Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-02-13

COPY OF THE ACT-IMPoRTANT IMFOR-
NATION FOR THE FARMERS-PENAL-
TIES FOR WALKING ON THE TRACK
NEAR APPROACHING TRAINs-PENAL-
TIES FOR TEARING DOWN RAILROAD
FEECING-A RAILROADS CONTRACT
FOR FENCING.
&C., &C., &C.
Thirty days from this date, ION the 18th
of March next, the act passed by the last
legislature ito lessen the danger of travel
ling On railroads, and to require them to
erect suitable depots and to fence in
railroad beds,' takes effect, and is the law
of the land. The county of Augusta is
traversed by three railroads-the Chesa-
peake Il Ohio for Al miles, the Valley for
81 miles, and the Shenandoah Valley for 80
miles, SO this law is especially interesting
to the many farmers living along these
lines. Aside from this, there are general
provisions, outside of the fencing. which
affect every citizen no matter in what 10
cality residing, and also provisions which
regulate the general conduct of the rail-
roads, requiring them to use spark ar
rosters on penalty of fine, and SO forth.
The county reader would do we'll to cut the
law out and file it for future reference
[Oficial Copy.]
/. Be it enacted by the general assem-
by of Virginia, That IN order to prevent
the frequent occurrence of accidents on
railroads, and tue consequent destruction
of life and property. and in order to lessen
the danger to the travelling public and the
officers and hands engaged in running the
trains over the said railroads, it shall be
the daty of all railroad companies char
tered by the State of Virginia, ard now
dong business in the State, and such as
may hereafter be constructed under char
tiers already granted, or which may lie
hereafter granted, to establish at depots
Oh their respective lines, not more than
ten miles apart, telegraph Offices, to be
operated by competent persons in the
employ of such railroad company. whose
duty it shall be to telegraph the arrival
and departure Of each and every train so
soon as the same shall leave the depot, to
the office of the master of trains or other
person in charge of the running OF the
same; or if there be no such person, then
to the telegraph station nearest thereto in
the direction in which such train is going,
and the person in charge of the running
of the trains shall forthwith issue such
orders or give such notification by tele-
graph as may be necessary to prevent any
collision: provided, however, that the
board of public works may grant to any
such company permission to have such
telegraph stations in any special case at
distance from each other greater than ten
but not more than fifteen miles, and such
stations may then be erected in accordance
with such permission.
FENCING THE ROAD.
2. 1t shall be the further duty of all such
railroad companies to erect, or cause to be
erected along the lines OF their respective
roads, and on both sides of their road
beds, through enclosed farms and lots, a
good and substantial lawful fence. as de-
fined by the act of assembly now in force,
which may be made of timber or wire, or
of both, and keep the same in good repair,
and for their failure to do 80, they shall be
liable as hereinafter set forth.
CATTLE STOPS.
8. The said railroad companies, in build
ing the fences herein provided for, shall
not obstruct any public or private CROSS
ing. but shall on each side of such cross-
ing, and at all other places necessary to
keep stock from tresspassing or entering
the road enclosures, erect good and snff1-
Gent cattle stops. and keep the same in
order, to which the fence shall be joined:
provided that in case of private crossings,
the said cattle stops may be dispensed
with by the consent of those interested
therein, the said railroad company in lieu
thereof, to build and keep in order good
and substantial gates for the accommoda-
ton of the persons entitled to such pri-
yate crossings.
4. 1t shall be lawful for the said rail
ROAD companies, after building the fences
herein provided for, to remove and dis
continue all cattle stops along their re
spective roads, except those provided for
in this act, and in lieu thereof the own
ers of contiguous lands shall have the
right to connect and join their fences to
those of the railroad company at such
points as they may think proper.
LIABILITY UNTIL THE FENCING IS
MADE.
s. Until the said railroad companies
shall have built the fences according to
the requirements Of this act, they shall be
liable and compelled to pay the value of
all stock killed. and damages for all stock
injured, to the owners thereof, to be re-
covered according to the provisions u1
law now in force, or which may hereafter
be passed, and in order to such recovery
if shall not be necessary for the claimau
to prove negligence on the part Of the
company or its officers and employees.
REGULATIONS OF THE FENCING.
G. The provisions Of this act in relation
TO fences, shall not apply to that part OF
the road bed of any railroad company en-
braced within the corporate limits OF any
Incorporated city or town, nor of town
or village unircorporated, for the distance
of quarter Of mile each way from
the company IS depot situated in such town
or village; nor along such parts of any
railroad where the cuts are deep and the
banks sufficiently steep to prevent the
passage Of stock; nor where the company
has paid to the owner of the land damages
for making and keeping In repair sucf
fences; nor to such roads or parts thereof
as pass through counties where a no-fencs
law exists, except in such instances as thu
road may pass through enclosed lands
provided that the burden of proving sucf