CHAPTER 253. An act to incorporate the Great Council of North Carolina, Improved The General Assembly of North Carolina do enact Section 1. That J. B. Hathaway, J. R Davis, J. R. Sanders, Corporators. J. T. Anthony, W. Ben Goodwin and T. T. Whitcomb and their successors and associates in office with such other persons as under the rules or usages of the order are now or hereafter may be associated with them as members, be and they are hereby cre ated a body politic and corporate under the name and style of Body corporate. the Great Council of North Carolina Improved Order of Red Corporate name. Men, and by such name and style may sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded and shall exist for thirty years and have a common seal. Sec. 2. The said corporation, for the purposes of its organiza- May hold proption which are hereby declared to be social and benevolent in erty, etc. their character, may purchase, hold. alien or encumber estate, real and personal, at any point or points in the state: Provided, that such real estate shall not at any time exceed in value the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) altogether. location of Sec. 3. It shall have power from time to time to establish or May change change its places of session as well as the location of its principal offices offices, at or to such place or places in the state as it may deem expedient or proper. subordinate councils. Sec. 4. It shall have power, in urthering the purposes of its or- May establish ganization, to establish subordinate councils of tribes at different points in the state, and for their and its own better control and government may from time to time declare and promulgate such constitutions, by-laws and rules, being not inconsistent with the general law, as to it may seem expedient and proper. Sec. 5. This act shall be in force from and after its ratification. CHAPTER 254. An act to incorporate the town of Jerome in Johnston county. The General Assembly of North Carolina do enact: Section 1. That the town of Jerome, in the county of John- Incorporated. ston, be and the same is hereby incorporated into a body politic under the name and style of the town of Jerome, and under this Corporate name. name shall have all the rights, powers and privileges conferred PRIV-17 Corporate limits. Temporary officers. Powers of officers. Commissioners empowered to tax saloons, etc. upon towns and cities by chapter sixty-two (62) of the Code, volume two. Sec 2 That the corporate limits of the town of Jerome shall be as follows: The Atlantic Coast Line depot shall be the center of said town and the corporate limits shall extend therefrom one-fourth (1⁄4%) of a mile north, east, south and west. Sec. 3. That J. C. Beland, W. E. Smith, Troy Batten and J. R. Creech are hereby constituted and appointed the board of commissioners for said town, and A. B. Peacock is hereby constituted and appointed mayor of said town, and upon taking the oath of office required by law they shall have full power to execute the ordinances of said town, and shall hold their offices until the first Monday in May, eighteen hundred and ninety-nine, and until their successors are duly elected and qualified, and at the time and in the manner prescribed by law their successors shall be elected, but the board of commissioners shall then be reduced to three (3) in number. Sec. 4. That the board of commissioners of said town are hereby authorized to impose a license tax upon all persons in the corporate limits selling or retailing wines or liquors, not exceeding fifty (50) dollars per annum, and to levy and collect a tax upon real and personal estate not to exceed twenty 20) cents on the one hundred dollars and a poll tax not to exceed sixty cents on the poll. They are also authorized to levy and collect taxes upon all the subjects enumerated in said chapter sixty-nine, volume two, of The Code. Sec. 5. This act shall be in force from and after its ratification. New Columbus Bridge Company empowered to move certain bridge. CHAPTER 255. An act to authorize the New Columbus Bridge Company of Columbus, The General Assembly of North Carolina do enact: Section 1. That the New Columbus Bridge Company of Columbus, Ohio, be and said company is hereby allowed and empowered to remove the bridge lately constructed by said company across Tar river, between Yancey and Mitchell counties, in North Carolina, when the said company shall choose to do so. Sec. 2. That if said comapny shall choose to allow said bridge if bridge is to remain at the point where it is now situated the said company Rates said comshall be allowed to charge the following rates as toll for the passage over said bridge, to-wit: For each person on foot, not more than three cents; for each person on horseback, not more than ten cents; for each one-horse wagon or buggy, not more than fifteen cents; for each two horse wagon or carriage or wagon or carriage drawn by more than one horse, not more than twenty cents; for each head of loose cattle, sheep, horses or hogs, not more than one cent each. Sec. 3. That any person who shall pass or attempt to pass, or shall drive or cause to be driven, over said bridge any stock or wagon mentioned in this act, without first paying the toll for the same, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be fined not more than fifty dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days, and shall be subject to indictment for said offense in either of said counties of Yancey or Mitchell. Sec. 4. That this act shall be in force from and after its ratifieation. Ratified the 6th day of March, A. D. 1899. Persons riding, driving, etc., CHAPTER 256. An act to amend the charter of the town of Winterville, Pitt county. The General Assembly of North Carolina do enact: Section 1. That section two of chapter ninety-five of the private laws of eighteen hundred and ninety-seven be amended by strik ing out all of said section after the word "follows," in line two of said section, and inserting the following words: "Beginning at a point on the main road five hundred yards west of the railroad and runs north twenty and one-half east six hundred yards; thence east one thousand yards; thence south twenty and onehalf west one thousand two hundred yards; thence west one thousand yards; then [thence] north twenty and one-half east six hundred yards to the beginning." Sec. 2. That section eight of said chapter be amended by striking out the word "twenty" in line seven of said section and inserting the word "fifty" in its place, and by striking out the words "sixty cents" in line eight and inserting the words "one dollar and fifty cents" in their place. Sec. 3. That this act shall be in force from and after its ratification. Ratified the 6th day of March, A. D. 1899. section 2, chapter 95, private laws of 1897, amended. Section 8 Corporators. Corporate name. Duration of franchise. Corporate pow ors. Empowered to construct and maintain a railroad. Capital stock. Limitation to capital stock CHAPTER 257. An act to incorporate the Fungo and Mattamuskeet Railroad Company. The General Assembly of North Carolina do enact: Section 1. J. M. Rhodes, P. Mulherin, Asa J. Smith and G. Brinn and their assigns, be and they are hereby constituted and created a body politic and corporate by the name of the "Pungo and Mattamuskeet Railroad Company," and shall continue such corporation for a period of ninety-nine years. That such company shall have power and authority to make by-laws and regulations for its government and management; to elect and appoint all necessary officers and prescribe their powers and duties, and to have and use a common seal which it may alter at pleasure; to acquire by purchase, lease or otherwise, and to hold, own, possess, mortgage, lease and sell such real, personal and mixed property as may be necessary or convenient to carry out the purposes of this charter, and to have and exercise all and every other power, privilege, franchise and rights necessary to similar corporations and not inconsistent with the laws of this state or the provisions of this act. Sec. 2. That the said railroad company is hereby authorized and empowered to construct, maintain and operate a railroad with one or more tracks and of such gauge as may be determined, from the village of Makleyville, in the county of Hyde, and thence running eastwardly, touching at or near Sladesville, Brickhouse forks, Swan Quarter, Swindell, Juniper bay, Douglass bay, Englehard, and Fairfield, with the privilege of building and operating branch roads not exceeding twenty (20) miles in length. That in constructing and operating said branch roads, the said company shall have all the rights and privileges granted to the main line. Sec. 3. That the capital stock of said company shall be May be increased. $3,000.00 (three thousand dollars), and the same may be increased from time to time as a majority of the capital stockholders may determine, not exceeding two hundred thousand dollars (200,000.00). That the stock of said company shall be divided into shares of fifty dollars ($50.00) each, for which certificates shall be issued, and each share shall be entitled to one vote, and the stockholders shall not be individually liable beyond the amount of their subscriptions to the capital stock. That the said corporators, or a majority of them, acting in person or by proxy, shall cause a book or books of subscription to be opened by a commissioner or commissioners to be appointed by them, at such times and places and under such rules and regulations as they or a majority of them may prescribe. That said corporators or a majority of them, acting in person or by proxy, Individual liability. after the sum of three thousand dollars ($3,000.00) has been When company may be organsubscribed, shall call a meeting of the stockholders who shall ized. have subscribed to the capital stock for the purpose of completing the organization of the company, of which personal notice of ten (10) days shall be given to each subscriber. That at such meeting the stockholders shall elect a board of directors, Election of directors. consisting of five members, who shall immediately elect one of their number president of the company. The directors shall elect all of the officers of the company. The stockholders, by a majority vote at any meeting, may increase the directors to any number not exceeding eleven. Sec. 4. That subscriptions to the capital stock of said com- Subscriptions to stock. pany may be made in money, land, labor or materials necessary for the construction and equipment of said road in lands, stocks or other valuable credits, in such manner and on such terms as may be agreed upon by the said company. Sec. 5. That said company is hereby authorized and empowered to merge and consolidate its capital stock, property, franchise, rights and privileges with those of any other railroad company or companies now existing or hereafter created under the laws of this state, whenever a majority of the stockholders of this company shall so desire: Provided, that the railroad company with whom this company may be consolidated shall have a continuous traffic arrangement and connection either by rail or by steamboats and barges crossing any intervening body of water, and the said consolidation may be effected by its directors in such manner and on such terms and conditions and under such name and style as a majority of its stockholders may determine. Sec. 6. That it shall be lawful for any railroad or transportation company created by the laws of this state or any other state, from time to time, to subscribe or to purchase or to hold the stock and bonds, or either, in this company, or to guarantee or endorse such bonds or stock, or either of them; and it shall or may be lawful for any railroad or transportation company created by the laws of this or any other state to purchase, use or lease the road, property and franchise of this company for such time and upon such terms as may be agreed upon by this company and such company or companies as shall be parties to the contract. That it shall be lawful for this company to subscribe to or purchase and to hold the stock or bonds, or both, of any other railroad or transportation company chartered by this or any other state, or to guarantee the stock or bonds of any such company, or to purchase, lease or operate the road or line, property or franchise of any such railroad or transportation company. Sec. 7. That meetings of stockholders shall be held annually, May consolidate with other companies. Other corporations may subscribe to stock. |