Chap. 273.—An ACT to incorporate the Richmond and Rap-
pahannock Valley railroad company.

Approved February 16. 1892.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia,
That Valentine Hechler, A. G. Babcock, Walter Sydnor,
Thomas N. Carter, Phil. W. Lewis, John H. Allen, C. B.
Jones, Henry W. Latane, Howard Hathaway, Lloyd T.
Smith, and R. M. Neale, or any five of them who may ac-
cept the provisions of this act, their associates and suc-
cessors, are hereby constituted a body corporate and polli-
tic by the name of the Richmond and Rappahannock Val-
ley railroad company, and as such may have all the privi-
leges, franchises, and immunities applicable to such a cor-
poration.

2. The said company may construct and operate a stand-
ard gauge railroad, either of single or double track, com-
mencing at the city of Richmond, or within seven miles or
less of said city, on any other railroad now entering said
city with which it may connect, to deep water, at some
point on the Rappahannock river or the Chesapeake bay, by
the most practicable route, passing through the county of
Henrico, the county of Hanover, by Cold Harbor national
cemetery, the county of King William, the county of King
and Queen, the county of Essex, and such other county
or counties of this state as will enable it to reach its ter-
minus on deep water.

3. That the said corporation may acquire by purchase,
lease, consolidation, or merger all of the rights, privileges,
and franchises of the Richmond and Seven Pines railroad
company, or any other railroad company chartered in this
state, which, at the time of such purchase, lease, consolida-
tion, or merger, is not operating more than ten miles of
its line, on such terms and conditions as a majority of the
stockholders of such last mentioned companies or either
of them may agree upon: provided that as a condition pre-
cedent to such acquisition, the said Richmond and Rap-
pahannock Valley railroad company shall assume all of
the outstanding debts and obligations of the railroad com-
pany whose rights and franchises are so acquired.

4. That said Richmond and Rappahannock Valley rail-
road company shall have the right to construct and main-
tain all necessary bridges across all rivers and streams
over which said railroad will pass: provided that said
bridges, when necessary, shall be constructed with proper
dams, so as not to obstruct navigation.

5. The capital stock of said company shall not be less
than one hundred thousand dollars nor more than three
million of dollars, to be divided into shares of one hundred
dollars each; and subscription to the capital stock of said
company may be made by individuals, firms, or corpora-
tions, public or private, and may be paid in money or may
be paid in land, bonds, or other evidences of debt, or build-
ing material, at such price and upon such terms as may be
agreed upon between the subcribers and the incorporators
of such company; and said company may receive dona-
tions of lands for its roadway or depot grounds and of
building material for its construction and equipment, and
may hold or dispose of, by sale or otherwise, all real estate
so acquired.

6. It shall be lawful for any one or more of the counties
through which said railroad shall pass to subscribe to the
capital stock of said company, and for the purpose of pay-
ing such subscription to issue the bonds of the county in
the mode prescribed by law.

7. It shall be lawful, and it is hereby made the duty of
the governor of this commonwealth, so soon as satisfacto-
ry evidence shal! be adduced before him of the organiza-
tion of the said Richmnod and Rappahannock Valley rail-
road company under this charter, to hire to said company
not exceeding two hundred convicts at one time, to be em-
ployed in the construction of said road upon such terme
and conditions as may be agreed upon with said company,
so that there shall be no additional expense or charge to
the commonwealth by reason of such hiring over and
above their expense by confinement in the penitentiary.

8. That said corporation may borrow money, issue bonds,
or other evidences of debt, and secure the same by one or
more mortgages, deeds of trust, on its properties, rights, and
franchises, or any part thereof.

9. That said corporation may hold all real estate needed
for ‘ business or taken in payment of subscription to its
stock.

10. That the said corporation shall have its principal
office in Virginia.

11. That the construction of said railroad shall be com-
menced in two years and completed in ten years.

12. And whereas there is located at Cold Harbor, in the
county of Hanover, a national cemetery, which is not now
accessible by any public mode of conveyance, and it is de-
sirable to have such conveyance; and whereas it is pro-
posed to ask the congress of the United States to aid in
the construction of the said Richmond and Rappahannock
Valley railroad, it is hereby declared lawful for said com-
pany to receive such aid towards the construction of ite
line as the United States government may provide.

13. That all taxes and dues to the commonwealth from
said corporation shall be paid in lawful money of the
United States, and not in coupons.

14. This charter may be amended or repealed at the
pleasure of the general assembly.

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