AR, R&P 2/1/1862

AN ACT
 
To provide for the more effectual and speedy transportation of freight and travel through the cities of Richmond and Petersburg
 
Passed February 1st, 1862
 
   Be it enacted by the General Assembly, that the Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac railroad company and the Richmond & Petersburg railroad company, or either of them, is hereby authorized to extend their roads, or either of them, through the city of Richmond, so as to connect with each other, and that the Richmond & Petersburg railroad company and the Petersburg railroad company, or either of them, is hereby authorized to extend their roads, or either of them, through the city of Petersburg so as to connect with each other, and to use such connections for all their purposes of transportation in like manner as the rest of their road; Provided, however, that in making said connections, or either of them, they shall not interfere with or use the line of the connections heretofore made by authority of the Commander-in-Chief of the Confederate forces in this State, without his consent thereto: And provided further, that the government of the Confederate States and the State of Virginia shall be authorized to use said connection, made by said companies, in the transportation of troops, munitions of war, and all military supplies, in the same manner and upon the terms prescribed for the use of the railroads of said companies or either of them, as no established, or may be hereafter prescribed by law.
   Be it further enacted, that in order to enable the said companies to make the extensions of their roads herein provided for, it shall not be necessary to obtain the assents of either of the cities herein mentioned to carry out the objects and provisions of this act, but they are hereby authorized immediately to enter upon and occupy any real property, public or private, which may be needed to make said extensions, any law heretofore passed to the contrary, notwithstanding, and to have the same condemned: The amount of any damages for entering upon and occupying any real property, to be ascertained as now provided for by law, with regard to corporations generally: Provided, however, that now dwelling house shall be taken for the purposes aforesaid, without the consent of the owner thereof. As soon as a route is located for either of the connections authorized by this act, through either of the said cities, notice thereof shall be given by the company making it to the Common Council of such city, who, if they object to such location, may apply within ten days thereafter to the Board of Public Works to change the same, and said Board, if requested by the Common Council, shall cause surveys to be made to ascertain the practicability of making said connection by a route outside the limits of said city; and if, upon such surveys and other evidence, the Board shall be of opinion that a suitable connection can be made without passing through the city, then said connection shall be made outside the limits thereof, but if the Board shall be of opinion that said connection ought to be made through the city, they shall cause the same to be located by such route as, in their judgment, will answer the purpose and cause the least injury to said city: Provided, that before said connection shall be made through the city of Petersburg, the company proposing to make it, shall obtain the consent of the Confederate government to abandon the connection now existing through said city as soon as the one herby authorized is completed, and when completed such existing connection shall be no longer used: Provided further, that the connections through the said cities of Richmond and Petersburg shall be located with a grade sufficient for the transportation by steam of freight and passengers, and be opened for trade and travel simultaneously; and a failure to use or operate one of said connections shall render it illegal to use or operate the other.
   The ordinances of the Convention passed on the 24th and 26th days of June, 1861, so far as the same revoke the right of either of said companies to connect the said roads, and as far as the same are in conflict with this act shall be, and the same are hereby repealed.
   This act shall be in force from its passage.
   A copy from the Rolls.
Teste, Wm. F. Gordon, Jr., C. H. D. and K. of R.

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