Chap. 65.—An ACT to create the city of Hopewell, in the county of Prince
George; to provide temporary and permanent officers for its organiza-
tion and management and to authorize the assessment and collection
of revenue necessary for the permanent improvement and government
of said city. (H. B. 200.)

Approved February 26, 1916.

Whereas, it appears to the general assembly that the portion
of Bland magisterial district. in the county of Prince George,
<nown as Hopewell, hereinafter defined has, within the year
0 ACTS OF ASSEMBLY. L VA.

ast past become thickly settled by more than ten thousand per-
ons, many of whom are not American citizens or Virginians
nd few of whom will possess the qualifications of voters in said
listrict of the said county, required by the Constitution and
aws of this Commonwealth, when the next general election for
sities is to be held pursuant to general law; and,

Whereas, as a result of the chaotic conditions of the said
unincorporated community that have resulted from a wide-
spread conflagration therein on December ninth, nineteen hun-
dred and fifteen, the governor of the Commonwealth has found
it necessary and desirable to order portions of the State militia
to the said community and has maintained the same there until
this time for the better order, protection and general welfare
of the community. |

Whereas, the said community in the judgment of the general
assembly should have an adequate and proper system of local
self-government as soon as is practicable, to the end that it be
afforded proper police, health and fire protection, as well as
other local improvements essential to its health and growth;
therefore,

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
the portion of Bland magisterial district, Prince George county,
in this Commonwealth, comprehended within the lines, herein-
after set forth, as the said portion of Bland magisterial district,
in the county of Prince George, is now, and may hereafter be
laid out into lots, blocks and parcels of land, and into streets,
avenues, alleys and other public places, shall from and after the
date this act takes effect be a body politic and corporate, t
be known and designated as the city of Hopewell, said incorpo
rated area’ being within the lines following, to-wit:

Beginning at the intersection of the projection southwardl;
of the east side of Bon Accord street as laid out on the plot o
West City Point sub-division, recorded in the county clerk’
office of Prince George county, in book , page
where the projection of said street crosses the right of way o
the Norfolk and Western railway company; thence runnin:
southwestwardly along the southerly side of the right of way a
the Norfolk and Western railway company to a point where th
same is intersected by Cat Tail creek; thence westwardly fo
lowing Cat Tail creek and the western boundary of the tract o
land known as Battle Ground addition. to a point where sai
boundary leaves said creek; thence still northwestwardly an
northerly, following the western boundary of said Battle Grour
addition to the point where same intersects the main count
road between Petersburg and City Point; thence in a dire
line across to the northerlv side of the said county road; then
eastwardly along the north side of said countv road to a poi
where same is intersected by the western boundary of the Dol
sub-division; thence running northwardly and thence ea:

wardly, and thence northerly still following the boundaries of
the Dolin sub-division, so as to include said Dolin sub-division
within the city hereby created, and by the projection of the said
western line northwardly to the county line of Chesterfield
county; thence generally in an easterly direction following the
southern boundary line of Chesterfield county, to a point where
same is intersected by a projection northwardly of the east side
of Bermuda street as laid out on the plat aforesaid; thence
southwardly along said projection and along the east side of
the said Bermuda street to the north side of Appomattox street;
thence westwardly along the north side of Appomattox street
to a point where the same intersects the east side of Bon Accord
street; thence southwardly along the east side of said Bon
Accord street and the projection thereof to the south side of
the right of way of the Norfolk and Western railway company,
being the point of beginning; excepting, however, from the ter-
ritory above described to be incorporated within the said city,
so much of the land lying within the boundaries aforesaid as is
described as lying within the following metes and bounds: Be-
ginning at a point where the eastern boundary line of the prop-
erty of the E. I. duPont de Nemours and company, lying within
the limits herein above described, intersects the northern line
of the said right of way of the said Norfolk and Western rail-
way ; thence by a line to a point at the intersection of said right
of way with the western boundary line of the said property of
the said E. I. duPont de Nemours and company; thence along
the said western boundary line three degrees sixteen minutes
west thirteen hundred and nine feet to the center line of the
Petersburg road; thence due west along said road twenty-one
feet; thence north four degrees fifty-seven minutes west four-
teen hundred and thirty-two feet to a corner; thence south
eighty-five degrees thirty-eight minutes west eleven hundred
and sixty-two feet to a point at the head of a ravine opposite
the southeast corner of the National cemetery reservation:
thence down said ravine seven hundred and forty feet to a
creek; thence down the center line of said creek two thousand
four hundred and one feet to low water mark of the Appomat-
tox river; thence along the low water mark of the said river in
a southeasterly direction to a point where the easterly boundary
line of the said property of the said E. I. duPont de Nemours
and company intersects the same; thence south four degrees
thirty-nine and a half minutes east twenty-four hundred and
sixty feet to the point of beginning; but from the property so
excepted there is included within the territory to be incorpo-
rated within the said city, a strip of land across the property
of the said BE. I. duPont de Nemours and company, the center
line of which said strip is coincident with the said Petersburg
road, except along that portion thereof adiacent to Comer’s
Crossing, where the said road turns northward, and where an
appropriate curve would give a width of fifty feet to the said
strip of land, without encroaching upon the right of way of the
said Norfolk and Western railway; but the incorporation of
the said fifty feet strip of land, and of the street or road lying
to the east of the eastern property line of the said E. I. duPont
de Nemours and company, within the limits of the said city,
shall not give to the said city of Hopewell the right to interfere
in any manner with the operation, maintenance, and repair of
the pipe lines of the E. I. duPont de Nemours and company,
under the same, nor the right of the said company to lay addi-
tional pipe lines, or to operate, repair and maintain the said
additional pipe lines when so laid, but the said E. I. duPont de
Nemours and company shall have the same right to operate,
maintain, repair, protect and to police or guard the said pipe
lines, laid or to be laid, as it had before the passage of this act;
provided, it shall not unreasonably interfere with the public
right of passage, nor unreasonably obstruct any part of the said
fifty-foot strip, and the said city shall have the right whenever
it so determines to lay, construct, repair and maintain any pipe
lines for water and gas or other purposes; and said city and
such nersons, natural or artificial, as may receive rights there-
for shall have the right to occupy the said fifty-foot strip with
poles, wires and other paraphernalia necessary to the construc-
tion and operation of telegraph and telephone lines and for
electric street railway or other public utility purposes; pro-
vided, however, that neither the citv nor any person, natural or
artificial, holding any franchise, shall interfere with the con-
struction, operation, maintenance, or repair of any present or
future pipe line or pipe lines, now or hereafter laid and con-
structed under and along the said fifty-foot strip by the said
E. I. duPont de Nemours and company, its successors or as-
signs, that are necessary and proper for the conduct of the said
company’s business; provided, further, that the rights of the
said E. I. duPont de Nemours and company to maintain, repair,
operate, guard and protect its water mains and other pipe lines
heretofore and hereafter constructed under and along a strip of
land sixteen and half feet in width, the center of which begins
at a point located north four degrees thirty-five and a half
minutes west ten hundred and fifty-five feet, more 6r less, along
the eastern property line of said company from the intersection
of said property line with the right of way of the Norfolk and
Western railway; thence running by a tangent north fifty-three
degrees fifty-five minutes west one hundred and thirty-two and
four-tenths feet to a point of curve; thence on a one degree
curve to the left. five hundred and fifty feet to the point of tan-
gent; thence along the tangent north fifty-nine degrees and
twenty-five minutes west two hundred and ninety-nine and five-
tenths feet to the right of way of the Norfolk and Western rail-
way; are hereby preserved to it, its successors and assigns as
well as its rights to maintain, repair, operate, guard and pro-
tect along said strip its power lines free from control by the
said city; except that the said company shall not at any time
unreasonably obstruct any street, avenue, alley or other public
place in said city, but any and all work of construction and re-
pair shall be done speedily and with the least possible delay, to
the end that the public may suffer the least inconvenience in
the course of any work of construction or repair. And in ad-
dition to the regular police force of said city, the corporation
court, or the judge thereof in vacation, is hereby authorized on
application: of the said E. I. duPont de Nemours and company,
through its proper officers, or its counsel or attorney, to ap-
point a suitable person, or persons, to serve as special police-
men (but without cost to the city) for additional protection and
adequate safeguarding of any or all of the said company’s prop-
erty now, or hereafter located, within said city; which said
special policemen shal] take the oath as prescribed in section
thirty-nine hundred and twenty-five of the Code of Virginia,
and shall have the power and authority to apprehend and to
carry before the proper officer, to be dealt with according to
law, all persons whom they have cause to suspect have violated
or intend to violate any ordinance of said city or law of this
State under which the said property is afforded protection;
provided, however, that the public school building recently con-
structed with advancements of money made by the said company
to the county of Prince George and within the said corporate
limits shall remain the property of the county of Prince George,
and shall not be the property of the said city; and provided,
further, that the jail recently constructed shall be the property
of the said city and shall be paid for at the time and in the man-
ner prescribed in the appropriation bill passed, or to be passed
by this session of the general assembly.

The said city and the local government thereof, as herein-
after provided, shall be vested with all and singular rights,
powers and privileges, and subject to all of the liabilities con-
ferred and imposed upon cities of the first class under the Con-
stitution and general laws of this Commonwealth. The said
city, from and after the time this act takes effect, shall be and
thereafter continue a political entity, wholly separate from and
independent of the remaining portion of the county of Prince
George, and it shall consist of one ward until such time as it
mav be subdivided into additional wards, in the manner pre-
scribed by general law; provided, all private rights that may
have been reserved in, to, and under the streets, avenues and
allevs within said corporate lines are hereby preserved to the
beneficiaries of such reserved rights; provided, however, that
the right of public passage on, over and along the same, and
anv of them, shall not be unreasonably obstructed, hindered, or
delayed; and, provided, further, that nothing in this act shall
be construed as a limitation upon the said city in the exercise
of its right of eminent domain as the said city in the exercise
of its general police and taxing power, or powers are now, or
may hereafter be, provided by general laws.

2. That on and after July first, nineteen hundred and six-
teen, the administration and government of the said city of
Hopewell shall be vested in a mayor, and a council consisting
of two branches; one of which shall be called the common council
to be composed of five members, and the other the board of
aldermen to consist of three members. The mayor and council
who shall first constitute the administrative and governmental
officers of the said city, shall be selected and commissioned by
the governor from among the residents of the territory de
scribed in section one of this act and who shall be either quali-
fied voters of Bland precinct or, in the alternative, shall have
been residents in said territory for a period of not less than
three months prior to the date of their commission, and in addi-
tion shall have property therein of a value of at least two hun-
dred and fifty dollars. They shall be commissioned by the gov-
ernor and hold their respective offices from and after July first,
nineteen hundred and sixteen, until the city elections provided
for by general law, as follows: The mayor so designated, unless
sooner removed in the manner prescribed by general law, shall
hold office until September first, nineteen hundred and twenty,
and thereafter until his successor elected at the general election
to be held on the second Tuesday in June, nineteen hundred and
twenty has qualified; and a majority of each branch of the city
council to be designated by the governor, shall hold office until
the first day of September, nineteen hundred and eighteen, and
thereafter, until their successors elected at the general election
held on the second Tuesday in June, nineteen hundred and eigh-
teen, have qualified; and, the minority of each branch of the
council also to be designated by the governor, shall hold office
until the first day of September, nineteen hundred and twenty,
and thereafter until their successors elected at the general city
election to be held on the second Tuesday in June, nineteen hun-
dred and twenty, have qualified. Provided, that the removal
or a change of residence of the mayor or of any member of
either branch of the council shall create a vacancy in such posi-
tion, and in the event of a vacancy occurring by reason of death,
removal or otherwise, in the office of mayor, before the first day
of September, nineteen hundred and twenty, such vacancy shall
be filled for the unexpired term by the governor; and in the
event of a vacancy occurring in either branch of the council,
such vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired term by the re-
maining members of such branch; and if the remaining mem-
bers do not agree within ten (10) days upon a person to fill
such vacancy, the mayor is hereby authorized to cast the decid-
ing vote as to the successor. Until the election of their respec-
tive successors as herein provided, the mayor and council so
selected under the terms of this act, shall have, possess and
exercise all the powers and be subject to all the liabilities con-
ferred and imposed on mayors and councils of cities by the Con-
stitution and general laws of the Commonwealth. Before enter-
ing upon the discharge of their duties the mayor and members
of the council so elected, shall take and subscribe to the oaths
prescribed by law for public officers, which oaths shall be filed
in the clerk’s office of the circuit court for the county of Prince
George until such time as the clerk of the corporation court of
the city of Hopewell shall have been selected and has qualified,
when they shall be delivered to him for preservation by the
clerk of the circuit court. Provided, however, that nothing
herein contained shall prohibit the adoption of any other form
of government authorized by general laws under the eighth
article of the Constitution, as amended and ratified in the year
nineteen hundred and twelve, after January first, nineteen hun-
dred and eighteen. The mayor shall receive a salary not to ex-
ceed one hundred and fifty dollars per month, payable out of
the city treasury; but the members of the council of said city
shall serve without compensation.

3. The municipal officers of the said city, in addition to the
mayor and the members of the council, shall be either qualified
voters of Bland precinct, Prince George county, resident within
the boundaries defined in section one of this act, or, in the alter-
native, shall have been resident within said boundaries for a
period of at least three months prior to their selection, and
shall have property in the said city of the value of at least two
hundred and fifty dollars. These officers shall be:

(a) A clerk of the corporation court, who shall be first
selected by the judge of the corporation court of the city of
Hopewell, and who, unless sooner removed in the manner pre-
scribed by general law, shall hold office until the first day of
February, nineteen hundred and eighteen, and thereafter, until
his successor, to be elected at the next general election for city
‘fficers, on. the Tuesday, after the first Monday in November,
1ineteen hundred and seventeen, has qualified; also;

b) An attorney for the Commonwealth;

(c) A commissioner of the revenue;

(d) A city treasurer;

(e) A citv sergeant;

(f) A police justice;

(z) A civil justice; and,

(h) A city attorney; |
ach of whom shall be first selected by a majority of each
ranch of the council, to hold office subject to removal as pro-
nded by general law, until January first, nineteen hundred and
ighteen, and thereafter, until their respective successors, elected
it the general election for city officers held on the Tuesday after
the first Monday in November, nineteen hundred and seventeen,
shall qualify; provided, that successors to the police justice, civil
justice and city attorney, first selected, shall be chosen as here-
inafter set out; provided, however, that if a majority of both
branches of the council fail to agree for a period of ten days
upon any person for any such office, then the mayor shall select
for such office as to which there may be a disagreement one of
the persons who has received the majority vote of one of the
branches of the council. Ali of the officers provided for in this
section shall enter into and subscribe to the oaths required by
law of public officers in this Commonwealth, and, in addition
thereto, before entering upon the discharge of their respective
duties, the commissioner of the revenue shall enter into a bond,
payable to the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the penalty of two
thousand dollars; the city treasurer into a bond payable in like
manner in the penalty of twenty-five thousand dollars; the city
sergeant into a bond in like manner in the penalty of two thous-
and dollars; the police justice into a bond payable in like man-
ner in the penalty of two thousand dollars; and the civil justice
into a bond payable in like manner in the penalty of five hundred
dollars, each before the corporation court of the city of Hope
well, or the judge thereof in vacation, with corporate security
deemed sufficient by the said court, or the judge thereof in va-
cation. The clerk of the corporation court, the attorney for the
Commonwealth, the commissioner of the revenue, the city treas-
urer, and the city sergeant shall have, possess and exercise all
of the powers and duties and be subject to all and singular lia-
bilities conferred and imposed by general law upon like officers
respectively, in other cities of the first class in this Common-
wealth. The police-justice must have practiced law in this State
for at least five years prior to his selection; and his successor
shall have like qualifications and shall be selected by the council
not earlier than September fifteenth, nineteen hundred and sev-
enteen, nor later than December fifteenth, nineteen hundred and
seventeen, and shall take office on January first, nineteen hundred
and eighteen, and hold the same for a period of four years next
thence ensuing; each succeeding police justice to be selected in
like manner for a term of four years. He shall have jurisdic-
tion over all violations of the city ordinances and over all crim-
inal matters arising within the said city and within one mile of
the city limits, as provided by general law; and the power to
hear and determine such charges in said city shall be exclusively
vested in such police justice, or his substitute who shall possess
the same qualifications, shall be selected in the same manner an

for like terms as the police justice; such substitute police justice
to act during the absence or inability of the police justice. For
his services the substitute police justice shall be paid per diem
for the time he acts on the basis of the salary of the police Jus-
tice. The council may select two justices, one of whom may be
the substitute police justice, who shall each give a bond in the
sum of two thousand dollars, payable to the Commonwealth, with
security approved by the corporation court, or the judge thereof,
in vacation; and such justices shall have power to issue sum-
mons and criminal warrants returnable to and to be heard and
determined by the said police justice. Their term shall expire
with that of the police justice, and their successors shall be ap-
pointed and shall qualify as herein provided. Their fees shall
be the same as these now allowed by law to the issuing justices,
and shall be taxed as costs and paid out of the city or Stiv:e
treasury, as the character of the summons or warrant may be,
under the direction of the corporation court. The compensation
of the said officers shall be paid in monthly installments by the
city, except as herein otherwise directed not exceeding the fol-
owing:

(a) Clerk of the corporation court, one hundred and twen-
ty-five dollars;

(b) Attorney for the Commonwealth, one hundred dollars;

(c) Commissioner of the revenue, twenty-five dollars;

(d) City treasurer, twenty-five dollars;

(e) City sergeant, fifty dollars;

(f) Police justice, one hundred and fifty dollars;

(g) The civil justice shall have the full jurisdiction con-
ferred by law upon a justice of the peace as to civil matters, sub-
ject to a right of appeal to the corporation court of the said city
where such appeal is allowed by a general law from the decision
of justices of the peace in civil cases. He shall receive no sal-
ary; but his compensation shall be the fees allowed by law for
the issuance and hearing of civil warrants and summons. The
‘ivil justice first appointed shall hold office until January first,
nineteen hundred and eighteen, and thereafter, until his suc-
essor shall have qualified. Such successor shall be chosen by
he council of the said city not earlier than September fifteenth,
ineteen hundred and seventeen, nor later than December fif-
eenth, nineteen hundred and seventeen, and he shall hold office
‘or four years from and after January first, nineteen hundred
ind eighteen and each succeeding civil justice shall be selected
n like manner for a term of four (4) years.

(h) The city attorney shall attend meetings of either
ranch of the council when requested so to do; shall draw and
ubmit to the council all ordinances, rules and regulations: for
onsideration and adoption by the council; shall protect the citv’s
nterests in any and all matters in court or otherwise under the
lirection of the council and generally perform and discharge
vyhatever duties as the council may direct. He shall be paid a
ocnthly salary of not less than fifty dollars nor more than one
undred dollars. . ;

4. The city of Hopewell shall have a corporation court 1m-
nediately upon this act becoming effective, to be presided over
nd conducted by a judge to be hereafter named by the General
Assembly. The term of the said court shall begin on the first
Monday of each month; provided, that the judge of the said
court may, by an order entered of record, from time to time
change the day on which the said court shall begin, and shall
have power to omit the holding of any term for either the month
of July or August in each year. The court shall have a concur-
rent jurisdiction with the circuit court of the city of Hopewell to
hear and determine all civil motions and causes of law and equity
arising within the said city, as well as all other matters and
things made cognizable by statute law in either the circuit and
corporation courts of the Commonwealth. The said corporation
court shall have and exercise criminal jurisdiction over all of-
fenses committed within the said city, and within one mile of
the corporate limits thereof, and generally shall have jurisdic-
tion over all matters conferred by general law upon corporation
courts. The jurisdiction over criminal offenses committed with-
in the corporate limits of the city shall be exclusive of all other
courts; provided, however, that all indictments, criminal war-
rants, presentments and informations, pending in the circuit
court of Prince George county when this act takes effect, shall
be proceeded with in the said circuit court of said county until
the same are finally concluded and ended. The said corporation
court shall have exclusive, original jurisdiction over matters of
probate and administration arising within the corporate limits
of said city, and the judge thereof in vacation may act upon such
matters, or any other matters, where authorized under general
law. The said court, and the judge thereof, shall have, possess
and exercise the same duties as are, by general laws, vested in
and conferred upon other corporation courts and judges thereof;
the said corporation court, or the judge thereof in vacation, shall
have and exercise general control over rooms necessary for such
court and the clerk’s office thereof; and is hereby authorized to
procure all necessary stationery, books, records, furniture and
fixtures as the judge may deem necessary and proper for the use
of the said court and the clerk thereof the costs thereof to be
paid by an order of the court out of the treasury of the city. The
salary of the judge of the corporation court shall be two thous-
and five hundred dollars per annum, payable one-half by the city,
and the other half by the Commonwealth as prescribed by gen:
era! law.

5. After his qualification the judge of the corporation court
shall appoint three qualified voters, residents in said city as
members of the electoral board, who shall, when they hav
qualified as required by law, appoint a registrar and judges anc
clerks of election as provided by law, and shall designate a suit
able and proper place in said city as a polling place for the hold
ing of elections, and shall give proper public notice thereof. The
registrar as soon as practicable after his qualification, after giv
ing ten days’ prior notice thereof shall sit at such polling place
and register all such persons who offer for registration and wh
may be qualified under the Constitution and laws of the Com-
monwealth to be registered in said city, and shall in all respects
perform the duties imposed upon registrars by the Constitution
and genera! laws.

6. On and after July first, nineteen hundred and sixteen,
there shall be a circuit court in and for the city of Hopewell to
be called the circuit court of the city of Hopewell, which shall
be held by the judge of the third judicial circuit. The court, or
the judge thereof, shall have the same jurisdiction, duties and
powers in all respect within the limits of the said city that the
circuit courts of the cities of the first class in this Common-
wealth have within their respective cities. The terms of said
circuit court shall be not less than four in each year, to be begun
and held at the time fixed by the judge thereof by an order en-
tered of record. The judge of the circuit court for the county
of Prince George shall, in his discretion, cause the removal of
any civil motions or cases of law or equity pending in his court
at the time when this act becomes effective, to the circuit court
of the city of Hopewell. And in any such case it shall be the
duty of the clerk of the circuit court of Prince George county
to forthwith transfer to the clerk of the circuit court of the city
of Hopewell, all of the original papers or certified copies thereof,
in such cases so removed; and thereafter all proceedings in any
such cases shall be within the jurisdiction of the circuit court
of said city. The said city shall pay to the judge of the circuit
court of the city of Hopewell a salary of not less than five hun-
dred dollars, nor more than one thousand dollars per year.

7. The council shall select three persons who shall have been
residents of said city at least six months prior to their appoint-
ment, who, when they are qualified, shall constitute the school
board of said city until their successors have been chosen and
have qualified as prescribed by law. All the powers and duties
conferred by general law upon the school board of any city of
the first class in this Commonwealth shall be vested in and exer-
ised by the school board so selected.

8. The commissioner of the revenue, as soon as he qualifies,
shall forthwith procure all necessary land and property books
from the auditor of public accounts, and shall transfer thereto,
from the books of the commissioner of the revenue of Prince
seorge county the description and value of all lands and im-
srovements thereon and the assessments thereof; and all lists
f personal property situate and located within the limits of the
‘ity as defined in section one of this act and taxable therein. The
ommissioner shall thereafter extend thereon the levies made by
he council as hereinafter provided; and, in addition thereto, he
hall make a list of all male persons resident in the said city
‘bove the age of twenty-one years, not exempt by law from the
ayment of State capitation taxes and separating the lists of
white and colored residents.
9. The council, after the qualification of its members, shall
cause to be made up and entered on its journals an account of
such sums as in its judgment will be lawfully chargeable for the
management and government of the said city and that should be
paid within the fiscal year from July first, nineteen hundred and
sixteen, to June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and seventeen. The
council shall make a levy of one dollar per capita on each male
resident of the said city over the age of twenty-one years not
exempt by the Constitution or by law from the payment of the
State capitation taxes, which personal tax shall be payable to the
treasurer of the said city on or before December first, nineteen
hundred and sixteen, the said per capita levy to be supplemental
to any State capitation tax. The council is hereby expressly au-
thorized and empowered to levy, impose and to provide for the
collection of taxes (property, personal and license) on-all prop-
erties and persons subject to local taxation in said city under
the laws of the Commonwealth and also when all privileges and
businesses within the the said city upon which the Common-
wealth does or may impose a license tax except where such local
license taxes are expressly prohibited by the Constitution or by
law. The said council shall determine the amount of such license
taxes and may classify the subiects upon which they are im-
posed. All such license taxes shall become payable on the first
day of August of each year, beginning August first, nineteen
hundred and sixteen; provided, however, that no license or li-
censes for the sale of alcoholic or malt liquors, or any mixtures
thereof, or for the sale of any ardent spirits shall be considered
or granted within said city. The poll and license taxes hereby
authorized to be imvosed and collected shall be levied and col-
lected annually for the fiscal year of the said city which is hereby
established from July first, to June thirtieth, following. Taxes
on all real and personal property subject to local levy and tax-
ation shall be due and collectible, and subject to penalties and
interest annuallv when and as provided by general law; provid-
ed, that all local property taxes accruing during the year nine-
teen hundred and sixteen on real and personal property within
the limits defined in section two of this act shall be collected
by the countrv treasurer of Prince George county, and he shall,
on or before March first, nineteen hundred and seventeen. pay
all of such taxes and levies to the treasurer of the city of Hope-
well, less his commissions allowed by law.

10. The council shall have control of all fiscal and munici-
pal affairs of said city and all of the real and personal property ;
and may make all ordinances and by-laws relative to the same
as it deems proper, and from time to time may make. amend and
re-amend any and all ordinances for the proper regulation. man-
agement and government of the said city not in conflict with the
Constitution and statutes of this State or of the United States,
and may impose fines and penalties for the violation or non-ob-
servance thereof. It shall be the duty of the council annually
to make such levies on all property, persons, businesses and priv-
ileges that are permitted by law, as will, when collected, bring
into the city treasury sufficient sums as nearly as may be, to pay
all of the expenses for maintaining and governing the said city,
and to pay interest and create a reasonable sinking fund for all
indebtedness that may from time to time be due by the city on
account of the issue of bonds or otherwise; and to that end, the
said council is hereby fully authorized and empowered to levy
and collect all proper levies and taxes upon persons, properties,
privileges and business, not prohibited by law; and it may im-
pose and collect local assessments for improvement within the
limits provided by the Constitution and general laws of the Com-
monwealth. The council shall have full power to enact, estab-
lish and prescribe for the enforcement by proper authority of
any and all ordinances that in its judgment, may be proper, ex-
pedient and advisable to promote the health, protection and gen-
eral welfare of the said city and of its inhabitants, and to pro-
tect persons and property therein from danger, damage or de-
struction by fire or otherwise. And to effectuate the powers con-
ferred by general laws, as well as the powers herein specifically
provided, said council may employ all such persons as may be
necessary. and fix and pay their compensation.

11. That it appearing to the general assembly that when
this act takes effect on July first, nineteen hundred and sixteen,
the city of Hopewell will have no immediate cash assets with
which to defray its operating expenses, and it further appear-
ing the E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company has agreed to
pay into the city treasury the sum of twenty-five thousand
dollars ($25,000) as soon as the city treasurer shall qualify, it
is hereby expressly provided that the sum so advanced shall be
repaid by the said city to the said company in instalments of
two and one-half per cent. of the gross revenues and receipts
arising in the treasury of said city, such repayments shall be-
gin January first, nineteen hundred and eighteen, and continue
annually thereafter until the said sum of twenty-five thousand
dollars ($25,000) has been fully repaid to the said company.
The property and credit of the said city hereby created is hereby
pledged for the repayment of the sum so advanced to it by the
said company, equally, to the same extent and in Jike manner
as the same is nledged to the Commonwealth for the repayment
of the appropriation of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000)
made for said community at this session of the general assembly.

12. The said city of Hopewell shall be and continue until
otherwise provided by law a part of the fourth congressional
district, a part of the twenty-seventh senatorial district, and a
part of the legislative district (House of Delegates), included in
the counties of Prince George and Surry.

13. All acts or parts of acts so far as the same may conflict
with this act, shall be, and the same are, hereby repealed. But
_ all other respects such other acts shall remain in full force and
effect.
14. This act shall be in force on and after the first day of
July, nineteen hundred and sixteen. ;