Chap. 125.—An ACT to incorporate the West Norfolk and Carolina
railway company.

Approved May 2, 1887.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
S. B. Carney and William F. Wise, of Nortolk county; R. B.
Cooke, of Norfolk city; B. D. Tillar, of Greenesville county,
and Thomas M. Hodsres, of Portsmouth city, their associates,
successors, and assigns, ‘be and they are hereby declared a
body politic and corporate, by the name and style of the
West Norfolk and Carolina railway company, for the purpose
of locating, constructing, equipping, maintaining, and ope-
rating a railway from some suitable point on the Elizabeth
river or the western branch of said river, at or near its mouth,
in the county of Norfolk, State of Virginia, to some suitable
point on the North Carolina line east ‘of the Roanoke river.

2. Said company may bnild its road by such route as it
may deem most advantazeous and expedient, and shall have
the right to cross any navigable stream in its route: provided
a draw sufficient not to impede navigation is placed in its
bridges over such streams, and shall have the further right
to build branch tracks of twenty miles length through such
routes as said company may deem necessary for the success-
ful operation of its road.

3. Said company shall have (subject to the provisions of
section twenty-five, chapter fifty-six, Code of Virginia, eigh-
teen hundred and seventy-three,) the right to cross at grade
over or under, intersect, join, or unite its railway with any
other railway, now built or constructed, or hereafter to be
built or constructed, at any point on its route upon the
grounds of such railway company with necessary turnouts,
sidin«s. switches, and other conveniences in furtherance of
the object of its construction. But the said railway company
shall not lay its tracks across the tracks of any other railway
company at grade, until the terms and plans of such crossing
have been agreed to by such other roads, and should said rail-
roads not be able to agree upon the terms and plans of such
crossing, the question shall be submitted to arbitration of
persons, one selected by each party, and the arbitrators fail-
ing to agreo, they shall call in an umpire to decide between
them.

4. The said West Norfolk and Carolina railway company
shall have perpetual succession and a common seal, which it
may renew or alter at pleasure, and it shall be entitled to all
the rights and privileges conterred, and subject to all the re-
strictions imposed by the laws of Virginia, as far as the same
are applicable and not inconsistent with this act.

5. It shall be lawful for said company to acquire in sub-
scription to the capital stock of said company, or by dona-
tion, money, land or other damages, labor, work, material,
bonds, and other means availabie for that purpose; and to
receive subscriptions from individuals, other companies, asso-
ciations, or corporations: provided that corporations char-
tered under the laws of Virginia and doing business within
the limits of this commonwealth, shall not be allowed to
make such subscriptions; and the said company may sell,
lease, or otherwise dispose of any lands or properties ac-
quired under this section: provided this section shall not
be so construed as to authorize said company to acquire, by
purchase or otherwise, in any county or corporation, more
land than is necessary for the operation of said company as
a& common carrier.

6. It shall be lawful for any incorporated company to aid
in the construction of said railway, and for that purpose may
acquire the bonds of said company; and it may run, use, or
operate, by lease or otherwise, any railway or transportation
line upon such terms as may be agreed upon,

7. The capital stock of said company shall not be less than
one hundred thousand dollars, nor more than one million dol-
Jars, divided into shares of one hundred dollars each. In all
mectings of the stockholders, each share shall be entitled to
one vote. Said company may, with the consent of a majority
of the stockholders, increase its capital stock from time to
time to an amount necessary for coustructing and operating
such railway; such increase to be made at a regular or called
mecting for the purpose, and upon such notice as may be ne-
cessary and proper.

8. Said company shall have power to borrow money to
such an amount as it may deem proper and necessary, and to
issue for any loan, debentures, or bonds of tbe company,
bearing interest at such rates per annum as the company
may determine. Said debentures may be expressed in dol-
lars or pounds sterling; and to secure the payment of such
loan or loans, said company may exccute one or more mort-
gages or deeds of trust on the whole or any part of its prop-
erty, real, personal, and mixed, its charter rights, franchise,
and income.

9. The corporators herein mentioned shall have the power
and authority of a president and board of directors, for the
purpose of organization of said company, and for all other
purposes, until a president and board of directors shall be
selected at a stockholders’ meeting; and such meeting shall
bo held after such notice as tho said incorporators may deem
proper. The said incorporators may elect one of their
number chairman, who shall have all the powers and author-
ity of president of said company, and in all matters a majority
of said incorporators shall control.

10. The said West Norfolk and Carolina railway company
shall commence work under this act within one year, and
complete the same within five years from the passage of this
act, otherwise this act shall be null and void.

11. This charter shall, at all times hereafter, be subject to
amendment or repeal at the pleasure of the general assembly ;
and it is agreed that said corporation takes and accepts this
charter of incorporation upon the express understanding and
condition that tho said corporation will pay all taxes, dues,
and demands due the State, at any time hereafter, in lawful
money of the United States, and will not tender or pay cou-
pons therefor.

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