SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That the County Court of Marion county be and they are hereby authorized and empowered to issue coupon interest-bearing bonds, in amount not to exceed seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) for the purpose of raising money to construct a court house and jail on the square situated in Alley's part of the city of Jefferson, Texas, as set forth in Hodge's plan of said city-bounded by Broadway, Dixon, South, Willard and Crawford streets-for the use of said county of Marion; said bonds to be of the denomination of one hundred to one thousand dollars each, to bear interest at the rate cf ten per centum per annum, payable annually.

SEC. 2. That said bonds may be sold, either at public or private sale by order of the county court, and the proceeds arising therefrom shall be paid into the county treasury, and by the treasurer paid out on the order of the county court. The interest due on said bonds shall be received by the collector of taxes for all county dues.

SEC. 3. That the said county court is further authorized to levy and collect a special ad valorem county tax, not to exceed one half of one per centum, for the purpose of paying the interest and viding a sinking fund for the final payment of said bonds.

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SEC. 4. That said bonds shall be made payable in not less than five nor more than ten years from the date of issuance; but the county court shall have power to redeem the same at an earlier time, should it so determine.

SEC. 5. That this act take effect and be in force from and after its passage.

Approved November 28, 1871.

CHAPTER XCIV.

AN ACT FOR THE RELIEF OF EZEKIEL W. CULLEN.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That the Commissioner of the General Land Office be required to issue to Ezekiel W. Cullen the certificate for bounty claims to land to which he may be entitled under the late laws of the Republic of Texas, for his services as a volunteer soldier'at San Antonio de Bexar in 1835, by filing the necessary proof in the General Land Office, showing him entitled to said bounty lands.

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

Passed November 28, 1871.

The foregoing act, received in the office of Secretary of State December two, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, having been presented to the Governor of Texas for his approval, and not having been returned by him to the House in which it originated within the time prescribed by the Constitution, has become a law without his approval.

J. E. OLDRIGHT, Acting Secretary of State.

CHAPTER XCV.

AN ACT TO AMEND AN ACT ENTITLED "AN ACT TO CONSOLIDATE

IN ONE ACT AND AMEND THE SEVERAL ACTS INCORPORATING

THE CITY OF HOUSTON, IN HARRIS COUNTY," PASSED AUGUST 2, 1870.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Teras, That for all back taxes due to the mayor, aldermen and inhabitants of the city of Houston, said corporation shall have a right of action in any court of competent jurisdiction; provided, nothing in this act shall be construed to permit the recovery of interest on said back taxes, prior to time of institution of suit, for the recovery of said back taxes.

SEC. 2. That this act take effect from and after its passage.
Approved November 28, 1871.

CHAPTER XCVI.

AN ACT TO INCORPORATE THE NORTH TEXAS AGRICULTURAL MECHANICAL AND BLOOD STOCK ASSOCIATION.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That George Wilson, Wm. B. Miller, Geo. M. Swink, James Bentley, John C. McCoy, Henry Ervay, Wm. C. McKaney, W. H. Witt, L. E. Combes and W. H. Gaston and their associates and successors, be and they are hereby declared a body cor

porate and politic, under the name and style of the North Texas Agricultural, Mechanical and Blood Stock Association, and as such shall be capable of contracting and being contracted with, suing and being sued, having and using a corporate seal, purchasing and holding in fee or otherwise, lands, goods and property, making and altering by-laws, and doing all other acts and things, and having and enjoying all other franchises incident to, or necessary and proper for effecting the objects of their incorporation.

SEC. 2. That the objects of said association are the encouragement and development of agriculture, the advancement of mechanical and industrial pursuits and the improvement of the breed of domestic animals, and for these purposes, said association is authorized to purchase, import, breed, exhibit and sell any kind of domestic animals, and to purchase, import, manufacture, exhibit and sell such improved machinery and implements as will promote the agricultural, mechanical, industrial and manufacturing interest of the people of Northern Texas, and of the whole State; provided, that nothing herein contained shall infringe upon the rights of patentees; and for the purpose of carrying out the objects and purposes of this association as above declared, said association is hereby authorized to own the necessary real estate for fair grounds, pastures, etc., not to exceed one hundred acres, and to erect upon the same suitable buildings and improvements for carrying out the objects of this association.

SEC. 3. That the capital stock of this association shall not exceed fifty thousand dollars, divided into shares of fifty dollars each, and that the affairs of said association shall be conducted by a president, vice-president, secretary and a board of seven directors, elected by and from the stockholders annually at such time as the by-laws of the association may prescribe.

SEC. 4. That, at any time after the passage of this act, and within twelve months after the date thereof, it shall be the duty of the commissioners named in the first section of this act, or a majority of them, to assemble the subscribers to the capital stock by giving written notice to each stockholder at least ten days previous to such meeting. One of said commissioners, selected by a majority of the others, shall ex officio preside at said meeting, and he shall proceed to effect the organization of the company by the election of the president, vice president, secretary and directors, as herein before provided, exacting that at least twenty-five per centum of the stock represented shall be paid down before any vote is cast. The board of directors shall have the power of electing a treasurer to take charge of the twenty-five per centum so paid down; and it is herein

provided that the duties of the commissioners herein named shall cease from the date of the election of this directory.

SEC. 5. That when the organization provided for herein shall have been effected, and when the directory, through the secretary of the association, shall make a demand for the seventy-five per centum, or any portion thereof due on the capital stock, any stockholder failing to pay up the amount due on his stock, or so much thereof as is demanded by the directory, shall forfeit the twenty-five per centum paid in to the association; provided, that ten days' notice of the call for seventy-five per centum of such stock, or any part thereof, be given by written notice to the stockholders owing the same, this notice to be given by the secretary.

SEC 6. That said association shall, by its directory, have power to make such police regulations, for observance upon and within onehalf mile of its fair grounds during the holding and continuance of any fair, as shall insure the peace and quietude of persons there assembled; and to carry out this provision each officer of this association, together with such other persons as may be appointed by the board of directors, are invested with all the powers of peace officers in the county of Dallas, and as such are authorized to arrest without warrant, and at once take before any justice of the peace, any person committing any crime or misdemeanor, or acting in a boisterous or disorderly manner within the fair grounds of said association, or within one-half mile thereof, to be dealt with by such justice as the law may require.

SEC. 7. That the stockholders of this association may at their annual election of officers adopt such by-laws for the government of the association for the ensuing year as they may deem proper, and that are not in violation of the Constitution and laws of this State. SEC. 8. That the legal domicile of this association shall be in the city of Dallas, Dallas county, Texas.

SEC. 9. That this act be in force from and after its passage, and shall continue in force for fifty years.

Approved November 28, 1871.

CHAPTER XCVII.

AN ACT TO AMEND AN ACT ENTITLED AN ACT TO INCORPORATE THE MERCHANTS MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY, APPROVED SEPTEMBER 19, 1866.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That section two of the act of incorporation of the Merchants Mutual Insurance Company, approved September 19, 1866, be amended so as to read as follows: "Sec. 2. That the capital stock of said corporation shall not be less than two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, divided into shares of fifty dollars each, which said shares shall be fully paid up within ninety days from the passage of this act in instalments as the same shall be called for by the president and board of directors of said corporation; and if any stockholder shall fail to pay any instalments so required to be paid, he or she shall cease to be a member of said corporation and shall forfeit his or her stock, and the share or shares so forfeited may be sold by said corporation in such manner as they may think proper; but such forfeiture and sale of such stocks shall not release the holder thereof, nor his or her sureties, on the notes heretofore given by him or her for the unpaid balance due on said stock."

SEC. 2. That whenever the balance due upon said stock shall be fully paid in cash as required by section one of this act, the directors of said corporation shall cause the stock notes heretofore given to be delivered up, canceled to all the makers thereof who shall have so paid up their stock, and thereupon the liability of the maker and endorsers of such notes shall cease and determine.

SEC. 3. That this act take effect and be in force from and after its passage.

. Passed November 28, 1871.

The foregoing act, received in the office of the Secretary of State December two, one thousand eight hundred and seventyone, having been presented to the Governor of Texas for his approval, and not having been returned by him to the House in which it originated within the time prescribed by the Constitution, has become a law without his approval.

J. E. OLDRIGHT, Acting Secretary of State.