CHAP. 215.—An ACT to incorporate the Blue Ridge railway
company.

Approved February 15, 1892.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia,
That William Smythe, W. Scott, J. B. Hawley, J. W. Wil-
liams, and Z. T. Dobyns, of Virginia, or such of them as
may accept the provisions of this act, their associates,
successors and assigns, be, and they are hereby, incorpo-rated and made a body politic and corporate, under the
name and style of Blue Ridge railway company, and as
such are authorized and empowered to locate, construct
equip, and operate a railroad of narrow or standard gauge.
by electricity or steam, commencing at Jacksonville, Floyd
county, and running in a northerly direction along, paral.
lel, across, and upon the Jacksonville and Christiansburg
turnpike to the Norfolk and Western railroad, if they
deem it proper, by Jacksonville in a westerly direction on,
across, or over the Floyd courthouse and Hillsville turn-
pike to a point most practical to reach the Norfolk and
Western railroad at Radford, by, and with consent, of the
board of supervisors of the county of Floyd.

2. The said company shall have perpetual succession,
and have power to sue and be sued, plead and be implead-
ed, defend and be defended in all courts, whether in law or
equity, and may make and have a common seal, and alter
or renew the same at pleasure; and shall have possession
and enjoy all the rights and privileges of a corporation
or body politic in the land and necessary for the purposes
of this act.

3. Capital stock of said company shal! not be less than two
thousand dollars, and may from time to time be increased,
not exceeding five hundred thousand dollars, by issuing,
sale of shares from time to time, under such regulations as
the board of directors of said company shall from time to
time prescribe, and the directors may receive cash, labor,
material, real or personal property in payment of subscrip-
tion tocapital stock,at such valuation as may be agreed upon
between the directors and subscribers, and may make
such subscriptions payable in such manner or amounts,
and at such times as may be agreed upon with the direc-
tors and subscribers.

4. It shall be lawful for said company to borrow money
and issue and sell its bonds from time to time, for such
sum and on such terms as its board of directors may deem
expedient and proper in the prosecution of any of its
work, and may secure the payment of said bonds by
mortgages or deeds of trust upon all or any of its property,
real and personal, and mixed, its covenants, contracts and
privileges, and its chartered rights and franchises, includ-
ing its franchise to be a corporation, and it may, as the
business of the company may require, sell, lease, convey
and incumber the same.

5. The said company is authorized and empowered to
locate, construct, equip and operate Jateral or branch roads
or tramways from any point on its line of railroad to any
springs, ore banks, mine, or other operations, in the county
of Floyd, or counties adjacent thereto, or to connect the
said line with that of any other railroad now or hereafter
to be constructed, in or to any of said counties; and the
said company may connect or unite its said road with that
of any other company, or consolidate and merge ita stock,
property and franchises with those of any other company
operating, or authorized to operate, a connecting line of
railroad, upon such terms as may be agreed upon between
the companies so uniting or connecting, merging, or con-
solidating; and for that purpose power is hereby given to
it, and to such other company or companies, to make and
carry out such contracts as will facilitate and consummate
such connection, merger, or consolidation: . provided, that
a copy of every such contract of consolidation and merger
shal! be filed in the office of the board of public works.

6. The said company may acquire by condemnation,
according to the laws of Virginia, the lands required for
the right of way of its railroad and the necessary stations
and depots for its operation, and may connect or unite its
railroad with that of any other railroad company.

7. The said company shall be required to commence the
construction of the said railroad within two years from
the passage of this act, and to complete the construction
of its main line within five years after; otherwise, the
powers, privileges, and franchises hereby granted shall be
ipso facto void.

8. The persons first named in this act, or such of them
as shall accept the provisions thereof, shall have the pow-
er and authority of a president and board of directors for
the purpose of organization and for all other purposes.
They shall continue in office until their successors shall
be elected and qualified. Each stockholder in the com-
pany shall, at all meetings or elections, be entitled to one
vote for each share of stock registered in his name.

9. The board of directors shall be stockholders of said
company. They shall appoint one of their number presi-
dent, and may fill any vacancy that may occur in said
board, unless by removal, in which case the same shall be
filled by the stockholders in general meeting. Whenever
ten per centum of the capital stock shall have been sub-
scribed, and the board of directors shall have elected a
president, said company shal! be considered legally organ-
ized, and may proceed to the transaction of business.

10. The board of directors may establish offices and
agencies at such places as they may deem proper, but the
principal administrative offices of the company shall be
located at some point within the state of Virginia.

11. The general assembly hereby reserves to itself the
right to modify, amend, or repeal this act at its pleasure.
Al] taxes to be paid in lawful money, and not in coupons.

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