Chap. 689.—An ACT in relation to special damages recoverable of a telegraph
company.

Approved March 2, 1900.

1. Be it enacted bv the gencral assembly of Virginia, That all tele-
graph companies shall be hahble for special damages occasioned by the
negligent failure of their operators or servants in receiving, copying,
transmitting, or delivering dispatches or for the disclosure of the con-
tents of any private dispatch to any person other than to him, to whom
it was addressed, or his agent, the amount of these damages to be deter-
mined by the jury upon the facts in each case. Grief and mental anguish
occasioned to the plaintiff by the aforesaid negligent failures may be
considered by the jury in the determination of the quantum of damages.

Special damages recoverable under this act shall not be barred by
regulations of the company concerning the repeating of messages, or by
any special undertaking to relieve the company from the consequences
of its own negligence.

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