SPECIAL LAWS. CHAPTER 1. AN ACT to empower the Mayor, Aldermen and Inhabitants of the City of Galveston to issue bonds for the construction of a bridge from the Island of Galveston to the main land, in aid of the Galveston, Houston and Henderson Railroad, and to validate the bonds by them issued or to be issued for such purpose; and to impose a special tax to pay the interest on said bonds, and to provide a fund to meet said bonds when due. WHEREAS, at a special election held in, the city of Galveston on the 19th May, 1858, the people of said city did almost unanimously vote for the creation of a debt of said city to the amount of one hundred thousand dollars, for the purpose of constructing a bridge from Galveston Island to Virginia Point on the mainland, in aid of the Galveston, Houston and Henderson Railroad; and, whereas, in pursuance of said expressed wish of the people of said city, the corporate authorities of said city, did pass and approve an ordinance on the 26th day of August, 1858, authorizing a contract for the construction of said bridge, section 5th of which said ordinance is as follows: "Sec, 5th. That it shall be the duty of the Mayor, whenever, after a contract shall be entered into for the construction of the aforesaid work, it shall be in his opinion, or that of the city council requisite and necessary to do so, to issue the bonds of the corporation of this city, to the extent of one hundred thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary for the construction of said bridge, and cause the same to be negotiated in such a manner, and by such means as he may deem most conducive to the interests of the city, the said bonds to be in sums of not less than one hundred, nor more than one thousand dollars, to be payable in not less than twelve nor more than twenty years from the date thereof, and to bear interest of and at the rate of not more than ten per centum per annum, which interest shall be payable semi-annually on presentation and surrender of the coupons to be there to attached." And, whereas, a contract was entered into for the construction of said work in accordance with the provisions of said ordinance, and the Mayor in pursuance of the authority to him given in Section 5th of said ordinance did cause some of the honds to be issued as specified in said section, and others have to be issued to pay for said work which is near completion, and doubts having arisen as to the validity of said bonds because the same are for the construction of a work without the corporate limits of said city. And, whereas, the corporate authorities of said city have requested the passage of a law authorizing and validating the said Londs issued and to be issued. Now, therefore, SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the. Legislature of the State of Texas, That the bonds of the corporation of the city of Galveston issued and to be issued in pursuance of the vote of the people of said city of 19th May, 1858, and the ordinance of the corporate authority of said city of 26th August, 1858, and the interest coupons of the same, be and the same is hereby declared valid and binding upon the "Mayor, Aldermen and Inhabitants of the city of Galveston," and that the same are, and shall continue to be a valid and subsisting debt of said corporation, and may ke sned upon when due and payment enforced as in case of other legal obligations in any court having jurisdiction of the amount. SEC. 2. That the corporate authorities of the city of Galveston, shall have, and are hereby invested with the power to impose and assess, as other taxes are assessed, and to collect as the other taxes are collected, a special tax of one-fourth of one per centum per annum upon all the property, real and personal, not exempt by law from taxation, situated and being in the limits of said city, for the purpose of paying the accruing interest on said bonds, and to provide a fund to retire the same when due. SEC. 3. That this act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage. Approved December 7th, 1859.. CHAPTER 2. AN ACT for the relief of George W. Goodman. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That the Commissioner of the General Land Office be authorized and required to issue to George W. Goodman, a certificate for three hundred and twenty acres of land, provided said applicant has never received any land by virtue of his emigration and settlement in the State of Texas. SEC. 2. That said certificate when issued may be located, surveyed and patented upon any vacant and unappropriated land in Mercer's Colony, and that this act take effect from and after i s passage. Appoved December 8th, 1859. CHAPTER 3. AN ACT for the relief of Albert G. Walker. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That, whereas, Albert G. Walker with M. J. Brinson, V. J. Hutton, B. F. Bartley, D. O. Hoover and others as his securities, are bound to the State of Texas in the bail bond for the sum of twenty-five hundred dollars, executed by them on about the 3rd day of August, 1859, before William Quayle, Chief Justice of the county of Tarrant, and conditioned for the personal appear ance of said Walker, at the next term of the District Court of said county to answer to the charge named in said bond; and, whereas, the said Albert G. Walker is necessarily in attendance upon the present session of the Legislature as a Senator from the 5th Senatorial district, so that he cannot make his personal appearance in compliance with the condition of said bond, at the next term of said court without neglect of his duties as Senator. He is hereby authorized to plead and show the fact of his attendance here, as cause why said bond should not be forfeited, and the same shall be received and allowed as a valid plea in his defense in that behalf. SEC. 2. That this act take effect and be in force from and after its passage. Passed December 8th, 1859. |