Chap. 130.—An ACT to incorporate the town of Mendota in Washington
county, Virginia. (H. B. 491.)

Approved March 17, 1914.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
the town of Mendota, in Washington county, shall be, and the same
is, hereby made a town corporate by the name of Mendota, and that
the same shall have and exercise the powers conferred on towns of
less than five thousand inhabitants, by law, and be subjected to all
the provisions of all laws now in force, or which may hereafter be
enacted in reference to the government of towns of less than five
thousand inhabitants, so far as the same are not inconsistent with
the provisions of this act.

2. The limits of the town shall be as follows: Beginning on the
west side of the county road, at a planted rock opposite the south
end of the Virginia and Southwestern railway company’s switch;
thence with the west side of said road to J. A. Sheppard’s corner,
thence in a westerly direction, with the south lines of the lots be-
longing to the following parties: J. A. Sheppard, James Stickley,
W. B. Vermillion, J. C. Pruner, and Price, to F. M. Barker’s line,
thence with the said F. M. Barker’s line to Main street of said town,
thence with said Main street, in a westerly direction, to a planted
rock, near a telephone pole, opposite the residence of Thomas Ken-
nedy, thence in a northerly direction to two chestnut trees on the
side of a hill, thence in an easterly direction to the McKinney
Stophel spring, thence to the Grant spring, thence to the mountain
turnpike, to the first turn thereof, thence in a southerly direction
with the east side of said turnpike to said Main street, thence in a
southerly direction to a pine tree about half way to the top of Little
mountain, thence in a westerly direction to the beginning.

3. The officers of the said town shall consist of a mayor, six
councilmen, a recorder and a sergeant and an assistant sergeant, if
deemed necessary by the town council; all of whose compensation
shall be fixed by the council. The mayor shall, by virtue of his
office, possess all the powers and authority and jurisdiction of a
justice of the peace of Washington county, Virginia.

4. Until an election is held, as hereinafter provided for, J. C.
Payne shall be mayor. L. D. Crawford, C. F. Smith, O. M. Holt,
I’rank Pippin, C. H. Barker and A. B. English, councilmen. The
said councilmen shall have the power to appoint annually a ser-
geant and an assistant sergeant if deemed necessary by the town
council, and such other officers as necessary to conduct the business
of the town, and fix their compensation and prescribe their duties,
and require such bond as may be deemed proper and sufficient; all of
whom shall hold office until a successor is appointed or elected and
qualified as such.

5. Should any of the officers hereby appointed fail or refuse to
qualify in thirty days after their term of office under this act shall
begin, then it shall be the duty of the mayor or in his absence, the
majority of the councilmen shall fill all vacancies by appointment.

6. The said council shall have the power to tax all real and per-
sonal property situated in said town, and not exempt by law from
State taxation, provided that land used for farming or pasture pur-
poses shall be exempt from taxation by the said council.

7. The said council shall have power to pass all by-laws and
ordinances for the proper government of the said town, and not in
conflict with the Constitution and laws of the State of Virginia,
or the Constitution and laws of the United States.

8. The first election under the charter for election of mayor and
councilmen of the said town shall be held on the second Tuesday in
June, nineteen hundred and fourteen, and every two years there-
after, and their term of office shall commence on the first day of
September after their election, and the said election to be held in
accordance with the general election laws of the State of Virginia,
and vacancies occurring in said offices shall be filled by the mayor,
or council in the absence of the mayor.

9. That for the purpose of carrying into effect the police regu-
lations of the said town they shall be allowed the use of the jail
of Washington county for the safekeeping and confinement of all
prisoners who shall be sentenced to imprisonment under the ordi-
nance of the said town, and where any judgment shall be rendered
against a prisoner for any penalty under any of the laws of the
State of Virginia, or any ordinance of the said town, and the same
is not immediately paid the person or persons so in the default may
be required by order of the mayor or councilmen, who may try such
cnse in the absence of the mayor, so passing sentences to work out
such fines or penalties and cost of prosecutions on the public roads
or streets of the said town or any other public improvements within
said town at fifty cents per day, under the direction of the sergeant
and under such rules and regulations as may be deemed proper by
the mayor or the council of said town.

10. In view of the necessity of immediate police protection for
the said town, an emergency is declared to exist and this act shall
be in force from its passage.