Page images
PDF
EPUB

THE BUSINESS CORPORATIONS LAW.

LAWS 1890, CHAPTER 567.

AN ACT in relation to business corporations, constituting chap. ter fifty-one of the general laws.

Section 8. Consolidation of corporations.-Any two or more corporations organized under the laws of this state for the purpose of carrying on any kind of business of the same or of a similar nature, which a corporation organized under this chapter might carry on, may consolidate such corporations into a single corporation, as follows: The respective corporations may enter into and make an agreement signed by a majority of their respective boards of directors and under their respective corporate seals, for the consolidation of such corporations, prescribing the terms and conditions thereof, the mode of carrying the same into effect, the name of the new corporation, the number of directors who shall manage its affairs, not less than three, the names and postoffice addresses of the directors for the first year, the terms of its existence, not exceeding fifty years, the name of the town or towns, county or counties, in which its operations are to be carried on, the name of the town or city and county in this state in which its principal place of business is to be situated, the amount of its capital stock, which shall not be larger in amount. than the fair aggregate value of the property, franchises and rights of such corporations, and the number of shares into which the same is to be divided, the manner of distributing such capital stock among the holders thereof, and if such corporations or either of them, shall have been organized for the purpose of carrying on any part of its business in any place out of this state, the agreement shall so state, with such other particulars as they may deem necessary. (As amended by L. 1892, ch. 691, L. 1895, ch. 671, and L. 1901, ch. 520.)

§ 9. Submission of consolidation agreement to stockholders.Such agreement shall be submitted to the stockholders of each of such corporations, at a meeting thereof to be called upon notice of at least two weeks, specifying the time, place and object thereof, and addressed to each at his last known postoffice address, and deposited in the postoffice, postage prepaid, and published for at least two successive weeks in one of the newspapers in each of the counties of this state in which either of such corporations shall have its place of business, and if such agreement.

>

shall be approved at each of such meetings of the respective stockholders separately, by the vote by ballot of the stockholders owning at least two-thirds of the stock, the same shall be the agreement of such corporations, and a sworn copy of the proceedings of such meetings, made by the secretaries thereof, respectively, and attached thereto, shall be presumptive evidence of the holding and action of such meetings. Such agreement and verified copy of proceedings of such meetings shall be made in duplicate, one of which shall be filed in the office of the secretary of state, and the other in the office of the clerk of the county where the principal business office of the new corporation is to be situated in this state, and thereupon such corporation shall be merged into the new corporation specified in such agreements, to be known by the corporate name therein mentioned, and the provisions of such agreement shall be carried into effect as therein provided. If any stockholder, not voting in favor of such agreement to consolidate, shall at such meeting, or within twenty days thereafter, object to such consolidation and demand payment for his stock, such stockholder or such new corporation, if the consolidation takes effect at any time thereafter, may at any time within sixty days after such meeting apply to the supreme court at any special term thereof held in the district in which any county is situated in which such new corporation may have its place of business, upon at least eight days' notice to the new corporation, for the appointment of three persons to appraise the value of such stock and the court shall appoint three such appraisers and designate the time and place of their first meeting, with such directions in regard to their proceedings, as shall be deemed proper, and also direct the manner in which payment for such stock shall be made to such stockholder. The court may fill any vacancy in the board of appraisers occurring by refusal or neglect to serve or otherwise. The appraisers shall meet at the time and place designated, and they or any two of them, after being duly sworn honestly and faithfully to discharge their duties, shall estimate and certify the value of such stock at the time of such dissent, and deliver one copy to such new corporation, and another to such stockholder if demanded; the charges and expenses of the appraisers shall be paid by the new corporation. When the new corporation shall have paid the amount of such appraisal, as directed by the court, such stockholder shall cease to have any interest in such stock and in the corporate property of such corporation, and such stock may be held or disposed of by such new corporation. Where any

consolidation has been heretofore or shall be hereafter effected pursuant to the laws of this state, and the holders of ninety per centum of the capital stock of each of such corporations have voted in favor of such agreement to consolidate, if any stockholder not voting in favor of such consolidation shall fail to exchange his stock for stock of such new corporation within sixty days after this act shall go into effect, or, in case of a consolidation hereafter effected, within sixty days after he shall have become entitled to make such exchange, such new corporation may, at any time thereafter, upon at least eight days' notice to such stockholder, to be given personally, within the state, if possible, and if not, then in such manner as the court shall direct, apply to the court, as hereinbefore provided, for the appointment of three persons to appraise the value of such stock at the time of the expiration of such sixty days. Upon the completion of the appraisal in the manner hereinbefore provided for, and the payment by such new corporation of the amount of such appraisal, as directed by the court, such stockholder shall cease to have any interest in such stock, and in the corporate property of such corporation, and such stock may be held or disposed of by such new corporation. (Amended by L. 1892, ch. 691, and L. 1902, ch. 438.)

10. Powers of consolidated corporations.- Such new corporation in addition to the general powers of corporations shall enjoy the rights, franchises and privileges possessed by each of the corporations so consolidated, subject to the restrictions, liabilities, duties and provisions contained in this chapter so far as the same may be applicable to the purposes for which it shall have been organized and expressed in the agreement for consolidation, and may prosecute or carry on any kind of business which each of the consolidating corporations was authorized by law to conduct.

§ 11. Transfer of property of old corporations to consolidated corporation. Upon the consummation of such act of consolidation, all the rights, privileges, franchises and interests of each of the corporations, parties to the same, and all the property, real, personal and mixed, and all the debts due on whatever account to either of them, as well as all stock subscriptions and other things in action belonging to either of them, shall be taken and deemed to be transferred to and vested in such new corporation, without further act or deed; and all claims, demands, property and every other interest shall be as effectually the property

of the new corporation as they were of the former corporations, parties to such agreement and act; and the title to all real estate, taken by deed or otherwise, under the laws of this state, vested in either of such corporations, parties to such agreement and act, shall not be deemed to revert or be in any way impaired by reason of this act, or anything done by virtue thereof, but shall be vested in the new corporation by virtue of such act of consolidation; and all the rights, privileges, franchises and property of the corporations, parties to any consolidation heretofore made under this act, shall vest as fully in the new corporation thereby created as they were vested in the corporations, parties to such consolidations. (As amended by L. 1892, ch. 691, and L. 1902, ch. 457.)

$ 12. Rights of creditors of old corporations.-The rights of creditors of any corporation that shall so be consolidated shall not in any manner be impaired, nor any liability or obligation for the payment of any money due or to become due to any person or persons, or any claim or demand for any cause existing against any such corporation or against any stockholder thereof be released or impaired by any such consolidation; but such new corporation shall succeed to and be held liable to pay and discharge all such debts and liabilities of each of the corporations consolidated in the same manner as if such new corporation had itself incurred the obligation or liability to pay such debt or damages and the stockholders of the respective corporations consolidated shall continue, subject to all the liabilities, claims and demands existing against them as such, at or before the consolidation; and no action or proceeding then pending before any court or tribunal in which any corporation that may be so consolidated is a party, or in which any such stockholder is a party, shall abate or be discontinued by reason of such consolidation, but may be prosecuted to final judgment, as though no consolidation had been entered into; or such new corporation may be substituted as a party in place of any corporation so consolidated, by order of the court in which such action or proceeding may be pending.

39

NATURAL GAS COMPANIES.

LAWS 1889, CHAPTER 422.

AN ACT to provide for the organization and regulation of natura gas companies, being "An act supplemental to chapter six hundred and eleven of the laws of eighteen hundred and seventy-five, entitled 'An act to provide for the organization and regulation of certain business corporations.''

§ 1. Acquisition of lands by natural gas company.— It shall be lawful for any corporation organized under chapter six hundred and eleven of the laws of eighteen hundred and seventy-five, and acts amendatory thereto, for the purpose of boring, drilling, digging or mining for natural gas, and conveying and distributing the same in pipes, and vending said gas to the consumers thereof; to purchase, lease, secure and convey such real estate, and such only as may be necessary for the convenient transaction of their business; and to effectually carry on the operations of such corporation.

§ 2. Pipes in streets, authorized. Such corporation is authorized to dig and trench for, and lay their pipes along or under any of the public roads or highways, or through or under any of the waters within the limits of this state: Provided the same shall not be so done as to incommode the public use of said highways, or interrupt the navigation of said waters. Provided, however, that no pipe line for the purpose aforesaid shall be constructed across, along, or upon any public highway, without the consent of the commissioners of highways of the town in which such highway is located, upon such terms as may be agreed upon with such commissioners; or upon the order of the general term of the supreme court of the department in which such highways are situated, made upon petition, and notice to the commissioners of highways of such town, according to the practice, or order of the court, or an order to show cause; and in such manner, and upon such terms as shall be ordered by the court.

§ 3. Consents necessary.- No pipe line shall be constructed into or through any incorporated city or village in this state, unless the same be sanctioned by a majority of the common council of such city, or trustees of such village, by resolution adopted at a regular meeting of such common council, or board of trustees, which resolution shall prescribe the terms upon which consent is granted. Nothing in this or the preceding section shall be

« PreviousContinue »