Chap. 60.—An ACT to incorporate the Manchester railway and im-
provement company.

Approved April 11, 1857.

1. Be it enacted by the ceneral assembly of Virginia, That
James J. RB obertson, € W. Turner, B. B. W eisiver, OC. A.
Jones, James F. Bradley. and I. W. Weisiger, of the city of
Manchester, in the State of Virginia, T homas W. Ackle ‘yoand
George W. Hall. of the city of Philadelphia, in the State of
Pennsy lvania, and John L. Schooleratt and B. HW. Nash, of
the city of Richmond, in the State of Virginia, or any five
of them, and their associates, successors, and assiens, be and
are hereby created a body politic and corporate by the name
of the Manchester Railway and Improvement Company, and
by that name shall have perpetual succession, and may sue
and be sued, plead and be impleaded, may have. make, and
use a common seal and the same alter or change at their
pleasure; may make, ordain, establish, alter or amend such
by-laws, ordinances, and regulations concerning and govern-
ing all points of- organization and business, not lierein spe-
citically provided for, as they may think wise, and generally
may do every act and thing necessary to carry into effect
this act or to promote the objects and designs of this corpo-
ration.

2. The capital stock of said corporation shall not be less
than ten thousand dollars nor more than five hundred thou-
sand dollars, divided into shares of one hundred dollars
each, and five dollars per share shall be paid in’ on each
share subscribed before the company shall commence busi-
ness; the remaining instalments of five dollars each, may
be called in from time to time as may be required by the
board of directors, and the capital stock may be increased
from time to time until the maximum is reached, on such
terms as the stockholders may decide, and at any time the
unsold stock may be sold on the open market or at auction,
or privately: provided that the same be not sold at less than

its par value. Caccle
3. The objects of this corporation are to purchase, hold,
scll, and lease real estate of all kinds, but especially vacant
or unimproved lota and lands in or within ten miles of the
city of Manchester, to encourage immigration and cheaper
rents to the citizens of Manchester and its vicinity, by erect-
ing in or near said city, or on any real estate held by said
company, dwellings and such other buildings and improve-
ments of any kind as said company may wish, and to rent or
sell said real estate or any part thereof on sucb terms as may
be agreed upon; to build and operate street railways or such
other lines of rapid transit as it may wish, and also to lay off.
construct and beautify parks, cemeteries, lakes, docks, and
public grounds, and to give rapid transit to and trom the
sane by any and all means deemed desirable; and further-
more, to purchase, build, contruct or repair bridges, boats,
omnibtusses, vessels, cars, chyines, or any other conveyances
or means of conveyance that the said company may see fit.

4. The real estate to be held (other than what may be
necessary for its railways and road beds,) shall not At any
time exceed two thousand acres in and within ten miles of
the city of Manchester, and such other real estate as may be
mortyaged to the company by way of security or conveyed
in trust to secure said company, and afterwards purchased by
said company, or conveyed to said company in satisfaction of
debts previously contracted or purchased by said company at
sales made to pay or satisfy debts so contracted.

5. The company shall have the privilege of borrowing
money and of issuing and selling its bonds in sums of one
hundred dollars ov any multiple thereof, and running any
length of time from three months to fifty years, and bearing

any rate of interest not exceeding six per centum per annum;

and said company may also have the privilege of securing
the payment of its bonds, if it may so desire, by deeds of
trust or mortgares on all of its property, rights, privileges,
and franchises, or any part thercof:

6. The company shall have the privilege of selling the un-
‘improved lots or lands, or of’ selling the lotsand the buildings
or improvements thereon erec ‘ted, or any of its real estate, on
such terms as may be agreed upon, and may take notes or
bonds secured by ‘deeds of trust of’ individuals, companies, or
corporations for said property. Said company shall also have
full power and authority to sell, encumber, convey, or lease
any of its property, real or personal, on such terms as it may
see fit.

7. Said company may employ an agent to rent or sell real
estate, and to do any business for the company required by
the board of directors, and may pay said agent, who 1s hereby
permitted whenever ordered by the board of directors, to
collect said rents and to make any sales for said company,
asalary for his services; and said company may also in like
manner, sell through said agent or otherwise, any stock,
notes, or other evidences of debt held by said company, or
any of its other personal property on such terms and at such
prices as the said company may be willing to accept.
8 To more fully carry cut the objects of this company,
said company is hereby empowered and authorized to build
and operate street railways, omnibusses, or other suitable
substitutes, for the purpose of rapid transit from any point

at or witbin ten miles of any of its buildings or other im-
provements, to any point or points in the city of Manchester,
or within ten miles thereof, and, if deemed desirable, to con-
nect the same with other railways or other lines of rapid
transit now or hereafter running to any point within ten
miles of the city of Manchester. And said company is hereby
especially empowered and authorized to build and operate
a street railway alone the following line, to-wit: Along Four.
teenth street, in the city of Richmond, to and across Mayo’s
bridge to the city of Manchester, and thence from said bridve
up Hull street, in the city of Manchester, to Seventh strect;
thence along Seventh to Dec ature street; thence along said
Decatur street to Twelfth street; thence along | said Twelfth
street to McDonough street; thence along Me Donough street
as far as the same now extends or m: ay be hereatter extended,
or over so much of said line along said streets as it may
desire, with the consent of the corporate authorities of Rich-
mond and Manchester as to the lines within their respective
corporate limits, and the said company is also fully autbor-
ized and empowered to purchase or lease other railways or
other lines of rapid transit, together with all their rights,
privileges, and franchises, or any interest therein, or in the
stock thereof, and to use and operate the same when so pur-
chased or leased. The said company is authorized and em-
powered to regulate from time to time the rates of charge
for the transportation of passengers on or over the lines of
its railways, or other lines of travel: provided the charges do
not exceed five cents per mile, or w hen Jess than a mile , tive
cents for any fractional part thereof that a passenger may be
transported, and also to regulate the rates for carrying bun-
dles or otber freights on any of its lines on which such
freights are carried, and generally to regulate from time to
time the rates of tolls, fares, freights, or other charges the
said company may see fit to charge or collect: provided due
notice is given of anv change in said rates.

9. Said company may also extend, alter or change said rail-
way line from the one above indicated to a different line or
other lines, and from tho streets indicated to other strects,
either in the city of Manchester or in the city of Richmond,
with the consent of the city council of the city wherein the
extension, alteration or new line is made, and when the ex-
tension, alteration or new line desired is to be in a county,
the said company may extend, alter, or change and construct
the same as desired, with the consent of the board of super.
visors of said county. But suid company shall not be allowed
in any case to take, or use under this act, the private prop-
erty of any person or persons without the consent of its
owners, or whero the same is in the hands of the court or its
receiver, without the consent of the court, except in accord-
ance with the laws of the State for condemning the same, or
except in accordance with laws already or hereafter enacted
justifying such use, possession or occupation, but where said
property is in the bands of a court or its receiver, said court
is hereby fully authorized and empowered to dispose of the
whole matter touching the use, possession, and occupation of
said property by said company, according to the rights of ai
parties entitled to said property, so as to enable the aforesaid
corporation to carry out its objects and designs herein re-
ferred to. The said company shall also have the privilege ot
buying and using horses, mules, engines, electric motors or
any other personal property the said company may need or
require to carry out the objects and: designs of this corpora.
tion, and generally of doing any and everything necessary to

carry into elfeet the said objec Land Josivus:; but nothing: con.
tained in this act shall be construed to ive this company
any right to condemn laud for railroad purposes, except tor
its road-bed and right of way and for terminal facilities ; and
nothing herein contained shall authorize this company to use
steam as a motive power along any of the public bighways
of the county of Chesterfield; but the said) street railway
company shall not lay its rails across the track of any steam
railroad company, except upon such terms and in the manner
agreed upon by the said street railway company and such
‘ailroad company Whose line or lines it may cross. And
unless the said compames can agree upon the terms and
manner of such crossing or crossings, they shall have the
questions determined by arbitr ach party selecting
one arbitrator; and in case of disagreement by the arbitrators.
they are to select an umpire.

10. The stockholders of said corporation shall not. be Jis-
ble tor any loss or damage or responsibility Whatsoever other
than the property they have in the capital stock and assets
of said corporation to the amount of shares held by them
respectively, and any profits accruing thereon not divided.

11. At all meetings of the stockholders, each sto¢kbolder
shall be entitled to one vote, tor cach share of stock held by
him or her, to be given in person or by proxy.

12. The officers of the company shall consist of five direc-
tors, one of Whom shall be president, a treasurer, and such
other ofticers as the board of directors may appoint. and
three of the directors shall constitute a quorum. The direc-
tors may hold any other office.

13. ‘This company, so far as its street railway or any part
thereof may be concerned, shall never be required to pay any
higher rate of taxes, levies, assessments, dues, or Charges ac-
cording to its assessed value, than any other street railwa
in the city or county W bercin its said street railway or any
part thereof may be located; but any State taxes to be paid
by said company shall be paid in lawful money of the United
States, and not in coupons.

14. The principal ottice of the company may be in the city
of Manchester, or at such other place as may be designate:
by the stockholders at a regular meeting.

15. The company shall commence work under this charter
within two years from the passage of this act, and cars shall
be runniny on its street railway on or before the thirty-tirst
day of December, eighteen hundred and cighty-nine.

16. This act shall be in force from its pussave.