Chap. 256.—An ACT to incorporate the Botetourt Agricultural and
Mechanical association.

Approved May 16, 1887.

Whereas certain persons calling themselves the Botetourt
Avricultural and Mechanical association, have for some time
past been associated together tor the purpose of establishing
and conducting fairs and other exhibitions of the natural and
industrial products of Botetourt and surrounding counties.
acting under a charter of incorporation from the cireuit court
of Botetourt county; and whereas doubt has arisen as to the
levality of said charter; now therefore,

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
J. H. IL. Figeat, Cary Breckenridve, M. W. Camper, John
W. Johnston, William B. Simmons, PH. Allen, W. N. Baker,
D.F. Houston, Alfred Beckley, J. C. Bolton, Henry Bolton,
A. T. Booze, G@. W. Boyer, J. William Boyd, G. W. Brecken-
ridge, Edward Brugh, J. B. Buhrman, H. R. Burger, Peter
Copland, A.C, Cromse, S. B. Crush, J. D. Dickey, Cyrus
Doveett, Allen W. Finch, William A. Glasgow, Junior, J. R.
Godwin. James Godwin, ‘Michael Gray bill, J. 'F. Hammett,
William B. Ilayth, . P. Holladay, L. Housman, Junior, C.
M. Hutt, C. T. James, G. H. Johnson, Jacob G. Layman, C.
Kk. Layman, J. O. Luster, A. M. McClintic, K. J. McCulloch,
James McDow ell, Thomas Miller, G. W. F. Nace, W. N.
Mitchell, P. H. Peck, Jacob Peters, A. G. Preston, C. T.
Price, W. R. Roder John Ross, J. P. Saul, J. N. Slicer, J. G.
Sperry, George Swann, C. W. Switzer, J. R. Thompson, R.
K. Thompson, W. Tayor Thrasher, Moses Watkins, R. S.
Whitten, A. A. Woodson, C. B. Mooman, or such of them as
accept the provisions of this charter, and their associates and
successors, be and they are hereby constituted and made a
body corporate and politic by the name and style of the
Botetourt Agricultural and Mechanical association, and by
that name and style shall have all the rights, powers, and
privileges conferred by and be subject to all of the provisions
of chapters fifty-six and fifty-seven of the Virginia Code ot
eighteen hundred and seventy-three, as far as vapplicable to
and not inconsistent with the provisions of this act.

2. Tho capital stock of said company shall not be less than
one thousand nor more than twenty thousand dollars, and
shall be divided into shares of five dollars each. No person
shall hold more tban fifty shares of said stock.

3. Such of the corporators as accept the provisions of this
charter, shall subscribe at the least for the said minimum
amount of capital stock: provided however, that all stocks
issued under the charter granted by the circuit court shall be
as valid as stock issued under this act, and the holders of the
same shall be subject to like liabilities and entitled to like
rights and privileges, and all acts done and contracts entered
into under said charter are hereby made valid and binding.

4. No stockholder shall be under any liability, except to
pay, to the company the par value of the stock subscribed for
y bim.

5. The annual meeting of the corporation shall be held in
the town of Fincastle on the second Monday in March in
each year, or at such other time as the stockholders in gene-
ral meeting may appoint, and in all meetings of the stock-
holders, one vote may be cast in person or by proxy for each
sbare of stock by the holder thereof. At such meeting there
shall be elected a president, three vice-presidents, a secretary
and treasurer, and an executive committee of five members,
who shall hold their offices tora term of one year and until
their successors are elected, and shall constitute the board of
directors, to whom shall be entrusted the control of the
affairs of the association during their continuance in office
under such restrictions and limitations as may be prescribed
by the by-laws.

6. The purposes of said corporation shall be to hold fairs at
stated times in the county of Botetourt, for the promotion of
the material interests and social enjoyment of the agricultural
and industrial classes of the people, by the exhibition, sale,
and interchange of agricultural, mechanical, and domestic
products, live stock, works of art, minerals, and other com.
modities, by exhibition of all lawful sports and amusements,
and by the award of premiums for excellence of quality in
articles and for the speed of horses.

7. And to enable the said corporation to carry out the
purposes aforesaid, it shall have the power to charge for the
admission of persons and property to its grounds; to charge
entrance fees to exhibitors of property; to sell special privi-
leges on its grounds at its fairs; and to own and dispose of
property, real and personal, in all respects as a natural per-
son: provided that it shall not, at any one timo, own more
than one hundred acres of land.

8. The board of supervisors of Botetourt county, in laying
the county levy for any year, may provide a fund, not ex-
ceeding five cents for each inhabitant of the county, as shown
by the next preceding census, to be paid over in each case to
the Botetourt Agricultural and Mechanical association, and
to be expended in suitable prizes to be offered at tho fair or
other exhibitions conducted by the corporation.

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