CHAP. 145.—An ACT to incorporate the Norfolk, Wilmington
and Charleston railroad company.

Approved February 2, 1892.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia,
That R. E. B. Stewart, H. W. West, H. L. Smith, W. L.
Dougherty, Thomas Pinckney, Thomas L. Huguenin, John
C. Mallonee, S.S. Wilkins, R. S. Dobson, John T. West,
James S. Mitchell, Carroll Forster, L. C. Malls, A. S. Cal-
wallader, R. D. Harris, J.C. McNaughton, E. D. Killian,
J. T. Lawless, G. D. Letcher, George H. Snow, James Mc-
Kenna, R. L. Upsher, Charles Frederick, C. J. Gontner, J.
L. Stadelman, M. S. Moore, W. S. Weimer, C. A. Warner, F.
L. Pitman, Harvey Yeager, A. P. Child, Isaac M. Thomas,
C. P. Hower, J. T. Williams, D. C. Jeremy, Dr. Taylor, C.
Walter, W. W. Winston, J. W. Bethell, and such other
persons as may become associated with them by becoming
stockholders in said corporation, their successors, or as-
signs, are hereby constituted and created a body corporate
and politic under the name and title of the Norfolk, Wil-
mington and Charleston railroad company, for the purpose
of locating, constructing, equipping, maintaining, and
operating a railroad or railroads for the transportation of
freight or passengers from Norfolk, Portsmouth, or other
point or points on the waters of the Elizabeth river, James
river, Chesapeake bay, or Atlantic ocean, in the counties
of Isle of Wight, Nansemond, Norfolk, or Princess Anne,
and running southerly to the northerly line of North Car-
olina, by and upon such line or lines and routes as the
said corporation may determine and select, to a connection
with the Norfolk, Wilmington and Charleston railroad in
that state; and for the same purpose build and operate
ferries and ferry boats, to be used in the traffic at the said
railroad, and steamboats, steamships, sailing vessels, boats,
and barges.

2. The said corporation shall have the right, power, and
authority to have and hold and enjoy. the franchises, rights,
and privileges hereinafter provided, and shall be capable,

y in law, to purchase property of any and of every kind
and effect whatsoever, and the same receive, hold, and en-
joy; to grant, sell, mortgage, and dispose thereof; to issue
mortgage bonds upon its franchises, rights, privileges, and
property created and to be created, in such sum and to
such amount or amounts as the said corporation may by
its board of directors determine; to issue such other evi-
dences of indebtedness as may be necessary or advisable,
and the said board of directors may determine; to change
the name of said corporation by a majority vote of the
stockholders; to consolidate the franchises, rights, privi-
leges. and capital stock with any other railroad corporation
or corporations chartered either by the state of Virginia,
or any other state, or under the laws of any other state,
or to purchase any such railroads; to issue capital stock

4 of such consolidated company, in place of and in lieu of
the capital stock of said corporation ; to sue and be sued,
plead and be impleaded, contract and be contracted with;
to make and have a common seal, and at pleasure to break
and alter the same; and todo and perform any and all
other acts necessary and proper to perfect its organiza-
tion; construct its railway and manage and operate the
same as a common carrier of passengers and property; to
make and put in execution such by-laws as it may deem
necessary and expedient, not in contravention of the
laws of the state of Virginia, for the government of and
for the conducting of the business of the said corporation,
and to have and enjoy all the rights, franchises, privi-
leges, and immunities usually appertaining to railroad
corporations.

3. The capital stock of said corporation shal] be one
hundred thousand dollars, divided into shares of one hun-
dred dollars each: provided, however, that the stock-
holders may from time to time increase said capital stock
to such an extent and to such an amount as they may
deem to be for the best interests of the said corporation,
not to exceed ten million dollars; said capital stock may
be paid in labor, material, contracts, or other property.
Each stockholder shall be entitled to one vote for each
share held by him, and stockholders may vote by proxy.
A majority vote of stock outstanding or subscribed for
shall be necessary and sufficient for the adoption of any
and every act or resolution, the fixing the number of and
the election of directors, but vacancies occurring in the
board of directors may be filled by the remaining direc-
tors. No stockholder’s property shall be liable for any
debt or liability of said corporation for any greater sum
than the amount of stock held by him and not fully paid
up in cash or otherwise.
4. The said corporation shall have the right and power,
to construct its railways upon and through any lands in'
the state of Virginia along the route indicated in section |
one, and the right of way for the said railway is hereby '
fixed at fifty feet on either side of the centre of the road-
bed of the said railway; that said corporation shall have
the right to cross at grade, over or under, intersect, join,
or unite its railway or railroads with any railroad now
built or constructed, or hereafter to be built within the
state of Virginia, at any point in its route, with the nec-
essary turnouts, sidings, switches, lands, wharves, ware-
houses and other conveniences in furtherance of the ob-
jects of its construction; that said railroad company may
build its railroads by such route as may be deemed most
advantageous and expedient, and shall have the right to
cross any navigable stream or canal on its route: pro-
vided, and subject, however, to the laws of the United
States and the laws of the state of Virginia; and also the
right to transport freight of all kinds that can be trans-
ported by rail, and collect freight rates and other charges
for transporting and handling the same; to carry passen-
gers and collect fares for transporting the same; to carry
and transport all manner of goods as express matters,
charge and collect all express rates and charges for carry-
ing the same.

5. Whenever the owner or owners of any property
through which the said corporation shal] have located its
railway, or upon which any material necessary for the
construction of said railway is, cannot agree upon the
price of said property, or for the purchase of said mate-
rial, then the said corporation shall, through its properly
authorized representative, proceed to acquire the same in
the manner prescribed by the statute of Virginia in such
cases made and provided.

6. Any county through which the said road may pass
may subscribe to the stock of said company in manner
prescribed by the laws of Virginia in such cases made
and provided.

7. That if work on said railroad be not commenced in
two and completed in five years after the ratification of
this act, then this charter shall be void.

8. That all taxes, dues and demands due the state of
Virginia, shall be paid in lawful money of the United
States, and not in coupons.

9. That this act shall be in force from its passage.