Chap. 432.—An ACT to incorporate the state ferry company of Virginia.

Approved February 20, 1900.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That V. W.
Joyner, R. EB. Bovkin, B. P. Gay, A. R. Chalmers, and John W. Lawson,
all of Smithfield, Virginia, their successors, associates and assigns he,
and they are hereby, incorporated into a body politic and corporate, by the
name of the state ferry company, with power to own, lease, and operate
steamships, steamboats, barges, lighters, and other craft for water trans-
portation, propelled in whole or in part by steam, gas, electricity, air,
naptha, or other motive power for the transportation of passengers and
freight on Smithfield river, Pagan creek, James river between Smithfield
and Newport News, and also on Hampton Roads and the Elizabeth river.
and tributaries and branches of said rivers between the town of Smithfield
and the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth, and between any points on
either side of said rivers, the tributaries or branches thereof: provided,
no ferry shall be operated between the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth,
or Portsmouth and Berkley, or Norfolk and Berkley as now incorporated.

2. The capital stock of the said company shall not be less than one
thousand dollars, nor more than ten thousand dollars. The above named
corporators, or any three of them, are hereby created a commission and
authorized, either in person or by proxy, to open books and receive sub-
scriptions to the capital stock of the said state ferry company.

3. Said company shall have full power to maintain an eflicient ferry,
including the acquiring of real estate, docks, and wharves at landing
places, by purchase, condemnation, or otherwise, not to exceed five acre:
at any one place, and may lease, encumber, by trust deeds or otherwise
and may dispose of all or any of its properties, privileges, and franchises
including its right to be a corporation, to any individual or number o:
individuals, corporation or corporations, whether chartered by the legis
lature, the courts of this state, or otherwise, and may consolidate witt
any other corporation, and may issue bonds to be secured by lien:
upon its entire property or any part thereof, including its real estate
franchises, rights, and privileges.

4. Said corporation shall pay all taxes in lawful money of the Unitec
States and not in coupons.

5. All acts and parts of acts in conflict herewith are hereby repealed.

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