Chap. 142.—-An ACT to provide a charter for the town of Narrows, in Giles
county, Virginia.

Approved March 14, 1904.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That the ter-
ritory embraced and contained in the following boundaries: Beginning
at a mile-post near the west end of the bridge on the Norfolk and West-
ern railroad crossing Wolf creck, and running northeast in a straight
line three-fourths of a mile to a point on the south bank of New river
opposite the mouth of a hollow on the land of B. T. Johnson, Jr.;
thence southwest three-fourths of a mile to a cliff near the corner of
B. T. Johnson’s and H. W. Hale’s land; thence one mile to the south-
west corner of D. W. Johnson’s lot; thence one-half mile north to the
corner of the lands of Rufe Roland, William Hale, and the United
States Leather Company corners; thence one mile east to the begin-
ning, all of the said territory being in the county of Giles, shall be
deemed and taken as the town of Narrows, for all purposes for which
towns are incorporated in this Commonwealth; shall continue to be
one body politic, in fact, and in name, under the name and style of the
town of Narrows, and as such shall have, exercise, and enjoy all the
rights, powers, and privileges and immunities conferred upon towns as
municipal corporations by the general laws of this Commonwealth and
by the terms of this charter.

2. The officers of said town shall consist of a mayor and eight coun-
cilmen, who shall be elected as hereinafter provided; the following are
herein stated to be the present officers: N. A. Boggess, mayor; J. E.
Lemon, H. W. Hale, Dr. A. S. Cover, B. T. Johnson, J. E. Hopkins,
J. H. Johnson, and I. I. Wolfe, councilmen. The council of said town
may elect a sergeant and such other officers as the council shall deem
necessary, and the terms of the officers elected by the council shall be
such as the council may prescribe.

The council shall have power and authority to pass and ordain such
by-laws and ordinances for the government of said town as the council
shall deem necessary: provided, the same are not in conflict with the
laws and Constitution of this State, or that of the United States.

The mayor and five members of the council, or in the absence of the
mayor, five members of the council, one of whom shall act as chairman,
shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

3. An election for mayor and councilmen shall be held on the fourth
Thursday in May, nineteen hundred and five, and every twelve months
thereafter. The officers so elected shall begin their term of office on the
first day of July succeeding their election, and shall hold their term of
office for one year, or until their successors are elected and qualified.
If any vacancy occur in the office of mayor or in the council, the same
shall be filled by the council, but the present incumbent in the office of
mayor and the members of the council shall continue in office and ex-
ercise all powers conferred by this charter until the first day of July,
nineteen hundred and five, or until their successors are duly elected and
qualified.

4, Any person entitled to vote in Giles county and residing within
the corporate limits of the town of Narrows three months next preceding
any election, and six months in the district, shall be entitled to vote at
all elections under this act of incorporation. The mayor shall cause
ten days’ notice to be given of all elections by posting notice at three or
more places in said corporation. The mayor, with the consent and ap-
proval of the council, shall appoint three qualified voters, who shall
preside as judges at corporation elections, who shall have the right to
appoint two clerks of elections, as well as to decide the right of any in-
dividual to vote at such elections, and shall hold said election between
sunrise and sunset of the day on which said election shall be held.

5. The council of said town shall have and exercise all the powers
vested by chapter forty-four of the Code of Virginia and other general
statutes of this Commonwealth now in force in a municipal corporation
of like character, and such other powers as are granted by this charter ;
and the said council may, after paying a just compensation therefor,
tax such private property within the town as may be necessary for laying
out walks, streets, and alleys, widening, altering, or improving the same,
and for other municipal purposes. The method of ascertaining what
Mey be a just compensation for private property thus taxed shall be as

ollows :

After reasonable notice in writing by the clerk of the council to the
owner of the freehold whose property is proposed to be taxed, or to his
tenant or agent, the mayor of the town shall, at the time and place men-
tioned in the said notice, proceed to appoint two freeholders of the town
as commissioners, one of whom may be nominated by the owner of the
freehold, or by his tenant or agent, if either be present, whose duty
shall be to view the property proposed to be taxed and ascertain what
will be a just compensation therefor and the damages to the residue of
such owner’s property beyond the peculiar benefits to be derived in re-
spect to such residue from the work to be done. The said commissioners,
if they cannot agree, may select a third freeholder as commissioner to
act with them, and shall, as soon as possible, report their proceedings to

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the council. When such reports have been returned, the council may,
by vote of the majority of its members, either reject or accept such
report. If the report be rejected, the council may refer the matter to
another commission, appointed in the same way and for the same pur-
pose as the first. If the report be confirmed, the amount ascertained by
it to be a just compensation for the property shall be paid to those en-
titled thereto before work shall be begun on or through said property.

6. This said corporation of the town of Narrows shall have the right
to collect one-half of the road tax levied by the county on the inhabi-
tants of the town of Narrows; said amount shall be expended within
the limits of the corporation on the streets and roads therein under the
direction and supervision of the said council.

%. Without limiting or affecting the powers heretofore given, the said
council shall have the power to prohibit by ordinances or by-laws withm
said town, any misdemeanor prohibited by the laws of this Common-
wealth and enforce said ordinances or by-laws by a penalty or penalties
not exceeding the penalties fixed by the laws of the Commonwealth for
like offences, said penalty or penalties, whether by fine or imprisonment,
to be for the use and benefit of the said town of Narrows, and shall have
power to alter, amend, or repeal any by-law or ordinance and to remit
any fine or corporation taxes that may to the council seem proper to be

8. The said council may establish a chain-gang, and require offenders
under sentence for violation of the laws and ordinances of said town to
work therein on the public streets, roads, or public buildings of said
town, as provided under the general laws of the Commonwealth; to de-
termine and designate the grade and route of any railroad to be laid
out in said town, and to restrain and regulate the rate of speed of loco-
motive engines and cars upon the railroads within the said town.

9. To prevent horses, hogs, and other animals from running at large
in said town, and subject the same to regulations and confiscation and
taxes as they may deem proper, and to prevent the throwing of stones,
balls, snowballs, playing of marbles, or other sports or employments on
the streets or alleys of said town which may seem dangerous or annoy-
ing to citizens or passengers of the said streets and alleys, as well as to
punish the abuse and cruel treatment of horses or other animals in said
town, and to arrest and punish drunkards, beggars, and vagrants; to
arrest and punish persons for using profane language in said town; to
prevent vice and immorality; to preserve the public peace and good
order; to prevent and quell riots, disturbances, and disorderly assem-
blages; to prevent boys amd others from jumping on moving trains in
said town; to suppress houses of ill-fame, and gaming houses; to pre-
vent and punish lewd and indecent conduct and exhibitions in said
town, and for any violations of any such ordinances may impose fines
in addition to those prescribed by laws of the State.

10. The said council shall have the power to lay and levy a tax not
exceeding fifty cents on the hundred dollars’ value of all property, real
and personal, of the said town for the said purposes of said: town, and in
addition thereto a poll-tax not exceeding fifty cente on each male citizen
thereof over twenty-one years of age, and the said town shall have like
powers of distress, levy, and sale for collection of such taxes as are now
given to the State officers for the collection of the State taxes.

11. The council of the town shall have the power to regulate the keep-
ing of dogs within the town, and may, in order to do so, impose a tax of
one dollar on each male dog and on each female dog a tax of three dollars
found or kept within the limits of said town, said tax to be paid on or
before the first day of May, nineteen hundred and: five, and on the same
day of each succeeding year, and in case it is not so paid the council shall
have power to impose a fine of not less than one nor more than five dol-
lars upon the owner of a dog for the non-payment of said tax, and in
addition thereto the mayor of the town shall order the sergeant to kill
every dog kept in the town for which the said tax has not been paid after
the fifteenth day of May of each year.

12. The council shall have authority to adopt such rules and to appoint
such officers, committees, and clerks as it may deem proper for the regu-
lation of its proceedings and a convention transaction of its business.

It shall keep a journal in which the clerk shall record the proceedings
of each session, and the same shall be properly indexed. All resolutions
and ordinances shall be recorded in a book to be called the ordinance
book, which shall be properly indexed. The council shall fix the pay of
the mayor, sergeant, treasuret, and clerk, and any other officers or em-
ployees of the said town as they see fit.

13. It shall be the duty of the mayor to enforce the laws and ordi-
nances of the town, and all orders and resolutions of the council. He
shall see that the duties of the various town officers are faithfully per-
formed. He shall have power to investigate their acts, and have access to
all books and documents in their office. He shall have the right to sus-
pend any municipal officer elected by the council for misconduct in office
or neglect of duty, to be specified in the order of suspension.

Whenever the mayor shall suspend any such officer he shall report the
facts, with his reasons therefor, at the next regular meeting, and the
council shall take such action in the case as it may deem proper by rein-
stating or removing such officer. In case of the absence or inability of
the mayor, the council shall appoint one of its members acting mayor,
who shall possess the same powers and discharge the same duties as are
possessed and discharged by the mayor during such absence or inability.

14. It shall be the duty of the mayor to communicate to the council at
the end of each fiscal year a general statement of the condition of the
town in relation to its government, finances, and improvement, with such
recommendations as he may deem proper. The treasurer and collector
shall, before entering upon the duties of their office, execute before the
council of the said town satisfactory bonds in such sume as the council
may prescribe; the bonds shall be made payable to the town of Narrows,
and shall be conditioned for the faithful performance of their respective
duties.

15. All moneys belonging to the said town from taxes on persons and
property shall be paid to the collector, who shall at the end of each week
make a settlement with the treasurer by paying over to him all money
coming into his hand from taxes during said week, and all moneys be-
longing to the said town from fines or other evidences of debt shall be
collected by the sergeant and paid over to the treasurer at the end of each
week, and no money shall be paid out by the town treasurer except as the
same shall have been ordered to be paid by the council, and the said
treasurer shall pay the same only upon warrants drawn upon him, which
are signed by the mayor and countersigned by the clerk of the council.
He shall keep a regular account with the town, crediting it by all moneys
received, and charging it with all money disbursed, which books, as well
as all others relating to business of the town, shall be open to inspection
of the mayor and of the councilmen or any member thereof.

He shall also keep a book in which shall be registered all warrants pre-
sented, payment for which is refused for want of funds to meet the same,
giving the number of the warrant and the name of the holder, and the
warrants so registered shall be paid in the order in which they are regis-
tered when funds applicable thereto shall come into his hands, except that
the person to whom any warrant is made payable may use the same in the
payment of his taxes. Should the person to whom any warrant is made
payable be indebted to the town for taxes or otherwise, then the said in-
debtedness shall be deducted therefrom. He shall annually on the first
day of June settle his account with the council, at which time he shall
furnish a statement of all moneys received by him during the preceding
year, and of all disbursements made with the warrants upon which said
payments were made, which warrants shall be inspected, and, if approved,
cancelled by said council.

16. There shall be a lien on the real estate in the town of Narrows for
the taxes assessed thereon for the said town from the commencement of
the year for which they are assessed, and when any of the said taxes are
returned delinquent a list of the same shall be returned to the clerk of
the circuit court of Giles county. The circuit court of Giles county, on
the application of the council of the town of Narrows, through its mayor,
may order real estate delinquent for the non-payment of taxes to be sold
by the collector of taxes for the town at public auction for such at such
times as it may direct; said sale and advertisement thereof to be made in
conformity io the State law with reference to the sale of delinquent
lands.

17. The council of the town of Narrows may levy and cause to be col-
lected: a license tax of not exceeding five dollars per day on all peddlers
or itinerant salesmen who may offer their goods or wares for sale within
the corporate limits of the town of Narrows.

18. All lots within the town of Narrows shall be listed for taxation by
both section and number. All farming lands and farm: property within
the corporate limits shall be exempt from taxation.

19. The council shall have the power to exempt from taxation all or
any part of the taxable property of corporations, manufacturing enter-
prises, et cetera, within the corporate limits, and shall have the power to
guarantee the exemption of corporation taxes to corporations or manu-
facturing enterprises coming, or proposing to come, to the town for such
length of time as the council may determine, not exceeding a term of five
years.