Chap. 278.—An ACT to incorporate the town of Independence, in Grayson
county.

Approved March 15, 1906.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That the terri.
tory contained within the limits set forth and described in the second
section of this act be deemed and taken as the town of Independence, anc
the inhabitants of the town of independence for all purposes for which
towns are incorporated in this Commonwealth, shall be a body politic in
fact and in name, under the denomination of the town of Independence
and as such shall have and exercise and enjoy all rights and privilege:
and powers, and be subject to all the duties and obligations incumbent
upon and pertaining to said town as a municipal corporation.

2. The boundaries of said town shall be as follows—namely: Begin
ning at the courthouse of Grayson county, in said town, measuring eigh
hundred and eighty yards in opposite directions parallel with Mair
street, forming a square of one mile on each boundary.

3. The government of said town shall be vested in a mayor and six
councilmen, who shall be residents and voters in said town, to be choser
every two years, by ballot, at an election held according to law, on th
second Tuesday in June, the first election to be held in June, nineteer
hundred and six, and enter upon their duties on the first day of Septem:
ber following their election. In case a vacancy shall occur in any muni
cipal office, it shall be filled as prescribed by law. In absence of thé
mayor one of the councilmen shall act as mayor pro tempore, any one o!
the councilmen shall have power to act as mayor in his absence.

4. The council shall select from their own number a clerk, and fron
the qualified voters elect a town sergeant.

5. The council of said town shall have all the general powers vested it
it by the general laws of the State, and shal] also have the power to mark

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the bounds of existing streets, and to widen or narrow, lay out and
graduate, pave, and otherwise improve streets and public highways, and
move obstruction therefrom.

6. The said council shall have the power to regulate the sanitary con
«lition of said town, and to regulate the building and keeping in a sanitar
condition all stables, hog-pens, privies, slaughter-houses, etcetera, to abat
nuisances at the expense of those who create them. They shall punish al
violations of law and all violation of town ordinances by fine or imprison.
ment, or both at the discretion of the mayor, subject to the general law:
of the State.

7. The said town council shall have the power to adopt any and all
ordinances and enforce the same as they may deem necessary for the
regulation and improvement of said town, subject, however, to the gen-
eral laws of the State.

8. The authorities shall have the use of the county jail of Grayson
county until the said town shall have built one of their own, for the safe-
keeping of all persons who shall be sentenced under the ordinance of the
town.

9. The council shall have power to suspend any officer for neglect o!
‘duty or disorderly conduct.

10. The mayor shall be the presiding officer, and shall have like power
as justice of the peace.

11. The council shall have power to restrain and punish drunkards.
vagrants, and beggars, to prevent vice and immorality, and make all ordi-
nances necessary to preserve order.

12. There shall be a lien on the real estate within said town for th:
town taxes assessed thereon, from the commencement of the year in which
they are assessed.

13. The sergeant shall collect the town taxes, fines, and levies, and
shall have the same authority and remedies to distrain and sell therefor.
the same as the treasurer of any county may for State taxes.

14. The council shall cause to be kept in a journal by its clerk an accu-
rate record of all its proceedings, by-laws, acts, and orders, which shall le
fully indexed and open to the inspection to any one who is entitled to vote
for members of the council. Said clerk shall also keep an accurate ac-
count of all fines and moneys paid in said town of fines, costs, taxes, and
soforth, and the disbursement of same.

15. All moneys collected under the provisions of this charter shall be
expended by order of the town council.

16. The salary or fees to be received by the mayor and town sergeant
shall be the amount fixed by the town council.

17. From and after this act goes into effect, and until the councilmen
and mayor shall have been elected and qualified, J. H. Rhudy, E. L.
Lundy, P. L. Harrington, J. 8. Bourne, J. W. A. Vaughan, and J. G.
Davis are hereby appointed councilmen, and W. F. Pool, mayor; and may
qualify before the clerk of the circuit court of Grayson county, and there-
from shall constitute the council and mayor of Independence, and may
organize and perform the duties of council and mayor.
18. By reason of the necessity of police protection for said town, an
emergency is herchy declared to exist, and this act shall be in force from
its passage.