Chap. 382.—An ACT to incorporate the town of Hampton, in Eliza-
beth City county, Virginia.

Approved May 23, 1887.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
the town of Hampton, in the county of Elizabeth City, as
the same has been or may be laid off into lots, streets, and
alleys, shall be and the same is hereby made a town corpo-
rate by the name of Hampton; and by that name shall have
and exercise all the powers, rights, and privileges and immu-
nities, and be subject to all the provisions of chapter fifty-
four of the Code of Virginia of eighteen hundred and sev-
enty-three, as they now exist or may hereafter be enacted so
far as the same relates to towns of less than five thousand
inhabitants, and are not in conflict with the provisions of this
act.

2. That the boundaries of said town shall be as follows:
Beginning at the old sycamore tree on West Queen street,
and running thence due south to a point in the middle of
Chapel street in little England; thence east along the middle
of Chapel street and across the King road until the line
strikes a part of Hampton river; thence around the shore of
Hampton river to Pee Dee Point to a point due east from the
middle of Union street; thence west to North King street at
the middle of Union street; thence west along the middle of
Union street to a point due north from the old sycamore tree
on West Queen street; thence south to the old sycamore tree,
the place of beginning.

3. That the said town shall be divided into three wards, as
follows: All that part of the town lying south of the middle
of Queen strect, shall be the first ward; all that part of the
town lying north of the middle of Queen street and east of
the middle of King street, shall be the second ward; all that
part of the town Tying north of the middle of Queen street
and west of the middle of King street, shall be the third
ward.

4. There shall be elected on the fourth Thursday in May,
eighteen hundred and eighty-seven, and every two years
thereafter, two electors from each of the three wards, who
shall be denominated the councilmen of the said town; and
the said councilmen shall eléct from among their own number
or from the citizens of the town, a mayor for said town. The
councilmen and mayor shall constitute the council of said
town; they shall enter upon the duties of their office on the
first day of July next succeeding their election, and shall con-
tinue in office until their successors are elected and qualified.

5. The said town shall be a separate magisterial district,
and the elections provided for in section four of this act shall
be conducted by the same officers that are now or may here-
after be provided by law to conduct the elections for county
and district officers: provided that not more than one of the
judges of election shall be appointed from any one ward, and
the registrar shall hst the voters residing in each ward sepa-
rately. The voters from each ward shall vote for two coun-
cilmen from their own ward, and for none other. The coun-
cil shall make all necessary rules for receiving and depositing
the ballots cast for town officers; shall provide separate ballot
boxes for the same, on which boxes the word “town” shall be
painted or printed in letters not less than one and a half
inches in length.

6. The councilmen and mayor shall serve without pay,
except tle fees secured to them by law when acting in their
capacity as con3ervators of the peace.

7. The taxes levied by the council for town purposes, shall
not exceed in any one year fifty cents on the one hundred
dollars of assessed valuation; and no corporate debt for the
current expenses of said town shall be contracted beyond
what may be paid within one year from said levies.

8. For the purpose of making permanent improvements on
the streets and roadways of said town, and the purchase of
apparatus for extinguishing fires, and providing water for the
same, the council of suid town may issue bonds of the town
to an amount not exceeding ten thousand dollars; said bonds
shall be coupon bonds of not less than one hundred dollars
or more than five hundred dollars each, payable in not less
than five or more than thirty years, and fearing interest at
a rate not exceeding six per centum per annum; which said
bonds shall be signed by the mayor and attested by the town
clerk, and shall have the seal of the said town affixed thereto.
The said bonds shall be sold for not less than the face value
thereof, and the coupons for interest due thereon shall be re-
deemable at maturity, and receivable for all taxes and other
debts due the said town. The council and their successors in
office shall provide for the payment of the annual interest on
said bonds, and for the redemption of the principal at matu-
rity, and the faith and property of the town are pledged for
the prompt payment of the principal and interest of said
bonds. The said coupons and bonds shall be redeemable at
the office of the treasurer of the said town, and when paid
by him or received for taxes, shall be canceled and destroyed
under such rules as the council may provide.

9. The council of said town shall elect from the electors of
said town, a town sergeant, whose duties and powers shall be
the same that are now or may héreafter be provided by law,
or by ordinance of the council of said town.

10. The council of said town shall elect from the electors
of said town one person, who shall be denominated the town
clerk. His duties shall be to keep a correct record of all the
proceedings of the council; to provide the requisite books
and stationery; to make out a list of the property and per-
sons to be taxed within the limits of the town, and fix the
valuation of the same as determined by the officers of the
State for State taxation; to issue tickets for taxes levied by
the council, which tickets he shall deliver to the treasurer of
the town when ordered by the council, and perform such
other duties and execute such bonds with such security as
the council may prescribe.

11. The treasurer of Elizabeth City county shall be ex-
officio the treasurer of the said town, and shall be liable to
the said town on his bonds given to the county for any loss
accruing to said town by reason of his acts as treasurer of
said town. He shall collect and disburse the town levies as
ordered by the council.

12. The residents of the town shall not be directly or indi-
vidually taxed for road purposes by the county.

13. The town may use the courthouse and jail of Elizabeth
City county for the purposes of the town government; but
this section shall not be construed to prevent the judge of the
county court from having control of the courthouse as pro-
vided by law.

14. J. 8. Darling and J. W. Richardson, from the first ward ;
A. D. Wallace and James McMenamin, from the second ward ;
and Luke B. Phillips and John W. Williams, from the third
ward, are hereby declared and appointed councilmen of said
town, to be qualified as prescribed by law, and they shall con-
stitute the council of said town until their successors are
elected and qualified.

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