Chap. 408.—An ACT to permit the Queen Annes Railroad Company to construct
and operate its railway in Virginia, and to grant to it the franchises and powers
of a Virginia corporation, subject to the laws of Virginia.

_ Approved March 29, 1902.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That the Queen
Annes Railroad Company, a body corporate duly incorporated and or-
ganized under the laws of Maryland and Delaware, be, and the same is
hereby, duly recognized as a Virginia corporation, with all the rights.
powers, and privileges belonging to a railway company in the State of
Virginia, and subject to all the rules, regulations, and restrictions apply-
ing to railway companies in this State; and, further, shall have and
possess all the powers, rights, and privileges heretofore granted to and
enjoyed by said company under the laws of the States of Maryland and
Delaware, so far as the same are not inconsistent with the laws of this
State.

2. Said company is hereby authorized to construct its line of single or
double track railway from the point where its line of railway as con-
structed, or to be constructed, may intersect the boundary line between
Accomac county, Virginia, and Worcester county, Maryland, in a south-
erly direction to a point on the Atlantic ocean, or an inlet from the Atlan-
tic ocean, within five miles of Franklin City, Virginia; and, further, to
extend and construct such line of railway in a southerly direction through
the counties of Accomac and Northampton, in this State, to a point on
Chesapeake bay, or upon a river or inlet connecting with said Chesapeake
bay, within fifteen miles of the southern extremity of Cape Charles, in
Northampton county, Virginia.

3. Said company is authorized to acquire, by purchase or condemna-
tion, such real or other property as is needed for its road-bed, rights of
way, and sites for station houses, warehouses, and wharves and piers, but
such rights of condemnation shall be exercised and executed in accordance
with the present laws of the State of Virginia applicable to the condem-
nation of land by railway companies, and such laws as may hereafter be
passed prior to the execution of such powers of condemnation, and said
company may condemn crossings at grade over the bed and track of any
other railroad company: provided, safety switches and other improved
patent devices to secure safety shall be installed at such crossings at the
cost of said company so continuing such crossing.

4. In addition to the capital stock authorized to be issued by said com-
pany under the acts of assembly of the States of Maryland and Delaware
for the purpose of constructing its line of railway in said States, the said
company is hereby authorized to issue its capital stock at a rate not ex-
eceding five thousand dollars per mile, and in the aggregate not exceed-
ing one hundred thousand dollars for the purpose of the construction and
equipment of its said railway in the State of Virginia, which sum is
hereby made its maximum capital in this State. And said company shall
have the power to issue its bonds and other obligations, and to secure the
same by mortgage or deed of trust upon its road-bed, rolling stock, and
other property in this State to an amount and at a rate not exceeding
thirty thousand dollars per mile of its line of railway to be constructed in
this State.

5. The rights, privileges, and franchises hereby granted are granted
upon the express condition that the said company shall forever remain, in
all matters arising within this State, or arising from the exercise of any
of the rights, privileges, and franchises hereby granted, subject to the
courts of Virginia and subject to the general laws of Virginia, and shall
be and become to all intents and purposes as to all of its property, rights,
franchises, transactions, and all causes of action arising for or against
said company in this State, a corporation of the State of Virginia as fully
and completely as though it were incorporated originally by this State;
that the said company shal] have the right to sue and be liable to be sued
in the courts of this State, and for this purpose process may be served on
any officer or agent of said company in any county or corporation of this
State wherein such cause of action against said company may arise, and
that all taxes and debts due or to become due this State by the said com-
pany shall be paid in lawful money of the United States, and not in
coupons.

6. Upon filing with the secretary of the Commonwealth the acceptance
of the provisions of this act, evidenced by a resolution of the stockholders
of said company, and the receipt of the auditor of public accounts, show-
ing the payment into the treasury of the charter fee, the secretary of the
Commonwealth will give to said company a certificate showing that it has
accepted this act and paid the charter tax imposed by law, and is entitled
to the benefits of this act.

?. This act shall take effect from its passage, and shall be subject to
amendment, modification, or repeal at the pleasure of the general as-
sembly.