Chap. 250.—An ACT to Incorporate the North River Railroad Company.

Approved March 21, 1872.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
George W. Berlin, John W. Allemong, Edward J. Armstrong,
Thomas Shumate, Joseph Dinkel, Pelse S. Roller, George H.
Dinges, John F. Crawn, George Kiser, David A. Plecker,
Michael Lindon, Lewis C. Whitescarver, Henry B. Harnsberger,
William A. Maupin, Manassas Blackburn, Daniel Boone, J.
Davis Craig, John Carpenter, Thomas Burke, James W. Long,
Solomon Garber and John M. Miller, or such of them as may
accept the provisions of this act, and such persons and corpo-
rations as may become associated with them in the manner
hereinafter provided, shall be and they are hereby constituted
& body politic and corporate by the name of the North River
Railroad Company, and by that name shall have all the powers,
nghts and franchises necessary and proper to locate, construct
and maintain a railroad to be known as the North River Rail-
road, to begin at some point on the Shenandoah Valley railroad
at or near the town of Port Republic or at some point on the
Valley railroad near Mount Crawford, and to run thence by the
most practicable route through or near the town of Mount
Crawford to the town of Bridgewater.

2. That the capital stock of said company shall not exceed
the sum of five hundred thousand dollars, to be divided into
shares of one hundred dollars each, and whenever fifty shares
shall have been subscribed, under the direction of any three of
the corporators hereinbefore named, the subscribers may organ-
ize the company by electing a president and board of directors,
and electing or appointing such other officers as may be neces-
sary for the management of the affairs of the company; and
thereupon they shall have and exercise all the general powers
and functions of a corporation and be subject to all the restric-
tions imposed by the laws of this state, applicable to internal
improvement companies, except so far as the same may be
changed or modified by this act.

3. The capital stock of said company may be increased from
time to time by the board of directors, to such amount as they
may deem necessary for the interest of the company, not exceed-
ing the maximum capital stock prescribed in this act; and the
board of directors of said company, to fully construct and
equip said railway, shall also have power to issue bonds in such
sums, not less than one hundred dollars each, and bearing
interest not exceeding the rate now allowed by law, payable,
principal and interest, at such times and places and in such
manner as may be deemed most advantageous to said company,
and may secure the same by one or more mortgages on the
road, franchises, income and the real and personal property of
the company, or such parts thereof as may be designated in

the mortgage or mortgages.
4. That it shall be lawful for the said company to acquire, in
subscriptions to the capital stock of said company, or by dona-
tion or otherwise, lands, mines, property, materials or labor,
and to receive subscriptions from other companies, associations
and corporations, and make such arrangements as shall be
mutually agreed upon by the respective boards of direction of
such companies, associations and corporations, for the endorse-
ment of, sale and exchanve of stock and bonds as to increase
facilities for a speedy completion of said road, and the said
company may sell, lease or otherwise dispose of any lands or
other property acquired under this section at their pleasure.

5. The said railroad company shall have power to build
branch and lateral roads, not excceding ten miles each in length,
from their main line, to connect with any mines, lands, works
or manufactories owned or operated by the said company.

6. The said company shall allow any railroad already built,
or which may hereafter be built, to connect with its road; and
said company shall have the right to connect with, and to cross
either at or under or above grade, any railroad now or hereaf-
ter to be constructed in the vicinity of the route thereof. No
discrimination shall be made in the charges of said company

-acainst the trade and travel of any connecting work; but it
shall jointly, with such connecting company or companies make
suitable arrangements for the convemicut transfer of freights

| from one road to the other, and the gauge permitting, for a
free interchange of freight cars upon re: asonable terms; ‘and no
discrimination shall be made in the char ges of any connecting
work against the trade and travel of the said company. And

aif the connecting companies shall not be able to agree upon
terms as to such connection and transfer of cars and freight,
and as to arrangements fora fair pro-rating of charges, “tho
question shall be referred to the board of public works, and its
decision shall be binding upon the parties.

7. That said company may enter into arrangements with any
company connecting therewith, whether such company connect
at either terminus or at any other point along its line, for the
use of the necessary rolling stock, to be furnished to said com-

fpany, or for the lease of its road for a term not exeeeding
twenty years upon any one contract of lease, or may contract

rfor the sale and transfer of all its property, rights, charter,
franchises and stock to any such connecting company: pro-
vided, such sale or transfer be confirmed at any gencral meet-
ing by three-fifths of all the stockholders of said Nor th River
Railroad Company.

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