ment of the enterprise, the corporators, named in the first section of this act, shall constitute the first board of directors, to serve for one year, and to remain in office until their successors are elected and qualified. The board of directors shall choose from their own number, at their first meeting, a president and such other officers as may be required by the by-laws; nevertheless, the board of directors shall have authority to dispose of the shares in its capital stock in such a manner and on such terms as they may deem most conducive to the interest of the company and the fulfilment of the objects of. this act; and shall be, furthermore, authorized to commence operations whenever one hundred and fifty shares shall have been taken and such per centage paid thereon as may be prescribed in their bylaws.

SEC. 5. That the capital stock of said company may be increased to two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, when deemed expedient for the welfare of the company by two-thirds of the board of directors, sanctioned by a majority of the stockholders.

SEC. 6. That this act take effect from and after its passage and continue in full force and effect for the period of fifty years. Approved November 25, 1871.

CHAPTER LXXXIV.

AN ACT TO INCORPORATE THE ST. MARYS INSTITUTE.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That W. J. Morris, Joseph F. Smith, W. G. Roark, John Martin and John H. Wood, and their associates and successors, be and they are hereby declared a body corporate and politic, under the name and style of the Board of Curators of St. Marys Institute, and by that name and style they shall have power to contract and be contracted with, sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, and to receive donations or bequests of property, real, personal or mixed, and have, hold, use and dispose of the same.

SEC. 2. That the object of said body of curators shall be the permanent establishment and endowment of a purely literary, scientific and moral institution of learning of high degree, for the better education of the youth of the land, and the general diffusion of knowledge among the masses, ignoring all religious creeds, but firmly adhering to the morality of the Bible; and in order to carry

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out successfully said objects, the board of curators shall have power to adopt, under this charter, a code of by-laws by which to govern and control their acts in perfecting said objects.

SEC. 3. That the board of curators may secure in any just and legal manner, any amount of capital not to exceed five hundred thousand dollars, hold and operate the same in any way that they may deem best, to secure the permanent endowment of its professorships, and the promotion of its general objects.

SEC. 4. That the board of curators shall provide for securing such qualified principal and teachers as are necessary; fix the curriculum of studies, and the degrees to be conferred upon students in accordance thereto, and may raise means to establish, in connection with the said institute, a general library or lyceum, with scientific or art museum and herbarium, and control, direct and use the same for the promotion of the special objects of the institute, as well as the general diffusion of knowledge.

SEC. 5. That in case of death or resignation of any one or more of the curators, the remainder shall have power to fill such vacancy or vacancies.

SEC. 6. That the board of curators shall have all general and special powers usually conferred upon such corporations.

SEC. 7. That the board of curators may secure a legal title to the building and ground on which the building now used by the proprietors of the institute is located, near the town of St. Marys, Refugio county, State of Texas, and hold the same for the objects above expressed.

SEC. 8. That this act be in full force and effect from and after its passage.

Approved November 25, 1871.

CHAPTER LXXXV.

AN ACT TO INCORPORATE THE NORTH TEXAS COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE, AT BONHAM.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That a collegiate institute is hereby established in the town of Bonham, county of Fannin, State of Texas, to be called the North Texas Collegiate Institute, at Bonham, and by that name shall be a body corporate and politic; shall have continued succession, may contract and be contracted with, sue and be sued, im

plead and be impleaded, defend and be defended, and may have, use, alter and renew a common seal.

SEC. 2. That H. W. Lyday, S. B. Allen, S. J. Spotts, J. C. Smith, S. W. McKee, S. D. Nunnelee, B. F. Hays, A. J. Dorn and Gideon Smith shall be the first trustees of the said collegiate institute, and they and their associates and successors shall have power to direct and administer the affairs of said institution, and to fill any vacancy that may occur in said board of trustees, by death, resignation, removal or otherwise.

SEC. 3. That said trustees shall have power to receive, acquire, recover, hold and enjoy any money, or real or personal property or estate that has been or may be subscribed for the use of said institution, and to acquire by gift or purchase any real or personal property or estate necessary for its use, and hold the same to them and their successors, and may use, control and dispose of the same in such manner as will best advance and promote the interest of the institution.

SEC. 4. That said trustees may meet at any time and place in the county of Fannin that they may agree upon. A majority of the trustees shall be a quorum for the transaction of business, and shall have power to appoint a president, treasurer, faculty and other officers, agents and servants; to prescribe their duties, fix their compensation, and remove them at pleasure, and make all necessary rules, regulations and by-laws for the government of the institute not repugnant to the Constitution and laws of this State or of the United States. The first meeting of said trustees shall be within six months after the passage of this act.

SEC. 5. That the trustees of said institute shall have power to grant diplomas and award prizes; all such diplomas shall have the seal of the institute affixed to them, and the signature or signatures of such officer or officers as the trustees may direct.

SEC. 6. That no property belonging to said institute shall be alienated or disposed of, unless by a vote of a majority of all the trustees. A majority of all the trustees may dispose of all the real and personal property and estate belonging to said institute, after having given sixty days' notice in some newspaper published in Fannin county, of their intention to close and settle the affairs of the corporation; and when said trustees shall have paid all the debts and liabilities of every kind due by said corporation, and shall have disposed of all its real and personal property, said corporation shall be dissolved, and this act of incorporation shall then cease and terminate.

SEC. 7. That this act take effect from and after its passage.
Approved November 25, 1871.

CHAPTER LXXXVI.

AN ACT TO INCORPORATE THE BRYAN REAL ESTATE, BUILDING AND JOINT STOCK ASSOCIATION OF BRYAN, TEXAS.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That H. T. Downard, E. L. Ward, T. J. Dearing and D. C. Barmore, and their associates and successors, are hereby created and established a body corporate and politic, under the name and style of the Bryan Real Estate, Building and Joint Stock Association of Bryan, Texas, with capacity, in said corporate name, to make contracts; to hold, buy and sell property; 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 a constitution and by-laws for the government and regulation of its affairs; to sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded; to declare dividends and make divisions of property, and to do and perform all such acts and things as may be necessary and proper for and incident to the fulfilment of its obligations and maintenance of its rights under this enactment, and consistent with the laws of this State and of the United States.

SEC. 2. That the capital stock of this association shall be twenty thousand dollars, with power and privilege of increasing the same to one hundred thousand dollars.

SEC. 3. That whenever stock to the amount of ten thousand dollars has been subscribed and two per cent. on the same paid in, the association shall be deemed organized and competent to transact business, and be entitled to all the grants and privileges conferred by this enactment.

SEC. 4. That service of any and all legal process in any suit or proceedings against the association, shall be sufficient if made upon the president or secretary of the association.

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

Approved November 25, 1871.

CHAPTER LXXXVII.

AN ACT FOR THE RELIEF OF COLONEL THOMAS WILLIAM WARD.

WHEREAS, Colonel Thomas William Ward, in the month of December, A. D. 1835, while gallantly discharging his duty as a soldier of the Republic of Texas at the storming of Bexar, lost his right leg; and,

Whereas, Subsequently, while superintending the firing of a salute on the anniversary of the Independence of Texas, he was so unfortunate as to lose his right arm; and,

Whereas, He is now old and in needy circumstances; as an evidence of the gratitude of the late Republic and present State of Texas, therefore,

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That the sum of seven hundred dollars annually be paid out of the Treasury of the State of Texas to Colonel Thomas William Ward for and during his natural life, commencing from the date of the approval of this act.

SEC. 2. That the sum of seven hundred dollars be and the same is hereby appropriated to liquidate the amount due on the approval hereof, and the Comptroller is hereby authorized and required to draw his warrant on the Treasurer for that amount, payable out of any funds not otherwise appropriated.

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

Approved November 25, 1871.

CHAPTER LXXXVIII.

AN ACT TO INCORPORATE THE VICTORIA SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON

COUNTY.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That Jno. T. McAdam, James Baker, William Watson, John Ratley, William McAdam, W. E. Copeland, and their associates, be and they are hereby empowered and constituted a body corporate and politic, under the name of the Victoria Society