Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1902-07-02
The
Convention.
ARTICLE XII.
CORPORATIONS

sec. L. As used IN this article. the
term Corporation" or "Company"
shall be construed to include all
trusts, associations and joint stock
'ompanirs having any powers or
privileges not possessed by individuals
unlimited partnerships, but to ex
"lude all municipal corporations or
uhlic eleemosynary, asylums or
'ri-Ous owned or controlled by the
tate; the term "charter" shall be-
nStrued TO mean the charter of
operation by or under which anv
''ch corpOI alton is formed; the term
Transportation company" shall be
'nstrned to include any company,
trustee Or other person owning, leas-
iug or operating for hire a railroad,
street railway, canal, steam boat, or
steamship, line, and also anv freight
Car company, car association or car
tr"s', express company, or company,
trustee or person IN any way engaged
business as a common carrier over
"A route acquired in whole or i'm part
under right of emineut domain: the
term "rate" shall be construed TO
mean rate or charges for snv srrvic.
rendered or 10 be rendered; the
terms rate, "chsrge," and "regula
tion," shall include Joint rntes, ioiut
charges, and joint regulations, respec-
tlvely; the term transmission com
pany shall be construed TO mean any
COMPANY owning, leasing. or Operat-
ing for hire, amy telegraph or tele
phone line; the term freight" shat
be construed To mean any property
transported, or received for transpor
tattoo, hv any transportation COM
pany; the term public service corpo.
ration" shall be construed TO include
all transpoi tation and transmission
companies, all gas, electric light, heat
aud power companies, and all persons
authorized to exercise the right of
eminent domain, or to use or occupy
any street, alley or public highway in
u manner not permitted TO the general
public; the term "person," AS used
in this article. shall be construed to
include individuals, partnerships.
and TO include the plural as we'll as
singular number; the term "bond"
shall be construed To mean all certifi-
Gates or written evidences of indebt-
edness issued by any corporation and
secured by mortgage or trust deed;
the term frank" shall be construed
to mean any writing or token,
Issued by, or under authority of, a
transmission company, emitting the
holder of any service from such com
pany free of charge. The provisions
of this article shall always be SO
restricted in their application As not
TO conflict with any of the provisions
of the Federal Constitution, and just
as if the necessary limitations upon
their Interpretation had been herein
expressed in each case.
Sec. 2. The creation of corpora
tions and the extension and amend
ment of charters whether heretofore
or hereafter granted) shall he provi-
ded for by general laws, uniform as
TO the class of corporations to which
they relate, aud no charter shall be
granted, amended or extended by
special act, nor authority in such
matters be conferred upon any tribu-
nal or officer, authorized to grant,
amend, or extend charters. further
than to ascertain that the applicants
have, by complying with the require
ments of the law, entitled them
selves to the charter, amendment or
extension applied for. Such general
laws may be, from time to time,
amended or repealed by the General
Assembly; and all charters OF
amendments of charters now exist
ing and revocable, or hereafter gran
ted or extended, shall be repealed at
any time by special act, at the pleas.
ure of the General Assembly. Pro.
vision shall be made by general laws
for the voluntary surrender of its
charter by any corporation, and for
the forfeiture of charters for non.
users or mis-users. The General
Assembly shall uot, by special act,
regulate the affairs of any corpora.
ton, nor, by such act, give it any
special rights or privileges.
Sec. 3. There is hereby created a
permanent commission, to consist of
three members, which shall be known
as the State Corporation Commission.
The members of said commission
shall be appointed by the Governor,