Chap. 1013.—An ACT to protect the interest of the state of Virginia in the
Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac railroad company, by inhibiting
the execution of certain traffic contracts.

Approved March 3, 1900.

Whereas the state of Virginia is the owner of twenty-seven hundred
and fifty-two shares of common stock and nineteen hundred and twenty-
seven shares of dividend obligations in the Richmond, Fredericksburg
and Potomac railroad company, from which it now derives as its propor-
tionate share of the net earnings of the said company an annual in-
come; and

Whereas the said Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac railroad
company has heretofore entered into a contract or traflie agreement,
dated the sixteenth day of December, eighteen hundred and ninety-nine,
with the Raleigh and Gaston railroad company on behalf of itself, its
leased, associated, and operated lines, one of which is the Richmond,
Petersburg and Carolina railroad company, a corporation created under
the laws of this state, relative to traflic over the line of the said Rich-
mond, Fredericksburg and Potomac railroad company, on behalf of
itself, its leased, associated and operated lines aforesaid; and

Whereas application has been made to the general assembly of Vir-
ginia for the incorporation of a railway company under the name and
stvle of the Richmond and Washington air line railway company to
construct and operate a railroad from the city of Richmond to a point on
the Potomac river in or near the city of Alexandria, with the right and
privilege in said corporation to commence the construction of said pro-
posed road at any time within eighteen months, and to complete the
same within five years from the passage of the act, which said road will
parallel the line of said Richmond, Fredericks burg and Potomac rail-
road company: now, in order to protect the interest of the state of
Virginia in the said Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac railroad
company—

1. Be it enacted by the gencral assembly of Virginia, That it shall be
unlawful for the said Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac railroad
company, the Richmond and Washington air line railway company, the
Raleigh and Gaston railroad company, the Richmond, Petersburg and
Carolina railroad company, or any road associated by lease, consolidation
or otherwise with either of them, to enter into any contract, agreement
or arrangement, whether the same be for trackage, mileage or otherwise,
less favorable in its terms, provisions, operations or results to the Rich-
mond, Fredericksburg and Potomac railroad company, and the state’s
interest therein, than the present terms and rates under the contract
now existing between the said Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac
railroad company and the said Kaleigh and Gaston railroad company,
as aforesaid, and any such contract, agreement or arrangement which
may be attempted shall be null and void; and the Richmond, Peters-
burg and Carolina railroad company is hereby required, within sixty
days from the passage of this act, to file with the secretary of the com-
monwealth of Virginia, who shall record the same, an instrument in
writing under the seal of the company, authorized to be attached by
proper resolutions of its stockholders, accepting the terms and provisions
of this act as a condition of the continuance of its charter on behalf of
itself and any other company now or hereafter associated with it or its
management or control by lease, consolidation, stock ownership or
otherwise.

2. That the said contract now existing between the said Richmond,
Fredericksburg and Potomac railroad company and the Raleigh and
Gaston railroad company, on behalf of itself, its leased, associated and
operated lines, shall be lodged for record in the office of the secretary
of the commonwealth of this state. '

3. That the provisions of this act shall cease and determine as soon
as the interest of the state of Virginia in the Richmond, Fredericksburg
and Potomac railroad company shall have been sold and paid for, and
the Richmond and Washington air line railway company shall have
constructed its line as provided for in the charter incorporating said
last named company.

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