Chap. 307.—An ACT Authorizing the Board of Supervisors of Elizabeth
City County to Borrow Money to Rebuild the Court-house of said
County, Destroyed by Fire during the late War.

Approved March 81, 1873.

Whereas, the court-house of Elizabeth City county was de-
stroyed by fire during the late war between the states, and
the jail of the county having already been condemned by the
county court, it has been thought necessary by the board of
supervisors of said county, in order to facilitate the adminis-
tration of justice and to secure the preservation of the public
records, to contract for the rebuilding the same: therefore,

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
it shall be the duty of the several officers conducting elections
in the county of Elizabeth City at the time and places for
holding the general election on the fourth Thursday of May,
eighteen hundred and seventy-three, to prepare a separate bal-
lot box for each voting precinct, in which shall be deposited
the ballots of the then qualified voters who shall desire to vote
upon the question of rebuilding the court-house.

The said ballots shall be respectively as follows:

For rebuilding court-honse.

Against rebuilding court-house.
Kach ballot so cast which shall have written or printed there-
on for rebuilding court-house shall be taken and counted as a
vote for rebuilding said court-house, and each ballot so cast
shall have written or printed thereon against rebuilding said
court-house shall be taken and counted as a vote against the
rebuilding of the said court-house. The manner of receiving
and canvassing the ballots cast at such election on the ques-
tion of rebuilding said court-house and making returns and
abstracts of the results thereof shall conform in all respects to
the regulations prescribed by the general election law of this
state except that the certificate of the judges of election shall
be as follows: We hereby certify that at the election held
votes were cast for rebuilding court-house and
votes were cast against rebuilding court-house.
G.H | A. B.
J. K. chars. C.D. +Judges.

and provided further, that the commissioners of election shall
make, on a separate sheet, an abstract of said votes for and
against the rebuilding of the said court house of Elizabeth City
county, which abstracts shall be duly signed by the said com-
missioners and deposited in the office of the clerk of the county
court of said county. If from such returns and abstracts of
the votes so cast upon the question of rebuilding the said
court-house of Elizabeth City county, it shall appear that a.
majority of the votes cast were for rebuilding said court-house,
the board of supervisors of Elizabeth City county shall issue
bonds in the name of the county of Elizabeth City, to be known
as court-house bonds, for a sum not exceeding fifteen thousand
dollars, and shall sell the same under such conditions as are
hereinafter prescribed, and with the proceeds of such sale pay
for rebuilding the said court-house, jail and other public build-
ings for said county. |

2.. That the bonds issued in pursuance of this act shall be
coupon bonds of not more than one hundred dollars, payable
within not less than five nor more than twenty years from the
date thereof, and shall bear interest, payable annually, at a rate.
not exceeding the legal rate per annum, and shall be signed by
the chairman of the board of supervisors, be attested by the
clerk of the county court of Elizabeth City, and shall have the
seal of the said board affixed thereto.

3. The said bonds shall be sold at not less than ninety cents
on the dollar and the coupons for interest due thereon shall
be redeemable at maturity thereof for all taxes and other debts
due to the said county of Elizabeth City.

4. The debts so contracted and evidenced by bonds so issued
shall be levied for by the board of supervisors and their suc-
cessors 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 are pledged for the punctual payment of the
principal and interest of said bonds as the same shall become
due, and the same when due shall be receivable for county levy
in the same manner that county warrants are now receivable
by law.

5. The board of supervisors of Elizabeth City 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 accrued interest;
and in determining the amount of annual levy to meet the pay-
ment of the interest and establishment of a sinking fund, the
proportion of such tax levy on account of sinking fund shall be in
the rates of amount required to redeem such bonds at the date
of maturity thereof and no greater.

6. The board of supervisors shall provide for the payment of
all necessary expenses attending execution and sale of said
bonds, and shall cause the bonds to be delivered to the trea-
surer of said county, who shall negotiate a sale of the same in
such manner as he may deem best, and shall account for the
same with the said board of supervisors, whenever he shall be
required to do so by them, either at a regular or special meet-
ing of said board, and the said treasurer shall keep in the pro-
per books of his office a separate account, to be designated the
courthouse fund account, in which shall appear accurate state-
ments of all moneys received and disbursed on account of said
fund, and the payment of interest on said bonds, or purchase or
payment at or before maturity of bonds issued under this act;
and the said board may allow to the treasurer of said county
such compensation for his services herein required of him as
they may think proper, ‘provided it does not exceed the sum of
fifty dollars per annum.

7. The coupons for interest upon the bonds issued under
this act shall be redeemable at the office of the treasurer of
Elizabeth City, and when paid by him or received for taxes be
cancelled; but if the board of supervisors deem it proper, they
may direct th® said treasurer {to deposit the money for their
redemption in some banking house in the oity of Norfolk.

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