Chap. 56.—An ACT to amend and re-enact section one of the Charter of
the Town of Chatham, Pittsylvania County.

Approved February 10, 1876.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
the first section of an act entitled an act to amend the char-
ter of the town of Chatham, in Pittsylvania county, approved
April twenty-four, eighteen hundred and seventy-four, be
amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows:

§1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia,
That the town of Chatham, in the county of Pittsylvania,
as the same is or may hereafter be laid off into lots, streets,
and alleys, shall be and the same is hereby made a town cor-
porate by the name of Chatham; and by that name shall
have and exercise the powers conferred upon towns by the
fifty-fourth chapter of the Code of Virginia, (edition of eigh-
teen hundred and Seventy: three), and be subject to all the
provisions of said Code and to all laws now in force or which
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may hereafter be enacted in reference to the government of
towns of less than five thousand inhabitants, so far as the
same are not inconsistent with the provisions of this act.
But,the board of council of said town shall not have power
to assess or levy any tax on real or personal estate within
said corporation, or any license tax, except a license tax on
shows, circuses, and other exhibitions, exhibiting within said
corporation or within one inile thereof: provided, that this.
restriction shall not be censtrued as depriving the said coun-
cil of power to assess or levy a property tax or license tax for
the payment of any debt theretofore contracted by said cor-
poration: and provided further, that it shall not be construed
as prohibiting a tax on dogs, or the imposition of fines and
other penalties for the violation of the ordinances of said
town. The board of council of said town sball not have
power togreate any debt for and on behalf of said corpora-
tion; and the said council shall apply the funds now on hand,
or to be collected under assessments or levies heretofore or-
dered, to the payment of debts or liabilities now existing
against said corporation; and the residue, if any, after pay-
ment of said debts and liabilities, the said council shall apply

to the improvement of the streets of said town.

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