Chap. 143.—An ACT to authorize the mayor and council of the city of
Williamsburg, in the county of James City, State of Virginia, to issue
bonds and borrow money for the purpose of establishing, installing, and
maintaining a system of water works, a sewerage system, and electric
light and power system in said city of Williamsburg, and to provide
for submission of the question to the voters of said city, and to provide
for the payment of such bonds and the interest to accrue thereon, and
to authorize the board of directors of the Eastern State hospital to
contract with the mayor and council of said city of Williamsburg for
the sale and purchase of water, and connection with the water and
sewerage systems of said Eastern State hospital, and to authorize the
board of visitors of the College of William and Mary in Virginia to
contract with the mayor and council of said city for the sale and pur-
chase of electric current for light and power, and for connection with
the electric plant and system of the said the College of William and
Mary in Virginia. (S. B. 105)

Approved March 18, 1915.

Whereas, it has been made to appear to the satisfaction of the mayor
and council of the city of Williamsburg, as well as its citizens, that a
complete water system, sewerage system, and electric light and power
system can be secured for the use of said city and its citizens, by connect-
ing with the present water and sewerage system of the Eastern State
hospital, located at Williamsburg, and‘by connecting with the present
electric plant and lighting system of the college of William and Mary
in Virginia, also located in said city; and

Whereas, the said Eastern State hospital has an abundant supply
of artesian water and an adequate sewerage system, and the board of di-
rectors of said hospital is willing to contract with said city for a necessary
supply of water and the use of its sewerage system, in view of the ad-
vantages that will accrue to said hospital by reason of the improvement
of the sanitary conditions of said hospital as well as said city; and

Whereas, the present electric lighting system of the college of William
and Mary in Virginia is sufficient to furnish electric current for the use
of said city, as well as its citizens, for lighting and power purposes, and
the board of visitors of said college have under consideration a proposal
to contract with said city for the use of such electric currents, in view
of the advantages that will accrue to said college as well as to said city
by reason of such improvements to said college and its surroundings:

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That the
mayor and the council of the city of Williamsburg be and they are, hereby
authorized and empowered to issue bonds of the said city, and to borrow
money, not to exceed in the aggregate the sum of thirty thousand dollars,
as hereinafter provided, or as much thereof as, added to its present in-
debtedness, shall not exceed the constitutional limitation of eighteen per
centum upon municipal indebtedness; the proceeds from the sale of
said bonds or so much thereof as may be necessary, to be expended in
the establishment, construction, and maintenance of a system of water
works for said city for fire extinguishing purposes, and for domestic and
commercial use, and for the establishment, construction, and maintenance
of a sewerage system for said city, and for the establishment, construction,
equipment, and maintenance of a general electric lighting and power
system for said city, or such of the above purposes as may be prescribed
by the said council, and to meet all expenses connected therewith, as
may be determined upon by the said council.

2. The said bonds shall be registered or coupon bonds, and shall
be issued in denominations of one hundred dollars, or some multiple
thereof, and shall bear interest at a rate not to exceed six per centum
per annum. The interest on said bonds shall be paid annually or semi-
annually, as may be prescribed by said council, and shall be payable at
the office of the treasurer of the city of Williamsburg and county of
James City, or at such bank or banking house in said city as may be
selected and designated by said council. The principal of said bonds
shall be payable in thirty (30) years from the date of issue. The said
bonds shall be signed by the mayor, and countersigned by the clerk of
the council, and shall be sold and negotiated in such manner as may
be prescribed by the said mayor and council, provided that said bonds
shall not be sold or negotiated for less than par value; the money re-
ceived from the proceeds of said bonds shall be paid over to the treasurer
of the city of Williamsburg and county of James City, and such part
thereof as shall be expended shall be paid out only upon the warrant
of the said council, signed by the president of said council, and counter-
signed by the clerk thereof. The said treasurer of the city of Williams-
burg and county of James City,and the surety on his official bond, shall
be liable for the amount received from the sale of said bonds, as though
it were a city levy, and the said treasurer shall receive for his services
a commission of one-half of one per centum on all funds coming into
his hands, derived from the sale of said bonds.

8. The council of said city shall have control of the expenditure of
the funds derived from the sale of said bonds, provided, however, that
no part of said funds shall be used for any purpose other than those
herein provided; provided, further, that said bonds shall not be issued
or negotiated until the question has been submitted to a vote of the
people of said city by an election, to be ordered by the circuit court of
the city of Williamsburg and county of James City, or the judge thereof
in vacation, which court, or the judge thereof in vacation, shall under
such election upon presentation of a petition to him, signed by one-
fourth of the qualified voters of said city, such election to be held at such
time and after such notice, which shall not be less than two weeks, as
the said court, or the judge thereof in vacation, may prescribe, by order
entered upon the minutes of the said court to pass upon the question
whether such bonds shall be issued or not for an amount not to exceed
thirty thousand dollars. And the clerk of the said court shall give the
notice required by the court, or the judge thereof in vacation, of such
election, by publication in the Virginia Gazette, a newspaper published in
the city of Williamsburg, Virginia, and by posting same at the front door
of the courthouse of said court, which said notice shall state the amount
of bonds to be issued and the purposes of the proposed issue thereof.
And the clerk of said court shall receive for his services hereunder two
dollars, to be paid out of the city treasury. The said election to be
held and conducted in like manner as a regular election, and the laws
of the State applying to general elections shall apply to such special
election, except as hereinafter provided; and the judges and clerks of
the regular election in said city shall be the judges and clerks in said
special election, and shall receive the same compensation ; and the voting
place for said city for general elections shall also be the same for such
special election. There shall be provided separate ballot boxes, the one
for freeholders’ ballots and the other for non-freeholders’ ballots. The
judges and clerks of such special election shall canvass the vote and
certify the same to the clerk of said court in the same manner as re-
quired by law in general elections, which certificates shall show the
number of freeholder’s ballots cast for bond issue and against bond
issue, and the number of non-freeholders’ ballots cast for bond issue
and against bond issue, and said bonds shall not be issued unless it
appear from said certificate that a majority of the qualified voters of
said city voting upon the question are in favor of issuing said bonds,
aud that said majority includes a majority of the free-holders of said
city voting at said election. And on the second day following such
special election, it shall be the duty of said clerk, the Commonwealth’s
attorney of said city and county, and the commissioner of the revenue
of said city, who are hereby constituted a board of canvassers for that
purpose, to meet in the clerk’s office of said city, and to canvass the re-
turns of such special election, and to certify the results ascertained by
them to said court, or to the judge thereof in vacation, who shall enter an
order confirming same, and shall direct a copy of said order to be trans-
mitted to the mayor and council of said city, which shall be spread upon
the minutes of the said council, and when this shall have been done, if
no notice of contest of said election shall have been filed, within ten
days after said election, the certificate of the canvassing board hereby
created shall be conclusive of the legality and regularity of said special
election and the result thereof.

4. The registered voters of said city, who shall be qualified by law
to vote in the general election to be held in November, nineteen hundred
and fifteen, shall be eligible to vote in such special election, be held prior
or subsequent to the general election in November, nineteen hundred
and fifteen. The expenses of said election shall be paid out of the
treasury of said city.

5. The council of the said city of Williamsburg is hereby authorized
and empowered to sell water for domestic and commercial purposes, and
to sell electric current for light, heat, and power to all persons, firms, or
corporations applying therefor, at such rates as may be fixed by said
council, and from the revenue derived therefrom, the said council shall,
after the payment of the costs and expenses of operating and maintain-
ing said water, sewerage, and lighting and power systems, pay the interest
on said bonds, and any surplus revenue derived therefrom shall be set aside
for the purpose of creating a sinking fund sufficient to pay the principal
of said bonds, upon their maturity; and the council of said city shall,
as the funds become available, apply said sinking fund to the payment
or purchase of any of said bonds at any time, and all bonds so paid for
or purchased by said city council shall be immediately cancelled and
shall not be reissued. When the said city wishes to redeem any of its
outstanding bonds subject to call, issued under the provisions of this
act, it may, through the president of the city council of said city, give
notice of its readiness to do so to the holder, or holders, in person or by
publication thereof once a week, for two successive weeks, in a news-
paper published in said city, or nearest thereto. It shall be sufficient
in the notice to give the number and amount of each bond, and a fixed
date for its presentation for payment, which shall be not less than ten
days from the date of personal service of the notice or the completion
of the publication thereof, as the case may be. If the bond, or bonds,
be not presented on the day fixed for their redemption, interest thereon
shall cease from that date.

6. In the event the income so derived is insufficient to pay the in-
terest on said bonds and to create a sinking fund for the retirement
thereof at maturity, or as set forth in section five of this act, then and in
that event the said council of said city shall, at each annual levy after
the levy for the year, nineteen hundred and sixteen, lay aside for the
thirty (30) years that the bonds have to run, a sufficient amount to
cover the interest on said bonds, and such further sum as may be de-
termined upon each year, to be placed to the credit of the said sinking
fund; at the maturity of said bonds upon the expiration of the said
thirty (30) years, the council of said city shall make lawful provision
for their payment.

7. No corporation tax shall be levied or assessed upon said bonds
by the city of Williamsburg.

8. The said council is hereby authorized and empowered to enter
into such contract or contracts as may be necessary for the acquisition,
operation, equipment, establishment, installation, construction, and main-
tenance of said water, sewerage, and electric lighting and power systems,
and all things in connection therewith, and to employ all necessary engi-
neers and other assistants which may be necessary. The members of
said council are prohibited from being or becoming interested, directly
or indirectly, in any purchase, contract or contracts which may be made
with any funds derived from the sale of bonds issued hereunder.

9. The board of directors of the Eastern State hospital is hereby
authorized and empowered to enter into such contract or contracts with
the mayor and council of the city of Williamsburg at it may see fit for
the sale to said city of water and for connection with the water mains
and with the sewerage system of the said Eastern State hospital, which
contract shall be for such time and upon such terms and conditions as
to the said board of directors of the Hastern State hospital may seem
proper. And the said board is further authorized and empowered to
amend or renew such contract as it may see fit, upon such terms as it
may agree upon with the said mayor and council. Any contract made
by virtue of the authority herein conferred shall be in writing, and shall
be signed by the members constituting the board of directors of the
Eastern State hospital.

10. The board of visitors of the college of William and Mary in
Virginia is hereby authorized and empowered to enter into such con-
tract with the said mayor and council of the city of Williamsburg as the
said board of visitors may see fit, for the sale to the said city of electric
current for light, heat and power, and for connection by said city with
the electric plant and system of the said college, which contract shall be
for such time and upon such terms and conditions as to the said board
of visitors may seem proper. And the said board of visitors is further
authorized and empowered to amend or renew such contract at any time,
im accordance with any agreement made with the mayor and council
of said city. Said contract shall be in writing, and shall be signed for
and on behalf of the board of visitors of the college of William and
Mary by its rector, whose signature shall be attested by the secretary
of said board.

11. All acts and parts of acts in conflict with or inconsistent with
this act are hereby repealed.

12. In view of the fact that it is desirable that the bonds herein
provided for shall be issued, and the improvements made with as much
dispatch as possible, an emergency is declared to exist, and this act
shall be in force from its passage.