Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 31.djvu/1341

 FIFTY-SIXTH CONGRESS. SEss. II. Ch. 854. 1901. I289 certificate, shall be received in all courts and places as presumptive legal evidence of the facts thereinstated. I Sec. 641. TITLE AND FIRE INSURANCE COMPANIES MAY BECOME l£§1~;eI¤;d fire i¤s¤r· PERrETUAL.—Any company heretofore formed, agreeably to law, for iiemmgpeiigiilifay the purpose of insuring titles to real estate, or for the purpose of carrying on fire insurance, may become perpetual by filing, in the office of the recorder of deeds, a certihcate to that effect, in like manner as is provided by law for the filing of the original certificate of incorporation. Sec. 642. SALE or UNcLAIMED FREIGHT, AND so EoRTH.·—VVhenever m§;¤§t¤gtc¤¤g1eig:gi any freight, baggagie, or other property transported by a common car- m0¤im£m€i.’ y ° ` rier to, or deposite with a common carrier at, any point in the District of Columbia, shall remain unclaimed by the owner or consignee, or the charges thereon shall remain unpaid for the space of six months after arrival at the point to which the same shall have been directed or transported, or after deposit as aforesaid, and the owner or person _ to whom the same is consigned, or by whom the same shall have been ‘“°“°" ”° °°“Sig"""· deposited, shall, after notice of such arrival, or after notice to take away such property so deposited, neglect or refuse to receive the same and pay the charges thereon within such period of six months, then it shall be lawful for such carrier to sell such freight, baggage, or other property at public auction, after giving three weeks’ notice of the time and place of sale, once a week for three successive weeks, in a newspa er published in the District of Columbia. §EC. 643. Upon the application of such carrier, verified by aflidavit, ',;,‘{§‘Q§’,‘;§;’,§Q,‘§,§‘§,$f,° to the supreme court of the District of Columbia holding a special ' term, setting forth that the place of residence of the owner or consignee of any such freight, baggage, or other property is unknown, or that such freight, baggage, or other property is of such perishable nature, or so damaged, or showing any other cause that shall render it im racticable to give the notice or delay the sale for the period provided) in the next preceding section, then it shall be lawful for such court to make an order authorizing the sale of such freight, baggage, or other property upon such terms as to notice as the nature of the case may admit of and to such court shall seem meet: Pramfded, That lQggj;*ji. h • • •, , 1HgS W GIG In case of perishable property the affidavit and proceedings required property perishable. and authorized by this section may be had before a justice of the peace. , Sec. 644. The residue of moneys arising from any such sale, under ,df,’_§fg‘gS§gg’,§8y‘;*,r*;*; either of the two next preceding sections, after deducting the amount sale. of charges, including charges for transportation, the cost of handling and storage, demurrage, and the costs and expenses of proceedings to authorize the sale, and of advertising and sale, shall be paid to the owner of such freight, baggage, or other property on demand. SUBCHAPTER FIVE. INSURANCE COMPANIES. ...5,‘;,S“'““°" "°“‘p“‘ Sec. 645. DEPARTMENT OF INsUEANoE.—There shall be, and is hereby, Su§§,§’§;““"“‘ °‘ *1* established in the District a department of insurance, under the direction of the Commissioners of the District. The said Commissioners $¤P€¤‘i¤*€¤d¤¤¤€f¤· are authorized and directed_ to appoint a superintendent of insurance, at an annual salary of two thousand five hundred dollars, and one clerk, at an annual salary of one thousand dollars. The said superintendent and clerk shall devote their services exclusively to the business of said department. Said superintendent shall have supervision of all matters pertaining to insurance, insurance companies, and beneficia. orders and associations, subject only to the general supervision of the Commissioners.