CHAPTER LXI.

AN ACT TO INCORPORATE A BANK OF DISCOUNT AND DEPOSIT AT NAVASOTA, TEXAS.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That B. A. Strange, H. H. Niles, W. C. Greer, W. S. Thomas, A. D. Harn, J. M. Gibbs and J. J. Reinhardt shall open books for the subscription of stock at Navasota, and such other places as they may deem proper; and they and their associates and successors and assigns shall be and they are hereby declared to be a body politic and corporate, by the name and style of the Citizens' Bank of Navasota, and shall have succession and a common or corporate seal, for the space of twenty-five years from the passage of this act; and as such may sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded in all the courts of this State, and have and possess all the powers that are incident to a corporation, and necessary to carry on the business and effect the objects contemplated by this act.

SEC. 2. Be it further enacted, That the capital stock shall not be less than two hundred thousand dollars, with the privilege of increasing said stock to four hundred thousand dollars; and as soon as twelve and one-half per cent. of the original stock is paid in, the stockholders shall hold a meeting and elect a president and cashier, and such trustees or directors as they may think necessary to manage the affairs of the company. The capital stock of said company shall consist of shares of one hundred dollars each, and shall be tranferable on the books of the company in such manner as the bylaws of said company may prescribe.

SEC. 3. Be it further enacted, That said corporation may deal in gold and silver coin and bullion, public and private securities, buy and sell exchange, current and uncurrent bank bills, borrow and loan money, discount notes, and other evidences of debt, receive and keep deposits, on such terms as may be agreed upon by the parties, and generally to do any act usual and customary in banking

institutions.

SEC. 4. Be it further enacted, That said corporation may transact its business through such officers, agents and agencies as it may choose, at the city of Navasota, Texas, and may prescribe such by-laws for its government as the stockholders may deem necessary for that purpose.

SEC. 5. Be it further enacted, That in the event of the insol

vency of said corporation, each individual stockholder shall be personally liable for the amount of stock subscribed and owned by him, and for no more.

SEC. 6. Be it further enacted, That nothing in this act shall be so construed as to permit said bank to pay out as loans any funds except the National currency, or gold and silver coin, or such other bank bills or currency as may be permitted by law to circulate as money in this State.

Passed August 8, 1870.

CHAPTER LXII.

AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE B. P. RIDDLE AND JAMES BLACKBURN TO ERECT A TOLL BRIDGE OVER NECHES RIVER, IN THE COUNTY OF CHEROKEE AND STATE OF TEXAS.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Teras, That B. P. Riddle and James Blackburn, of the county of Cherokee, be and are hereby authorized and empowered to erect a toll bridge over the Neches river, where the public road leading from the town of Palestine, in Anderson county, to the town of Tyler, in Smith county, crosses said river, and that they be authorized and empowered to charge, receive and collect toll for crossing on the same, at the following rates, to-wit:

For every footman..

For every man and horse..

For every one horse vehicle..

For every two horse vehicle...

For every ox wagon and two yoke of oxen..

For every ox wagon, and four to six yoke of oxen.

For every two horse wagon...

For every four to six horse wagon.

For every loose horse...

For sheep, goats, hogs and cattle, per head..

$0.05

10

25

50

30

50

25

50

05

03

SEC. 2. That the right and privilege herein granted, shall inure to the said B. P. Riddle and James Blackburn, and their heirs and assigns, for twenty years; provided, however, that in order to secure the privileges of this act, they shall, within twelve months from the passage of this act, erect and construct a good, safe and substantial bridge over the said Neches river at the place aforesaid, in the first

section of this act specified, and shall keep the same in good repair, and keep the public road crossing said bridge in good order, at least one mile on each side of said bridge; and, provided further, that no person or persons shall be permitted to build a bridge or erect a crossing on said river within three miles of said bridge; and, provided further, that all ministers of the Gospel, all persons going to or returning from church, all jurors and State witnesses going to and from court, and all persons going to and returning from a grist mill, shall pass over said bridge free of charge.

SEC. 3. That when the said bridge shall have been constructed, as aforesaid, the said B. P. Riddle and James Blackburn shall have power to charge, receive and collect tolls according to the rates hereinbefore set forth in section one of this act.

SEC. 4. That this act shall take effect and be in force from and after

its passage.

Passed August 8, 1870.

CHAPTER LXIII.

AN ACT FOR THE INCORPORATION OF THE CITY OF PARIS, IN THE COUNTY OF LAMAR.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That the town of Paris, in the county of Lamar, is hereby incorporated and made a body politic and constituted a city, to be called the city of Paris, by which name it may sue and be sued, implead and be impleaded, and shall have and use a corporate seal. It shall also possess the powers and franchises hereinafter declared. The city shall contain one league and one labor of land, laid off in a geometrical square, of which two sides shall be parallel with the lines of terrestrial latitude and the other two at right angles therewith. Real estate it may acquire, hold and dispose of within the corporate limits, and personal property without restriction as to place.

SEJ. 2. The Governor shall, within sixty days from the passage of this act, appoint a mayor, six councilmen and a marshal, who shall reside within the corporate limits of said city, all of whom, except the marshal, shall be freeholders in said city, and who shall hold their respective offices until the next general election, and until their successors are elected and qualified, at the first general elec

tion provided for by the laws of the State for members of the Legislature, and every two years thereafter the aforesaid officers shall be elected by the qualified registered voters residing within the corporate limits of said city.

SEC. 3. The mayor, councilmen and marshal elect shall each qualify himself for the duties of his office by taking an oath to execute the same to the best of his ability and judgment, and the oath required by the Constitution of the State. The oath shall be administered by the said presiding justice, who shall proceed to commission the mayor and deliver certificates of their election and qualification to the councilmen and marshal, respectively, preserving also an account of his proceedings herein, among the records of Lamar County Court. But the marshal shall not be permitted to act as such till he shall have executed a penal bond to the city, with security, approved by the council, conditioned to account for all moneys which shall come to his hands by virtue of his office, and otherwise to execute faithfully the duties thereof. The said bond shall be filed with the chamberlain, and may be put in suit, either before or after the marshal's term, by the city or by individuals sustaining injury through his malfeasance or default.

SEC. 4. The mayor and councilmen shall together compose a council for the said city, of which the mayor shall be president. Any four members of the council shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and in the absence of the president his place shall be supplied by a president pro tempore elected from the number of councilmen present.

SEC. 5. The council shall appoint a chamberlain and a treasurer, which shall not be united in the same person. The chamberlain shall act as clerk of the council, keep records of their proceedings, and perform such other duties as their by-laws shall prescribe. The treasurer shall have care of the funds belonging to the city, and shall perform such duties, connected with its financial transactions, as the council shall direct; but he shall pay out no sums of money except by order of the council, attested by the chamberlain. From the treasurer the council shall, and from the chamberlain, may require a penal bond, with approved security, conditioned to account for all public moneys coming to his hands by virtue of his office, and to execute faithfully the duties thereof.

SEC. 6. The mayor shall ex officio be a justice of the peace in and for the said city, having the civil and criminal jurisdiction conferred on such officers by the laws of this State, charging the like fees for his services, and subject, in his judicial acts, to the same revisory power. His civil jurisdiction shall, as to the amount involved (except in the collection of taxes imposed by the council,)

be limited by the general law; and as to parties, shall embrace cases where the defendant is a resident of the city, where the subject to which the controversy relates is within its limits, and where the contract is required to be executed within the same. He may also impose fines, not exceeding one hundred dollars, for violation of the ordinances of the city. As chief executive officer, he shall order and control the police, enforce the by-laws and ordinances passed by . the council, protect from injury the public streets, buildings and other property, prevent and punish breaches of the peace, and employ his delegated powers in promoting the peace and good order of the city. He shall also hold courts at such times and places as the council, by ordinance, shall prescribe, keep a record of his proceedings therein, and may appoint a clerk who shall assist him both in his judicial and executive functions.

SEC. 7. The council shall have power, through ordinances and by-laws passed for the purpose, to lay off streets, walks and alleys, designating each by a name, a letter or a number, and may alter, improve and light the same, and have them kept in good order; may lay off public grounds, and erect or purchase all buildings proper for the city; establish and regulate markets; provide in or near the town water works and burial places, for the due protection of which the jurisdiction of the city shall embrace the same; provide proper safeguards against injury by fire; prohibit, on the written request of the owners of three-fourths of any square, the erection thereon of any but brick, stone or concrete buildings; abate nuisances; prevent, remove or correct whatever endangers the health or comfort of the city and its inhabitants, and preserve peace and good order therein. To assist them in the discharge of these duties they shall appoint a surveyor and engineer, who shall be subject to their order, and whose duties they shall define. They shall have power to appoint and organize a police force, to be controlled by the mayor, under such general regulations as the council may see fit to ordain, and may also appoint such other officers, temporary or permanent, as in their judgment the wants of the city may require. They are, moreover, empowered to open streets and alleys through private lots, if they deem it necessary, ascertaining the loss and injury to the proprietors by the verdict of twelve impartial freeholders of the city, and paying the amount so assessed in compensation therefor, and in absolute purchase of the premises thus appropriated. They may also divide the city into wards, containing as nearly as may be equal populations, providing voting places therein, at which only the residents in the respective wards shall vote, and apportioning and assigning to each an equal number of councilmen to be elected therefrom. In case of the death, absence, sick