Chap. 134.—An ACT Authorizing the Board of Supervisors of Buckingham
County, Virginia, to Borrow Money to Rebuild the Courthouse of Said
County, Destroyed by Fire, 1868.

Approved March 15, 1871.

Whereas, the courthouse of Buckingham county, Virginia,
was destroyed by fire in the year eighteen hundred and sixty-
eight, and the administration of justice and preservation of
public records is rendered inconvenient and unsafe by the want
of suitable courthouse and clerk’s office: therefore,

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
the board of supervisors of Buckingham county be and they
are hereby authorized and empowered to issue bonds in the
name of the county of Buckingham, to be known as “ecourt-
house bonds,” for asum not exceeding fifteen thousand dollars,
and to sell tha same, under such conditions as are hereinafter
prescribed; and with the proceeds of such sale, rebuild the
courthouse and clerk’s office of said county, destroyed by fire
in the year eighteen hundred and sixty-eight.

2. It shall be the duty of the board of supervisors to invite,
by publication at each voting precinct in Buckingham county,
and in one or more of the daily papers published at Richmond,
estimates of the probable amount necessary for the erection
and fitting up of suitable courthouse and clerk’s office on the
present site; and if the amount of any estimate, accompanying
an appropriate plan or description of the proposed building,
shall be within the sum of fifteen thousand dollars, then the
board of supervisors shall submit to a vote of the qualified vo-
ters of Buckingham county the question, shall the said board
issue the required amount of bonds; and every ballot cast at
such election which shall have written or printed upon it, “ for
issue of courthouse bonds,” shall be taken and counted as in
favor of such issue; and every ballot which shall have written
or printed upon it, “against issue of courthouse bonds,” shall
be taken and counted as against such issue. The board of su-
pervisors may submit the question toa vote at any general
election; or, if they deem it expedient, at a special election, to
be held at such convenient time as they may designate, after not
less than thirty days’ public notice, which notice shall set forth
the amount of bonds proposed to be issued; and it shall be the
duty of the several officers charged with the conduct of elec-
tions, to open polls, receive and canvass the ballots, and make
returns and abstracts of the result, in conformity with the re-
quirements of the general law governing election of county
officers in this state.

3. That the bonds issued in pursuance of this act shall be
coupon bonds, of not more than fifty dollars each, payable
within not less than ten years nor more than thirty years from
the date thereof, and shall bear interest, payable annually, at a
rate not exceeding twelve per centum per annum; and shall
be signed by the president of the board of supervisors, be at-
tested by the clerk of the county court of Buckingham, and
shall have the seal of said court affixed thereto.

4, The said bonds shall be sold at not less than the par value
thereof, and the coupons, for interest due thereon, shall be re-
ceivable for all taxes and other debts due to the said county of
Buckingham. :

5. The debt so contracted and evidenced by bonds so issued,
shall be levied for by the said board of supervisors, and their
successors In office, upon such subjects of taxation as are or
may be liable by law for the county levy, and the faith and
property of said county is pledged for the punctual payment
of the principal and interest of said bonds, as the same shall
become due. | .

6. The board of supervisors of Buekingham county shall
create a sinking fund for the purpose of extinguishing said
debt, so contracted and evidenced by bonds so issued; which
fund shall be securely invested, or expended in the purchase,
from time to time, as they deem expedient, of courthouse
bonds, issued as hereinbefore provided; but such purchase
price shall in no case exceed the par value thereof, with ac-
crued interest; and in determining the amount of annual levy
to meet the payment of interest and establishment of a sinking
fund, the proportion of such tax levy on account of sinking
fund, shall be in the ratio of amount required to redeem such
bonds at tke date of maturity thereof, and no greater.

7. The treasurer of said county of Buckingham, or his suc-
cessor in office, shall open and keep in the proper books of his
office a separate account, to be designated the “ courthouse
fund” account, in which shall appear an accurate statement of
all moneys received and disbursed on account of erection and
fitting up of said courthouse and clerk’s office, and payment of
interest on bonds for debts contracted, or purchase or pay-
ment, at or before maturity, of bonds issued therefor.

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