Chap. 139.—An ACT for the Encouragement of Land Purchasers and
actual Settlers in Virginia, and to repeal an Act approved March 29,
1878, entitled an Act for the Encourgement of Immigation.

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Approved March 2, 1875.

Whereas it is manifest that in order to the restoration anid
improvement of our agriculture, the development. of our
numerous mineral resources, the introduction and- support ot
manufacturing industry, and the fixed and permanent estab-
lishment of a population corresponding with the capacity of
our vast and sparsely populated territory, it is eminently
expedient for us at this time to invite the population of other
states, both American and Eyropean, to fix their homes and
invest their capital amongst us; and whereas, also, it is
necessary in order to this end, that the inhabitants of dis-
tant countries should be particularly advised and informed
of our form of government,.and of the numerous advantages
of climate, soil, and productions which are here offered to
foreigners seeking settlement in other countries; and where-
as many active and efficient agencies already exist within
and without the state, capable and desirous of givirg a wide
distribution to such authentic publications as the state may
make of her great resources, and her unrivalled inducements
to settlers from foreign states and states of the Union; now,
therefore, the more effectually to diffuse the information
aforesaid for the purposes aforesaid, and for the objects of
this act,

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly, That for the
purposes of this act, the governor of Virginia, speaker of
the. house, secretary of the commonwealth, auditor of public
accounts, and treasurer, are hereby constituted a permanent
state board. The governor shall be president of the board,
and upon his call they shall assemble for the transaction of
business at the capitol, at least once in every month, a ma-
jority to constitute a quorum; and they are hereby invested
with the powers and charged with the duties herein pre-
scribed. |

2. The board may, from time to time, as they deem expe-
dient and necessary to carry out the purposes of this act,
cause to be printed in pamphlet form or otherwise, under
the supervision of the superintendent of public printing,
such information as they deem judicious and necessary, with
such maps attached as may best serve to explain the geo-
graphical and commercial relations of this state, and mark
her lines of internal and external communications, for gra-
tuitous distribution.

3. When the board shall have secured a summary as au-
thorized by the act passed March twenty-ninth, eighteen
hundred and seventy-three, they may cause an edition of
the same to be printed in pamphlet form, under the super-
vision of the superintendent of public printing, in whole or
in part, with such modifications as they deem best for the
purposes of this act; and from time to time, as the demand
may justify and require, may cause other editions to be pub-
lished, and may enlarge or diminish the contents, or other-
wise modify the matter and style of publication as to them
shall seem best: provided however, that at no time shall any
publication be authorized which shall exceed in cost the
actual amount to the credit of the fund in the hands of the
treasurer of the commonwealth appropriated for the pur-
poses of this act; and the said publications provided for in
this section, and such other publications as the board may
publish, collated from the said summary or from the reports
numbers one and two of Commodore Maury, The Physical
Survey of Virginia, or from The Geological Survey of Vir-
ginia, by Professor* William B. Rogers, shall be delivered to
the sccretary of the board, who shall deposit the same in
his office, make an announcement of the fact of publication,
piace of deposit, and terms of sale, through the public press,
and furnish copies to any person or association who may
desire them for distribution, at rates equivalent to the cost
of publication.

4. All sums of money authorized to be expended by the
provisions of this act, shall be paid out of the fund herein-
after created, by warrant of the auditor of public accounts,
upon the order of the board, and all proceeds of sales col-
lected by the secretary of the board shall be deposited by
him in the treasury to the credit of said fund.

5. The register of the land office shall be secretary to the
board, and shall keep a record of their proceedings. He
shall likewise keep a separate account of his transactions as
authorized and required in the foregoing sections of this act,
and make report annually to the general assembly.

6. All publications made by authority of this act shall be
authenticated by the governor, under the seal of the state,
and issue as by authority and direction of the commonwealth
of Virginia.

7. The board may appoint agents in this and foreign coun-
tries, fix their compensation, and prescribe their duties, and
make arrangements for the transportation, reception, care,
proper treatment, and protection of settlers, and for facili-
tating them.to their respective destinations.

8. The said board may contract with the owners of real
estate, or with licensed land agents who have or may here-
after contract for the sale of lands peron ging to others, and
any land association, for the sale of all lands that may be
entrusted to them for that purpose; and to this end they
Shall keep a registry in its office of all such real estate and
other property thus entrusted to them for sale, with a full
and accurate description thereof. And the said board shall
haye authority to adopt and prescribe all such rules and
regulations as may be deemed necessary to facilitate the
object of such board; and may require, for the purpose of
defraying the expenses of said board, the payment to it of a
fixed or graduated per centage upon all sales effected through
its instrumentality, care being taken that such arrangements
shall be just and fair to all parties concerned, and to all sec-
tiédns of the state. .

9. For the carrying out of the purposes of this act, there
is hereby appropriated and set apart, in addition to an
funds in the hands of the board of immigration, to the credit
of said board, and payable upon its requisitions from time to
time, as the same may be needed, the sum of ten thousand
dollars, payable upon the warrants of the auditor of public
accounts, upon the treasurer of the state, out of any money
in the treasury not otherwise appropriated; and the said
board shall not have the power to make its expenditures, on
any account whatever, to exceed the said appropriation.
The treasurer of the commonwealth shalt be the treasurer
of the board. The board may fix the compensation and pre-
scribe the duties of its secretary, and he shall give such bond
as the board may require.

10. It shall not be lawful for any officer or employee, in
any manner connected with this board herein provided for,
to. speculate in any lands, or receive any eommission or com-
pensation, directly or indirectly, other than that allowed
under the provisions of this act.

11. The board shall report to the general assembly annu-
ally the number of immigrants settled in the state, from
what county they have emigrated, and where: settled, and
the salaries paid its officers.

12. The act of the twenty-ninth of March, eighteen hun-
dred and seventy-three, so far as it creates a board of immi-
gration, and as to'all of its provisions inconsistent with this
act, is hereby repealed.

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

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