Chap. 717.—An ACT to incorporate the Fredericksburg telephone company
Approved March 4, 1896,

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That W.
Seymour White, L. O. Magrath, Henry G. Chesly and M. B. Rowe
and such other persons as may hereafter be associated with them
their successors and assigns, be, and they are hereby, constituted
body politic and corporate to be known as the Fredericksburg tele
impleaded in all the courts of law and equity in this state, and may
have, make and use a common seal, and the same break, alter, and
renew or change at their pleasure, and may make, ordain, establish,
alter or amend such by-laws, ordinances and regulations concerning
all matters of organization and business not herein specifically pro-
vided for as they may think proper, and generally may do every act
and thing necessary to carry this act into effect, or to promote the
objects and designs of the corporation, provided such by-laws, ordi-
nances and regulations or acts be not inconsistent with the laws of
this state or of the United States. The said company shall be, and
is hereby, empowered to promote, establish and maintain the busi-
ness of a telephone company; to erect, establish, maintain and ope-
rate or sell a plant or plants in the counties of Spotsylvania, Caroline,
Essex, Stafford and King George, and town of Fredericksburg, either
or all, for its own use and for sale or rent to persons desiring to use
the same, and may manufacture, use and sell, distribute, rent or
otherwise furnish telephones to all and any persons, parties and cor-
porations desiring to use the same, upon such terms as may be agreed
upon between the contracting parties.

2. It may build, rent or otherwise acquire and maintain and ope-
rate in streets, alleys, avenues and public highways, poles, wires, sub-
ways, underground conduits and sub-marine cables, and other elec-
trical conductors, with the necessary fixtures, stations, terminals or
other facilities connected therewith, such as may be necessary and
suitable for the proper, full and convenient carrying on of the busi-
ness of the company in said localities or any of them, subject always
to the fee-simple rights of the adjacent land owners and to such
terms and conditions as may be agreed on with the city council of
said city and permitted by the county court of said county by and
with the assent of the said land owners affected thereby. It may
acquire by purchase, lease or otherwise, and to hold and thereafter to
sell or otherwise dispose of such real estate, not exceeding five acres
in any said city, or in any of said counties which may be found
necessary and convenient for the establishment, erection, and main-
tenance of such lines of poles and wires and underground conduits,
and subways and sub-marine cables, together with the necessary fix-
tures, stations, terminals or other facilities, and for any other of the
purposes and uses of said company, subject to the fee simple rights
of said land owners affected thereby.

3. The capital stock of the said company shall not be less than
three thousand dollars, nor more than thirty thousand dollars, divi-
ded into shares of twenty-five dollars each.

4. Subscription to the capital stock may be received by the cor-
porators herein named, or any three of them, at such time and
place as they may appoint, and with or without such public notice,
as they may deem best; and as soon as the minimum capital stock
has been subscribed the said subscribers may organize as a corpora-
tion and proceed to elect a president and board of directors, and
adopt such by-laws and regulation as may be proper for the manage-
ment of the affairs of the company, and thereafter further subscrip-
tions to the capital stock may be received by the board of directors,
5. Subscriptions to the capital stock may be payable either in
money, land, labor, services, material, rights, or other property, or
in the capital stock of other telephone corporations, upon such terms
and conditions as may be agreed upon between the said company
and the subscriber. |

6. The company hereby incorporated may acquire by lease, pur-
chase, subscription to its capital stock, or otherwise, and use and
operate the works, property, franchises, rights, privileges, and im-
munities of any other telephone company or companies within said
localities, or of any company or companies incorporated for the pur-
pose of manufacturing or furnishing telephones, or having the power
to do so within said city or counties, or either of them; and the
company hereby incorporated may unite and consolidate with such
other telephone company or companies as aforesaid upon such terms
as may be agreed on between them; and power is hereby conferred
on such other telephone companies to transfer, by sale or lease, their
works, property, franchises, rights, privileges, and immunities to the
company hereby incorporated, or to unite and consolidate with it
upon such terms as may be agreed upon between them.

7. The principal office of the company shall be in Fredericksburg,
in the state of Virginia.

8. The company may dispose of the whole or any part of its prop-
erty, however acquired, by sale, lease or otherwise; may borrow
money and may issue bonds, either registered or coupon, and may
secure the payment of the same by mortgage or deed of trust upon
the whole or any part of its property, works, rights, franchises, and
privileges.

_ 9. All taxes due by this company shall be paid in money, and not
ip coupons.

10. The general assembly hereby reserves the right to alter, amend,
or repeal this charter at any time. |

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