be prescribed by said council,
and shall be proclaimed by the mayor by publication. If at
such election, three-fifths of the qualified voters of said city,
Who shall vote on said scheme or plan, embracing a majority of
the freeholders of said city so voting thereon, shall appear fo
be in favor of such scheme or plan, it shall be declared ratified,
otherwise it shall be declared rejected, and this act shall be
void; and such vote shall be taken within twelve months from
the date of the approval of this act, and not thereafter.

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