thereto, within the time prescribed by the Constitution, and thereupon became a law without his signature.JAMES P. NEWCOMB, Secretary of State.]

CHAPTER CCLXIV.

An Act to authorize the County Court of Mason County to issue interestbearing Bonds to pay the present outstanding Indebtedness of said county.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That the County Court of Mason county be and is hereby authorized to issue interest-bearing and coupon bonds, for such sums, and in such amounts, and payable at such time, as said County Court may determine; provided, that the bonds hereby authorized shall be issued only for such sums as are necessary for the purpose of funding the present outstanding indebtedness of said county, of every character whatsoever due and to become due.

SEC. 2. That the said County Court is further authorized to levy and collect a special ad valorem tax, not to exceed fifty cents upon the one hundred dollars value of all taxable property in said county of Mason, for the purpose of paying the interest and providing a sinking fund for the final payment of said bonds; said tax to be assessed and collected as are other State and county taxes. SEC. 3. That this act shall take effect from and after its passage.

Passed May 31st, 1873.

[NOTE.--The foregoing act was presented to the Governor of Texas for his approval on the second day of June, A. D. 1873, and was not signed by him, or returned to the house in which it originated, with his objections thereto, within the time prescribed by the Constitution, and thereupon became a law without his signature.JAMES P. NEWCOMB, Secretary of State.]

CHAPTER CCLXV.

An Act to amend section four of an Act entitled "An Act to incorporate Paine Female Institute," approved August 6th, 1856.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That section four of the above recited act be and the same is hereby amended so as to read as follows, to wit: Said Female Institute shall be under the direction, supervision, and patronage of the West Texas Conference of the M. E. Church, South; provided, that no religious test shall ever be required of the principals, teachers or students in said Institute.

SEC. 2. That this act shall be in force from and after .its passage.

Approved May 31st, 1873,

CHAPTER CCLXVI.

An Act to incorporate the Navasota Real Estate and Building Association.

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SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That D. D. Atcheson, Thomas Elson, H. K. White, Emmett Hamilton and Sillman Smith, their associates and successors, are hereby created and established a body corporate and politic, under the name and style of the Navasota Real Estate and Building Association;" with capacity in said corporate name to make contracts; to hold, buy and sell property, both real and personal; to contract and execute leases; to take grants and gifts; to execute deeds, mortgages and deeds of trust; to have succession and a common seal; to make by-laws for the regulation of its affairs; to sue and be sued; to plead and be impleaded; to declare dividends and make divisions of property; to do and perform all such things as may be necessary and proper for, or incident to the fulfillment of its obligations and maintenance of its rights under this act, and consistent with the Constitution and laws of the State; provided, that the operations of said association, as to the purchase or holding of

real property, shall be restricted exclusively to and within the county of Grimes.

SEC. 2. The officers and managers of this association shall consist of five directors and one treasurer, to be elected by the shareholders. There shall be one presi-: dent and one vice president, to be chosen by the board of directors, and also one secretary, to be chosen by the directors from the shareholders. Such officers shall receive such compensation as the by-laws may provide, and their term of office shall be for one year, subject to removal in such manner as the by-laws may prescribe.

SEC. 3. The capital stock shall be twenty-five thousand dollars, with the power and privilege of increasing the same to one hundred and fifty thousand dollars.

SEC. 4. The capital stock of twenty-five thousand dollars shall be divided into twenty-five hundred shares of one hundred dollars per share, payable in monthly installments of ten dollars per month.

SEC. 5. Any shareholder who fails, neglects or refuses to pay, or cause to be paid, his regular monthly installment, shall forfeit his stock to the association; provided, however, that by and with the consent of the board of directors, for some good cause shown, such delinquent may be allowed fifteen days to redeem stock thus for-. feited.

SEC. 6. No person shall own more than twenty shares of stock in this association, and in case any share of stock shall become forfeited in accordance with the foregoing provision, the board of directors shall dispose of the same to the highest bidder in such manner as the by-laws may direct, provided, that one-half the proceeds shall be returned to the shareholder whose stock has been forfeited. SEC. 7. Whenever one hundred shares shall have been subscribed and three months' installments paid in, this association shall be deemed organized and competent to transact business under this charter, and be entitled to all the grants and privileges hereunder.

SEC. 8. Service of any and all legal proceedings in any suit against this association shall be sufficient if made upon the president or secretary.

SEC. 9. Books of subscription shall be opened under the supervision and direction of the corporators herein named, each share entitling the owner thereof to one vote; and when the required amount is subscribed and paid in,

they shall give notice and proceed to organize said association.

SEC. 10. This act of incorporation shall be in full force and have effect from and after the date of its passage for and during the period of thirty years. Approved May 31st, 1873.

CHAPTER CCLXVII.

An Act to incorporate the Town of Elgin, in Bastrop County, Texas.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That the citizens of the town of Elgin, in the county of Bastrop, be and they are hereby declared and made a body politic and corporate, under the name and style of the "Corporation of Elgin;" by which name they may sue and be sued; plead and be impleaded; acquire and hold property, both real and personal, and sell and dispose of the same at their will and pleasure.

SEC. 2. That the area of said corporation shall be one mile square, to be so laid off that the present railroad depot building shall be in the center of the corporate limits.

SEC. 3. It shall be the duty of the citizens of said corporation to elect a mayor, four aldermen and a marshal, who shall hold their offices for one year, and until their successors are elected and qualified. The first election to be held on the first Monday in January, in 1874, and all subsequent elections on the same day in each year thereafter. The mayor and aldermen shall compose the town council, any three of whom shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of all business. Said council shall have power to pass such rules, regulations, ordinances and laws as may be necessary for the regulation of the police, and preservation of the peace, order, quiet, and good health within the corporate limits of said town; and to impose such punishment, both by fine and imprisonment, as may be necessary to enforce the proper observance of the same; provided, however, that no fine shall exceed two hundred dollars, and no imprisonment shall exceed fifteen days, for any single offense.

SEC. 4. Said council shall have the power to impose

a direct property and license tax upon all such property, persons and employments as are liable to taxation under the Constitution and laws of the State, and to enforce the collection of the same under such rules and regulations as they may adopt; provided, that no property tax shall exceed, for any one year, one half of one per cent. of the value of said property; and no license tax greater than two hundred dollars shall be annually imposed on any one person or firm; and provided further. more, that no tax shall ever be levied by said council upon any property, real or personal, owned, occupied and used exclusively for church, educational or charitable pur

poses.

SEC. 5. Said council shall have exclusive control and supervision over all streets, sidewalks, alleys and highways within the corporate limits of said town, and they shall cause to be raised by taxation a sufficient sum of money as may be necessary to improve and keep the same in good repair.

SEC. 6. Said council shall, at their first regular meeting, elect one of their number treasurer, who shall act as secretary of said council, and shall, before he enters upon the discharge of his duties, take and subscribe the oath of office prescribed by the Constitution of this State, and give bond to said corporation, in such sum as may be required by said council, for the faithful performance of his duties, and shall receive such pay for his services as may be allowed him by said council."

SEC. 7. The marshal, before entering upon the duties of his office, shall take and subscribe the oath of office prescribed by the Constitution of this State, and give bond and security to the corporation for the faithful discharge of his duties, in such sum as may be designated by the council, and it shall be his duty to execute all process issued to him by the mayor; suppress all riots and disorderly assemblies; make all arrests, with or without warrant, of persons for violation of any of the corporate laws; he shall have power to call to his aid the citizens within the corporate limits, and may execute process beyond the limits of the corporation; provided, the of fense upon which the process is based was committed within said limits; and he shall receive such fees for his services as are prescribed by law for constables for similar services; he shall, by virtue of his office, be the assessor