CHAP. 223.—An ACT to incorporate Walker’s Creek Bridge and
Turnpike Company.

Approved March 6, 1880.

Whereas it is represented that so much of the turnpike road
of the Pulaski and Giles Turnpike company as lies between
the ten-mile post and Giles Courthouse has been sold, and that
the residue of said road has been abandoned by the company,
and that the bridge over Walker’s big creek, on said road, has
been swept away by high waters; therefore,

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly, That it shall be
lawful to open books at the store house of M. A. Barbee, in the
county of Giles, under the superintendence and direction of
William Bane, Andrew G. Bane and G. C. Blackburn, and at
Poplar Hill, in said county, under the superintendence and di-
rection of Samuel B. Shannon, T. H. Rorer and William F.
Eaton, and at Giles Courthouse, under the superintendence and
direction of Absolem Fry, Granville H. Dills and George W.
Kasley, any two of whom named at the respective places may
act, ten days’ public notice having been given of the time by ad-
vertisements publicly posted at said places, for receiving subscrip-
tions, not less than two thousand nor more than three thousand
dollars, divided into shares of ten dollars each, for the purpose
of repairing the road in turnpike order from the said ten-mile
post to the Pulaski county line, and for the purpose of building
a substantial bridge suitable for the demands of all travel and
trade across Walker’s big creek, in the county of Giles, at the
point where the bridge lately was.

2. So soon as two hundred shares shall have been subscribed
for, the acting commissioners shall call a general meeting of
the subscribers at some convenient place in the county of
Giles, publishing notice of the time and place of such meeting
for at least ten days, by advertisements publicly posted in at least.
three public places in said county; and thereupon, upon two-
fifths of said subscriptions being represented in said meeting,
either in person or by proxy, the said subscribers and such
others as may thereafter be associated with them as stock-
holders shall be and are hereby incorporated and made a body
politic under the name and style of The Walker’s Creek Bridge
and Turnpike Company, and by that name may sue and be
sued, and have all the powers, right and privileges, and be sub-
ject to all the duties and restrictions prescribed for joint stock
companies by the fifty-sixth and fifty-seventh chapters of the
Code of Virginia, eighteen hundred and seventy-three, and by
all general laws since enacted upon corporations generally, and
also by the sixty-fourth chapter of the Code of eighteen hun-
dred and seventy-three, so far as the same may be applicable
and so far as not changed by this act.

8. The said company shall, within the time now prescribed
by law, proceed to have said portion of road hereinbefore de-
scribed put in thorough repair in manner as provided by said
chapter, and not of less width than sixteen feet, nor greater
grade than five degrees; and shall also construct over said
ereek, in time now prescribed by law in such cases, a good and
substantial bridge, upon stone abutments and piers, and of not
less than twelve feet in width in the clear, and suited for the
accommodation and convenience of foot, horse, wagon and
stock travel, and to be covered or not, as company may elect,
and to be provided with suitable aprons for ingress to and
egress from said bridge. If not covered, it shall be provided
with strong and substantial hand-railing not less than four and
a half feet high, aud so fixed as to prevent animals crossing on
the bridge from passing off under the railing, and shall extend
the whole length of the bridge, and also of the aprons of the
bridge, and shall be provided for the aprons even though the
bridge itself be covered; and the aprons shall be of sufficient
height and extend far enough from the bridge to prevent the
flow of water from the creek passing over any part of them.

4. After the completion of said road and bridge, it shall be
lawful for said company to apply to the county court of Giles
county to appoint three disinterested and competent citizens
and voters of said county to view said road and bridge, who,
being first duly sworn for the purpose, shall view said road and
bridge, and report in writing to said court whether said bridge
and road are completed according to the provisions of this act;
and upon said report and such other evidence as the court may
deem proper to hear for or against the application, the court, if
it be satisfied that said road and bridge are completed accord-
ing to the provisions of this act, may fix the rate of toll, not
exceeding those prescribed by the thirteenth section of chapter
sixty-one, Code eighteen hundred and seventy-three, for a sec-
tion of ten miles of turnpike road, and authorize said company
.to demand and receive the same for passing over said road and
bridge. ,

5. Upon complaint to said court by any citizen of the county,
at any time after the said company shall have been authorized
to receive said tolls, that said road and bridge, or either of
them, are not in proper condition, and are not kept up in ac-
cordance with the provisions of this act, or that said bridge is
not safe for travel, it shall be the duty of said court to appoint
three disinterested citizens and voters of said county to view
said road and bridge, or either of them, who shall, after being
first duly sworn for the purpose, view said bridge and road, or
either of them, whether said bridge or road, or either, be kept
and maintained according to the provisions of this act, or
whether the said bridge be unsafe for travel, and make thereof
report to said court; and upon said report and such other com-
petent evidence as may be produced before it, either by the
person making the complaint or by the company, if the court
be satisfied that said road and bridge, or either of them, be not
kept in proper condition, or are not kept up and maintained
according to the provisions of this act, or that said bridge is
not safe, it shall suspend and forbid the taking of tolls on the.
same until the company shall restore the said road and bridge
to the condition required by this act in all respects; and after
being so restored, the said company, before demanding or re
ceiving toll on said bridge and road, shall apply to the court o
the said county, and the said court shall proceed as provider
for by the fifth section of this act.

6. After said tolls shall have heen fixed as provided for b)
previous sections, upon the application of any five citizens
voters of the county, that the rates allowed are too much, it
shall be lawful for the said court to cause the president or any
other officer of said company to be summoned before it to show
cause why said rates should not be lowered ; and upon service
of said notice, and after hearing the parties and such evidence
as may be produced, may lower said rates or refuse to do so, as
to it may seem proper, and make such order in regard to the
payment of costs as may seem right. From the determination
of the court the company may of right appeal to the circuit
court, which may correct any error either in the proceedings or
in fixing the rates, should it be of opinion that they have been
lowered below what is proper.

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