Chap. 528.—An ACT authorizing the voters uf a certain section of
Chesapeake district, Elizabeth City county, to vote fora fence law
and gate across the public road.

Approved March 18, 1884.

1. Beit enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
it shall be the duty of the judge of the county court of Eliza-
beth City county, upon the petition in writing of thirty qual-
ified voters of that portion of Chesapeake district, county of
Elizabeth City, comprising the section of said county in-
cluded between the Chesapeake bay, Back river,- Harris’
creek, and a line beginning at a point on Harris’ creek, on the
line between the lands formerly owned by Whiting and Hol-
ston, and running along that line to the line between the
lands of Rowe and Etheridge ; thence along that line to the
main road ; thence across the main road ; thence continuing
the same line, as a straight line, to the waters of the Chesa-
peake bay, to order the several officers, conducting elections
in Chesapeake district, at the times and places for holding the
first general election thereafter, to prepare a separato ballot:
box for each voting precinct therein, in which shall be de-
posited the ballots ‘of the then qualified voters residing in
that section of Chesapeake district above mentioned and de-
scribed, who shall desire to vote upon the question of continu-
ing or repealing, as to said section of suid district, the act
passed January twenty-six, eighteen hundred and sixty-six,
relating to fences and for the protection of crops.
2. The said ballots shall be respectively as follows: ‘“ For
gate and fencelaw”; “ Against gate and fence law”: provided
that notice of the time and place of voting upon said question
shall be given by posting “he same at the front door of the
courthouse of the county, and at tkree or more public places
within said described district, for thirty days previous to the
day of said election.

3. The manner of receiving and canvassing the ballots cast
at such election on said question, and making returns and ab-
stracts of tho results thereof, shall conform in all respects to
the regulations prescribed by the general election law of this
state, except that the certificates of the judges of election
shall be as follows: We hereby certify that at the election
held , votes were cast for gate and fence law,

and votes against gate and fence law.
A. B. Clerks EK. F.
C. D. oo G. A. + Judges.
L. J.

If from such returns and abstracts of votes, it shall appear
that a majority of the qualified voters within said prescribed
district or section of said county voting upon the question, are
in favor of the gate and fence law, then the fence law of the
state shall be in force in that por tion of the said Chesapeake
district above mentioned and described, bounded by Chesa-
peake bay, Back river, and the line aforesaid, after the first
day of January next; and the county judge of the county of
Elizabeth City shall authorize the said petitioners to erect,
where the line crosses the road, a self-acting or automatic
gate; said gate to be erected and maintained at the cost of
the said petitioners.

4. All acts and parts of acts inconsistent with this act are
hereby repealed.

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