Chap. 476.—An ACT to incorporate Richmond Lodge, No. 45, Benevolent and Pro-
tective Order of Elks, Richmond, Virginia.

Approved April 2, 1902.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That the per-
sons now and hereafter constituting the membership of Richmond Lodge,
number forty-five, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, of Rich-
mond, Virginia, a charitable and benevolent association, be, and they are
hereby, made and constituted a body politic and corporate under the
name and style of “Richmond Lodge, number forty-five, Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks,” and by that name it shall have perpetual suc-
cession and a common seal, may contract and be contracted with, sue and
be sued, may acquire, by gift, grant, or purchase, and may receive, hold,
and possess real and personal property, and, subject to the wishes and
under the direction of a majority of the members thereof in good stand-
ing at a lawful meeting thereof, according to the laws of the association,
may rent, sell, convey, invest, improve, encumber, and otherwise manage
or dispose of said property or any part or parts thereof, and may borrow
money and issue evidences of debt therefor in such sums, for such time,
and in such manner as to the said majority of such meeting may seem
proper, and secure the same by deed of trust or otherwise on its property.

2. The trustees of said lodge, or their successors in office, under the
seal of said lodge, are authorized and empowered to execute and deliver
deeds, deeds of trust, or mortgages upon said property, real or personal,
or both; and for the purpose of executing and carrying out the powers
hereby conferred on the said corporation, the said trustees shall be, and
they are hereby, authorized to execute such papers and instruments as
may be necessary and proper, under the direction of said lodge, according
to the laws and regulations of that body, and to attach the seal of the
said lodge to such papers and instruments, and there shall be no personal
liability on said trustees, nor om any of the members of said lodge, for
such acts or the acts of said corporation, nor shall said corporation be re-
quired to issue any stock or have any capital stock. The amount of land
acquired by said lodge shall not at any one time exceed two acres in any
city, nor three hundred acres in any county of Virginia, and the amount
of property so acquired, both real and personal, shall not aggregate in
value at any one time more than fifty thousand dollars, and so long as
said lodge shall be a charitable and benevolent association said property
shall be exempt from all State, county, and municipal taxation. The
title to all of said property shall be vested in said trustees, or their suc-
cessors in office, to be held by them for the use and benefit of said cor-
poration.

3. The said corporation shall have the power to make such rules,
regulations, and laws for its government and for the expulsion of its
members as to it may seem proper, with the right to forfeit all interest in
its property on the part of any member ceasing to be a member in good
standing of said lodge.

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