Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 2.djvu/495



the place (being within the city of Washington) and the time of such meeting be previously advertised for three weeks successively, in one or more gazettes in the city of Washington, Alexandria or Georgetown.

. And be it further enacted, That the said shares shall be negotiable and transferable from one to another by assignments in writing, executed before two witnesses at the least, and authenticated, and registered, as the said company may prescribe and direct in their by-laws and regulations.

. And be it further enacted, That in suits at law against the said company, the first process shall be a summons, to be served on the president, or any one or more of the directors of the said company; upon the service and return of which summons, if no appearance shall be entered for the said company, at the return term, the court may order the general issue to be entered on the record, and may proceed to trial and judgment, in like manner, as if an appearance had been entered, and the issue made up by the said company; and if judgment shall be recovered against the said company, the court may order the usual process of execution, or a special writ to attach the money, goods, chattels, debts, choses in action, and tolls in the hands of any officer of the said company, or of any other person; and such attachment shall operate on the tolls thereafter to be received, which may [be] collected by a person, specially appointed by the court, for the use of the plaintiff recovering such judgment, until such judgment shall be satisfied, and the court may make such further or other order for enforcing the payment of such judgment, as may be consistent with the practice and powers of such court, as a court of law or equity, and that the shares in the said company shall be deemed personal and not real property, and transferable in such manner as the company shall direct; and that the shares held by any individual shall be liable to be attached or taken by fieri facias, to satisfy the debts due from such individual in like manner as other personal property may be.

. And be it further enacted, That the amount of each share shall be paid by instalments of ten dollars at such time as the said company shall direct; and in case any instalment or instalments shall not be paid at the time appointed by the said company, or within ten days thereafter, the same may be recovered, in the name of the said company, by warrant from a justice of the peace, if the amount due shall not exceed twenty dollars; and if the sum so due shall exceed twenty dollars, the same may be recovered by motion, in the name of the said company, on ten days’ notice, in any court of record in the county or district where the debtor shall be found; and in all such warrants and motions, the certificate of the clerk of the said company, authenticated by the president, under the common seal of the said company, shall be conclusive evidence of the defendant’s being a member of the company, and prima facie evidence of the amount due on the shares held by such defendant. And if such instalment or instalments be not paid within sixty days, after the time limited for the payment of the same, and advertised for four weeks successively, in one or more gazettes, published in Washington, Alexandria or Georgetown, the president and directors of the said company may proceed to forfeit, for the use of the company, the share or shares of the person or persons, so failing to pay.

. And be it further enacted, That the said company be, and they are hereby authorized and empowered to erect and build, or to cause to be erected and built, over the river Potomac, between the termination of Maryland avenue and Alexander’s island, a good and sufficient bridge, at least thirty-six feet wide, of sound and suitable materials, and in all respects adequate for the passage of travellers, horses, cattle and carriages, with a secure railing on each side at least four feet high; of which width six feet on one side shall be appropriated to the purpose of