New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-09-10

Laws OF THE UNITED STATES.
Passed Mt the Second Session Of the
FOrty-frst Congress.
fPuBLic-Ne g.
AN ACT to incorporsfe the Columbia Railway Com

AN ACT to incorpors the Columbia Railway Com
pany of the District of Columbia.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives of the United States of America in Con.
gress assembled, That William Gunton, John c.
McKelden, Samuel Fowler, William b Todd Will
G e% Fsat ?VEn Bestor srfT
c. Fox, Matthew G. Emery, William s,ickney, Mar
tin NJ Rohrer, Richard sutton, David D. Cone,
Robert Williams, William P. Copeland William II
NIey, G; H b. White. James T.. Pritehard,
J. G. Wall, John H. McCutchen. Poulus Thysor,
Bernard Hayes, Jacob d. Kitch and their associates
and assigns, be and they are hereby created bod Y
corporate under the name of the Columbia Railway
Company, with authority to construct and lay down
single double track railway, with the necessary
switches and turnouts, in the city and county Of
Washington, in fine District Of Columbia, through
and along the following avenues, streets ana high
ways: commencing at point on the eastern size
of West Fifteenth street on New York avenue,
thence eastwardly along said avenue to its inter
section with north street: thence along north
street to its intersection with Massachusetls ave
nue.; thence along Massachusetts avenue TO ITS IN
tersection with north IL street; and thence along
north street to its eastern termination with the
Columbia turnpike gate; with the right 10 run pub
lie carriages thereon drawn by horsepower. re-
ceiving therefor rate OF fare not exceeding SIX
cents "a passenger for any distance ON said road
SEC 2. And he il further enacted, That should
majority OF the stockholders SO eject, at any time
within two years after the completion OF said road
(pr0yded for in section one above). the said com
pany shall have the right TO extend said road,
either with single or double track, with the ne
eessary switches and urnOuts along the line OF the
sent of said Turnpike Road Company on any
other road roads leading north"aidly or east
wardly from such intersection at the Columbia
turnpike gate, now opened, or which may hereafter
be opened. by the proper authorities and thence
along said road or roads, by the most practicable
route or routes to the termini near at or in the
District of Columbia, receiving therefor a rate Of
fare not exceeding seven cents passenger for any
distance said road Or roads. The carriages on
the extension of said road roads TO be propelled
either by horsepower or dummy engines, ~ the
option OF the said railway company.
SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the said
road roads shall be deemed real estate, and, to-
gether with other real and personal property OF
said body corporate, shall be liable TO taxation
other real estate and personal property and to II.
ccnse for their vehicles or cars in the clty and
county aforesaid. except as hereinafter provided.
SIC. i. And be ii further enacted, That the said
railway shall he laid near the centre OF the ave
and streets in the city of Washington as rrac-
ticable without interfering with or passing over
the water or gas ppesl, in the most approved man
adapted to street railways with the rails of the
most approved pattern, to he determined by the
Secretary OF the Interior, laid upon even surface
with the pavement of the streets or avenues and
the space between the two tracks twhere
two laid) shall not be less than
four feet nor more than six feet, and the
carriages shall not be less than six feet i'll width:
the guage to correspond with that Of the Metropol
itan railroad. That the railways in the county
tshould it be determined to construct such roads)
shall be laid i'll such manner as VIII least interfere
with the ordinary travel OF the road roads on
which the tracks shall be laid.
SEC. S. And be it further enacted. That the said
corporation hereby created shall be bound to keep
said tracks and for space OF two feet beyond the
outer rail thereof and also the space between the
tracks tar the are laid within the limits
OF the city Of Washington, at all times well paved
and in good order. without expense to the United
States or the said city. And in case the road shall
be extended beyond the limits OF said city, as is
heretofore provided, the said corporation shall be
bound to keep said tracks and for the of two
feet beyond the outer rail thereof, and also the
space between the tracks. well grayel1ed Or paved
and in good order, not 10 impede the general
travel on said roads by vehicles or otherwise with
out expense to the county OF Washington.
SEC, 6. And be il further enacted, That nothing
in this act shall prevent the government al amy
time at its option, from altering the grade, Oh 9th
erwse improving all avenues and streets occupied
by said road, the city OF Washington from al
tering and improving such streets and avenues and
the sewerage thereof. as may be- under Their re-
spective authority and control; and in such event
it shall be the duty of said company to change
their said railway so rs to conform to such grade
and pavement.
SIC :. And be it further enacted That this act
may nj any time be altered amended repealed
by the Congress of the United States.
SEC 8. And be il further enacted. That nothing in
this act shall be so construed AS TO authorize said
body corporate to issue any note, token or device
scrip, other evidence OF debt, to be used as cur
rency.
SIC 9. And be it further enacted That the capt.
tai stock OF said company shall not be less han
hundred thousand dollars nor more than four hun
bred Thousand dollars and that the stock shall be
divided into shares of fifty dollars each and shall
be deemed personal property. transferable in such
manner as the bylaws OF said company may di-
rect
SEC. TO- And be it further enacted, That the said
company shall place frst-cass ears said rHilw ay
with all the modern improvements for the con
venience and comfort OF passengers, aud shall run
cars thereon during the day and as late as ten
o'clock at night and as often as every fifteen min
utes, between west Fifteenth street and the east
ern terminus of north II street; and in
the said road shall he extended beyond the
city limits on the entire road or such portions as
may be completed. through the day and
night, often the public convenience and the
interests of the railway company may require;
Provided, however, That the carriages
thereon shall make not less than eight trips each
way per day during six days in each week.
SEC. ii. And be il further enacted, That the said
company shall provide such passenger rooms, ticket
officers Offices Stables and depots at such points
as the business of the railroad and the convenience
of the public may require. And said company is
hereby authorized to lay such rails through trans
verse or other streets or roads as may be necessary
for the exclusive purpose OF connecting the said
said company is hereby authorized to purchase ar
lease such lands or buildings may be necessary
for the passenger rooms ticket offices, stables and
SEC II. And he it further enacted. That all
articles of value that may be inadvert-
emily left in any OF the cars Or other
vehicles OF said company shall be taken to its piiu-
cipal depot and entered in book OF record of un-
claimed goods which book shall be open 10 the in
spection OF the public at all reasonable hours of
business.
SEC. l3 And be it further enacted, That within
thirty days after the passage OF this act the corpo
ratOrs named in the first section, a majority of
them, if any refuse to act, then majority of the
shall books OF subscription to the
capital stock Of said company 10 be opened and
kept open, in some convenient and accessible place
or places in the city of Washington for period to
be fixed by said corporatOrs, not less than two
days: and said cOrporHtors shall give public notice
by advertisement i'll not less than TWO daily papers
published in the city of Washington, of the time
when and the place where said books shall be opened:
and subscribers upon said books to the capital
stock of the company shall be held to be stockhold-
ers: Provided, That no one individual shall be al
lowed to subscribe for more than two hundred
shall pay, at the time of subscribing,
twenty-five per centrm of the amount by him sub
scribed 10 the treasurer appointed by the corpor
atOrs his subscription shall be null and void II,
al the end of two days, a larger amount than the
capital stock Of said company shall have been sub
scribed fhc books shall be closed and the said
porators named in the first section sha' forthwith
proceed to apportiOn SAID capital stock among
the subscribers pro rata. and make public pro.
rlamatiun OF the number of shares allotted
to each which shall be done and completed
Oh the same day the books closed: .PrOviycd
further That nothing shall be received in payment
Of the twenty-five per centur at the time of sub
scrihing, except money. And when the books of
subscription of the capital stock OF said company
shall be closed the cOrorltors named i'll the first
them refuse or neglect 70 act then najonty"i
the remainder, SHALL within ten days thereafter.
call the first meeting OF the Stockholders OF said
TO meet within ten days thereafter, FOR
the choice Of seven directors, Of which public no
ticc shall he given for five days in not less than two
pubc newspapers published daily i'll the city OF
Washington. or by written or printed personal no.
tice to each s:ochodtr by the clerk of the corpor
atom. And in al meetings OF Stockholders rach
share SHAH cntitle the holder to vote, to he
gIyen IN person or by proxy.
SEC IA. And be it further enacted, That the gov
ernment nnd direction OF the affairs Of the COM
pauy shall be vested in board of directors.
III number. who shall he stockholders, and who
shall hold their Office for wear and until others
are duly elected and quaiied to fake their places
as directors. And the said directors "a majority of
whom, Tue president being Oug, shall constitute
quorum! sia elect one Of then number to he PIcsi
dent 81 tile board, who Snail als, be president of
the company and they shall also choosc treas
ui'r, VINO shal give bonds, with security. 10 said
company i'll such as tie said directors ,Inv re-.
qulre Tor the faithful disci;rgc uf his trust In
ease OF n vacancy IN the board OF directors NV the
death, resignation. or ohcrwsc OF any director tnt.