Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 2.djvu/493



twentieth day of February, one thousand eight hundred and four, intituled “,” shall be, and continue in force for the term of three years, and to the end of the next session of Congress thereafter, and no longer.

, January 27, 1808.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following persons, viz: Robert Brent, Daniel Carroll, of Duddington, Thomas Monroe, James D. Barry, Frederick May, Samuel Harrison Smith, Jonah Thompson, Jonathan Swift, Thomas Vowell, Cuthbert Powell, Elisha Janney, and Charles Alexander, or any seven of them, be, and they are hereby constituted a board of commissioners, with full power and authority to open, or cause to be opened, books for receiving and entering subscriptions for raising a capital stock, not exceeding two hundred thousand dollars, in shares of one hundred dollars each, for the purpose of erecting a bridge over the river Potomac, between the city of Washington and Alexander’s island, and making such other incidental works, and defraying such other incidental expenses, as shall be required by this act, or deemed necessary or expedient by the company herein after named; the time, place and manner of receiving and entering such subscriptions, to be ascertained by the said board of commissioners, and duly advertised in such gazettes, as they may deem expedient: Provided, that the time to be fixed upon by the said board of commissioners, for opening books for receiving the said subscriptions, shall be on or before the first Monday in July next, and that no subscription shall be received, unless the sum of ten dollars be first paid into the hands of the person authorized to receive the same, on each share subscribed for.

. And be it further enacted, That whenever nineteen hundred of the said shared shall be subscribed for, all persons who may then be, or thereafter may become, the actual holders or proprietors of shares in the said capital stock, either as subscribers for the same, or as the legal representatives, successors, or assignees of such subscribers, shall be, and they are hereby made and created a body politic and corporate, by the name and style of “The Washington Bridge Company,” and by that name may sue, and be sued, implead, and be impleaded, and do and suffer all acts, matters and things, which a body politic and corporate may lawfully do and suffer; and may have a common seal, and the same may break and alter at pleasure, and may make all by-laws, rules regulations and ordinances for the good government and well being of the said company, and for carrying into effect the objects of their institution, so that such by-laws, rules, regulations or ordinances, be not repugnant to the laws of the United States, in force within the district of Columbia.

. And be it further enacted, That when nineteen hundred of the said shares shall be subscribed for, as aforesaid, or as soon after as may be, the said board of commissioners shall call a meeting of the company, at the city of Washington, by public advertisement, in one or more gazettes, published in Washington, Alexandria, or Georgetown, appointing a fit and convenient time and place of meeting, for the purpose of electing five directors, a clerk and a treasurer, and such other officers, agents and servants, as the said company may think fit to appoint, and for transacting any other business in pursuance of this act and appertaining to the nature and objects of the institution of the said