CHAP. 136.—An ACT to authorize the city council of Fredericksburg to
issue its coupon or registered bonds for the purpose of improving its
streets in said city.

Approved March 11, 1912.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
it shall be lawful for the city of Fredericksburg, for the purpose
of grading, paving, curbing, macadamizing, or for otherwise im-
proving the streets of the said city, to issue coupons, or regis-
tered bonds, in sums of not less than one hundred dollars to an
amount not to exceed thirty thousand dollars, to bear interest
at the rate not to exceed four per centum per annum, payable
semi-annually, said bonds payable thirty years after the date of
their issue, and any or all of the said bonds shall be redeemable
at the option of the city council at any time after ten years from
the date of their issue; the said bonds shall be signed by the
mayor and city treasurer, and attested by the clerk of the coun-
cil, with the great seal of the city affixed thereto, and the
coupons shall each bear the name of the city treasurer signed
thereto. The said bonds shall be exempt from any and all tax-
ation by the city of Fredericksburg, and shall not be sold for
less than their par value.

2. That the city council shall not issue any bonds provided
for in this act until said council shall have taken the sense of the
qualified voters of said city, as hereinafter provided for; the
said council shall not order any election under this act until a
majority of the council have voted in favor of some definite
measure or subscription, as the case may be, for the improve-
ment of said city, as contemplated by this act, and has ascer-
tained the approximate cost thereof, and they shall also ascer-
tain and designate the streets and squares of said city to which
such improvements are to apply, and shall publish all such in-
formation, at least once a week for two weeks, before any elec-
tion held under this act, in one or more of newspapers of said
city for the information of the voters.

3. That when the council has complied with the second sec-
tion of this act and made a record of the same upon its minutes,
it is authorized to make an order requiring the sergeant, and
the judges of election, at such time, not less than thirty days
from the date of said order, which time shall be designated there-
in, to open a poll and take the sense of the qualified voters of
said city, whether the said council shall make such improve-
ments as has received the approval of a majority of said council,
as aforesaid. The judges of election, after taking an oath to
faithfully perform the duties assigned them, shall open polls
at the voting places in the said city, and shall conduct said elec-
tion and close said polls as required by law in other elections.
At said election each qualified voter, who shall approve said im-
provements shall deposit a ballot on which is written, or printed,
“For improvements.” And each voter opposed to said improve-
ments shall deposit a ballot on which is written or printed,
“Against improvements,” and each ballot shall be endorsed with
the name of the voter, or the same shall not be valid. The judges
of election, at the several voting places, shall immediately after
the closing of the polls at each of said places, count the ballots
deposited, and shall, within two days after said election, make
return to the mayor, or other prescribing officer of said council,
of the number of votes cast against said improvements and
the number of votes cast for said improvement, and shall return
to and deposit with the clerk of the corporation court of Freder-
icksburg, in separate sealed packages, the ballots for and against
the improvement. And the council shall appoint four citizens of
said city, two for each ward who, with the clerk of the corpor-
ation court, shall constitute a board of commissioners whose duty
it shall be, within two days thereafter, to meet and, after taking
an oath to faithfully perform their duty, open said packages of
ballots, count the same, correct the returns, if necessary, and as-
certain and report to the council how many of said ballots were
east by freeholders, and how many by non-freeholders for and
against said improvement, which said report, signed by a major-
ity of said board, shall be entered upon the minute book of said
council.

4. If it appears by the report of the board of commissioners
that three-fifths of the qualified voters of said city, voting upon
the question, are in favor of said improvement, and that said
three-fifths include a majority of the votes cast by freeholders
at such election, and a majority of the registered voters of said
city, the city council of Fredericksburg is hereby authorized to
enact such ordinances as may be necessary or appropriate to
carry out and effectuate the provisions, and the full intent and
meaning of this act; and to issue and dispose of so many of said
bonds as may be authorized by the vote taken and reported as
hereinbefore provided.

5. That the city council be authorized annually to levy and
collect taxes sufficient to pay the interest on all bonds issued
under this act; and said council shall provide for the payment
of the principal of said bonds when the same shall mature or be-
come payable, and in their discretion may create a sinking fund
to be applied to the redemption and payment of said bonds.

6. The funds derived from the sale of any bonds issued
under this act shall be deposited in the city treasury as a sepa-
rate and special fund, and no part of the same shall be used,
or applied, to any other purpose than that for which the same
was authorized by the voters of said city, as herein provided.

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