Company au real estate shall not exceed what may be necessary for the purpose mentioned, and no private lands shall be in any way injured or defaced without permission first obtained in writing from the owner or owners thereof. 2. And be it enacted, That the said corporation shall be thorized to lay empowered to lay down their gas pipes, and to erect gas down pipes, &c. Proviso. Commission posts, burners and reflectors in the streets, alleys, lanes, avenues, or public grounds of the village of Plainfield, in the township of Plainfield and in the township of Warren, and to do all things necessary to light the said village of Plainfield, situate partly in the township of Plainfield and partly in the township of Warren, and the dwellings, stores, and other places situated therein; provided, that the public travel shall at no time be affected or impeded by the laying of the said pipes or the erection of the said posts, and the streets, side and cross-walks, public grounds, lanes and avenues shall not be injured, but all be left in as good and perfect condition as before the laying of the said pipes or the erection of the said posts. 3. And be it enacted, That Jacob Manning, Zachariah Webers to receive ster, Abraham D. Titsworth, John W. Craig and Alfred Berry subscriptions. are hereby appointed commissioners for receiving subscrip tions for the sum of one hundred thousand dollars, to constitute the capital stock of the said corporation, in shares of fifty dollars each; and the said commissioners, or a majority of them, shall open books for that purpose, at such time and in such place or places within this state as they shall designate by a public advertisement, to be previously inserted, for at least three weeks, in one or more public newspapers printed in Plainfield, and shall continue the same open until the said capital shall be subscribed, or at their discretion close the same, after they shall have remained open three days, and again open the same at some other time or times, place or places, giving public notice thereof as aforesaid; and the sum of five per centum upon each share so subscribed, shall be paid in specie, or in the bills of banks which redeem their bills with specie, by each subscriber, at the time of subscription, to the said commissioners, or a majority of them, and each subscriber shall be entitled to receive a certificate for such stock from said commissioners; and the amount so received by the said commissioners at the time of subscription, shall by them, or a majority of them, be paid over to the directors of the said company, to be appointed as hereinafter directed; and all the powers of the said commissioners shall cease and determine on the appointment of such board of directors; and the said board, when so appointed, shall have power, and they are hereby authorized, from time to time, under the foregoing regulations, to open the books for the further subscription of stock, until the whole stock subscribed amounts to the sum of one hundred thousand dollars; and are also authorized to call upon the said subscribers for the payment of further installments, in such sum or sums, at such time or times, and under such forfeiture or forfeitures, as they may deem expedient, until the whole amount of said shares so subscribed shall have been fully paid. rectors. 4. And be it enacted, That the management of the concerns Election of diof the said company shall be vested in nine directors, to be selected from the stockholders, five of whom shall be residents of the county of Essex, and all of whom shall be residents of this state; and the said directors shall choose by a plurality of votes, a president from among themselves; and as soon as conveniently may be, after fifty thousand dollars shall have been subscribed, the before named commissioners, or a majority of them, shall convene the said stockholders, by public notice, to be given as aforesaid, and at such time and place as they shall designate in said notice, to choose the first board of directors, who shall hold their offices until the first Tuesday in April, thereafter; and the said directors and president shall hold their offices from the first Tuesday of April in every year, for one year, and shall be elected on the first Tuesday of April in each year, at such time and place as a majority of the directors shall appoint, and public notice shall be given of the time and place of holding such election, for ten days, in one or more newspapers published in Plainfield, and any vacancy in the said board of directors may be supplied by appointments to be made by the board of directors until the next election; and all elections shall be by ballots of the stockholders or their proxies, allowing Corporation not dissolved elect on day prescribed. one vote for each share which they shall have held in his, her or their name or names, at least fifteen days before the time of voting. 5. And be it enacted, That if at any time an election is not for failure to held on the day herein specified, the corporation shall not be dissolved for that cause, but an election shall be held in such manner as is directed by the by-laws, at any time within one year. Quorum. Stock transferable. Penalty for injuring works. Proviso. Books of ae count to be kept. Works to be erected in 6. And be it enacted, That the directors for the time being shall form a board, and they, or a majority of them, shall be a quorum for transacting business. 7. And be it enacted, That the stock of the corporation shall be transferable according to the by-laws and regulations of the corporation, and shall be considered personal property; and the stock and transfer books shall be opened at all times to the inspection of the stockholders. 8. And be it enacted, That if any person or persons shall wilfully do, or cause to be done, any act or acts whatever, thereby to injure any conduit, pipe, cock, machine, or structure whatsoever, or anything appertaining to the works of the said corporation, or whereby the same may be stopped, obstructed, or injured, the person or persons so offending shall be considered guilty of a misdemeanor, and being thereof convicted, shall be punished by fine not exceeding three hundred dollars, or imprisonment at hard labor not exceed ing two years, or both; provided, such criminal prosecution shall not in any wise impair the right of action for damages. by civil suit, hereby authorized to be brought for any such injury as aforesaid, by and in the name of the said corporation, in any court of the state having cognizance of the same. 9. And be it enacted, That the said company shall cause to be kept at their office proper books of accounts, in which shall be fairly and truly entered all the transactions of the company, which books shall be at all times open for the inspection of the stockholders. 10. And be it enacted, That the said company shall erect certain time. and establish their said gas works within five years from the passage of this act, and if said company fail to comply with the requirements of this section, then all the rights, privi leges and powers granted by this act shall be forfeited, and said act void and of no effect. 11. And be it enacted, That this charter shall continue in Limitation. force for the period of thirty years. Approved March 13, 1857. CHAPTER LX. AN ACT to incorporate the "Franklin Agricultural Society of Somerset County." porators. 1. BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of Names of corthe State of New Jersey, That David Sanderson, Joshua Doughty, George H. Brown, Daniel Talmage, William G. Steele, Philemon Dunn, William D. Bellis, John V. Voorhees, Henry A. Herder, Farrington Barcalow, and Alexander E. Donaldson, of the county of Somerset, and their associates and successors, shall be and they are hereby constituted a body politic and corporate, by the name of "The Franklin Agricultural Society of Somerset County," with the power to purchase, hold and improve real estate not to exceed in value ten thousand dollars, and power to sell and convey the same, and with all the powers, rights and incidents of a corporation. 2. And be it enacted, That the capital stock of said com- Amount of pany shall be ten thousand dollars, with liberty to increase capital stock. it to twenty thousand dollars, which shall be divided into shares of twenty dollars each, and paid in by the stockholders at such time and in such manner, and in such instalments as the directors of said company may direct, and in such penalties for neglecting the payment of such instalments as the said directors shall deem advisable; and such shares shall be deemed personal property, and be transferable in such Proviso. Commission ers to receive manner as the company, by their by-laws, may appoint; provided, that notice in writing shall be given to each of the stockholders of the time when the shares are required to be paid in. 3. And be it enacted, That the above named persons, or a subscriptions. majority of them, shall be commissioners to open books and receive subscriptions to the capital stock of said company, at such time or times, and place or places, as they, or a majority of them, may think proper, giving notice thereof at least two weeks, by publishing the same for two weeks in some newspaper published in this state, and circulating in the county of Somerset; and as soon as two hundred and fifty shares of said stock shall be subscribed, and such amount paid thereon as said commissioners shall order, a like publication for the space of two weeks shall be given for the meeting of the stockholders to choose nine directors who shall hold their office for one year, and until others are elected. Subscription books to be directors. 4. And be it enacted, That the said election shall be certified delivered to by the said commissioners, or a majority of them, who shall thereupon deliver over to said directors the subscription books and moneys paid in, at such time and place as shall be appointed by the commissioners, or a majority of them, notice whereof shall be given to the said directors, and who shall be thereupon authorized to hold their first meeting. Election of directors. Objects of incorporation. 5. And be it enacted, That the affairs of the company shall be managed by nine directors to be chosen by the stockholders annually, at such time and place, in such manner and upon such notice as by the by-laws of said company may be directed, who shall serve for one year, and until others are chosen in their stead; and the said directors shall, from time to time, elect a president from their body, and shall also elect and employ such other officers as they may deem necessary, and make all such by-laws, rules, and regulations as they may think proper. 6. And be it enacted, That the object of said company shall be to improve the condition and breed of stock, and also to improve the agricultural, horticultural, and manufacturing arts of the state, and for the carrying out and perfecting the objects of their incorporation, they shall be |