No. 500. AN ACT To incorporate the Western Provident Society and Children's Home of SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in General Assembly met, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That Franklin Bacon, William W. Keen, Samuel Field, William B. Corporators. Goddard, Charles M. Schott, Gideon G. Westcott, J. J. Boswell, Constant M. Eakin, Thomas Allibone, James Allen, J. F. Knorr and Jacob G. Clarkson, Anthony J. Drexel and John L. Goddard, and their associates, be and they are hereby incorporated and made a body politic in law, by the name, style and title of the Western Provident Society and Children's Home of Style. Philadelphia, and by that name, style and title shall have perpetual succession, with power to have a common seal, and the same to change at pleasure; to make contracts relative to the institution; to sue and be sued, to plead and to be impleaded; Privileges. and by that name, style and title to be capable of purchasing, holding, taking and conveying any estate, real or personal, for the use of said corporation, and to make such by-laws, rules and regulations as the said corporation shall judge necessary or expedient for the due management of the concerns of said corporation: Provided, That the same shall not be repugnant to the constitution or laws of the United States or of this commonwealth And provided further, That the annual income of said Proviso. estate shall not exceed ten thousand dollars, nor be applied for any other purposes than those for which this association is formed. SECTION 2. That any person who shall annually pay to the Membership. treasurer of the association, on or before the first day of October, the sum of one dollar or upwards, shall be a member thereof while such person so contributes, and every person who shall pay twenty-five dollars at one time shall be a member for life: Provided, That for the purposes of the first election under this act, all persons shall be members who shall have contributed during the year next preceding, the sum of one dollar or more to the funds of the Western Provident Society and Children's Home, now created in the Twenty-fourth ward of the said city. SECTION 3. That the affairs and concerns of the said the Managers and Western Provident Society and Children's Home of Philadel- trustees. phia, shall be conducted by a board of managers, consisting of twenty-four ladies, and a board of trustees, consisting of sixteen gentlemen; and the members of the said corporation shall meet on the first Tuesday of October next, at such hour and place as shall be designated by a majority of the parties above Election. named, and shall elect a board of managers, six of whom shall be elected to serve for one year, six to serve for two years, six for three years and six for four years, from said date, and also a board of sixteen trustees, four of whom shall be elected to serve for one year, four for two years, four for three years and four for four years; and the board of managers of said asso ciation shall annually thereafter, on the first Tuesday of May' elect six managers; and the board of trustees shall annually, on the same day, elect four trustees, to serve for four years; and shall also then and there fill all vacancies that may occur in their respective boards, from death, resignation, removal or otherwise; and if, for any reason, such election shall not take place at the time provided, the managers and trustees whose terms would otherwise expire, shall hold over until their successors shall be elected; and in such case, at least ten days' notice shall be given of the time and place of another election. SECTION 4. That it shall and may be lawful for the said managers and trustees, in their discretion, to take under their guardianship all poor white children, who may be placed under their care and management, in either of the following modes: Firstly. White children under twelve years of age, who shall be voluntarily surrendered by their father, or in case of his death or absence, by their mother or by their guardian, to the care of the said managers and trustees. Secondly. White children under the age of twelve years, who may be committed to the care of the said managers and trustees, by any judge of the supreme court of Pennsylvania, or of the district court of the city and county of Philadelphia, or of the court of common pleas or quarter sessions, or by the mayor of said city, on account of vagrancy, or the exposure, neglect or abandonment of said children, by their parents or parent, guardian or other persons having custody of said children; and it shall be the duty of the judge or mayor so committing any child to the care of said managers or trustees, to annex to the commitment an abstract of the evidence taken by him, and on which his adjudication was founded; which said evidence shall be under oath or affirmation and taken in the presence of said child. SECTION 5. That the said managers and trustees shall have the guardianship of the said children so placed under their care and management during their minority; shall cause them to be educated and instructed in a proper manner, and may, when in their discretion it shall appear proper, bind the said children, with their consent, as apprentices, during their minority, to such persons and at such places and to learn such trades and employment as in the judgment of said managers and trustees shall be most conducive to the benefit and advantage of said children: Provided, That the charge and power of the managers and trus tees over and upon the said children, shall not in the case of females extend beyond the age of eighteen years; and the said managers and trustees may in their discretion return the said children to their parents or surviving parent or guardian. SECTION 6. That the said association shall have the right, in addition to the foregoing objects, to extend relief to poor of said city, by furnishing food, clothing and other assistance, as the said managers and trustees shall from time to time provide. J. LAWRENCE GETZ, Speaker of the House of Representatives. DAVID TAGGART, Speaker of the Senate. APPROVED-The eighth day of April, Anno Domini one thou sand eight hundred and fifty-seven. JAS. POLLOCK. No. 501. AN ACT Corporators. To incorporate the Saucona Iron Company, in the county of Northampton. SECTION 2. That the affairs of said company shall be managed officers and their by seven directors, one of whom shall be president, and a ma- election. jority have power to act; which said directors shall be chosen from the stockholders; the first election to be held within thirty days after this act shall take effect; of which election public notice shall be given at least two weeks previously thereto, in two or more papers in the counties of Northampton and Lehigh, and the subsequent elections shall be held annually at such convenient time and place as the directors shall determine, of which previous notice shall in like manner be given: Provided, That Proviso. in case of failure to hold an election under this act, the former directors shall continue in office until their successors be duly elected, which must be within six months from the time of such failure. SECTION 3. That all elections for directors shall be by ballot, Votes. and each stockholder shall be entitled to vote according to the number of shares held, in the following ratio, to wit:-For each share not exceeding two shares, one vote; for every two shares above two, and not exceeding fifty shares, one vote; for every four shares above fifty, and not exceeding one hundred shares, one vote; and for every six shares above one hundred, one vote; no share shall confer the right of voting while any instalment thereon is due and unpaid, nor which shall have been transferred within three months of the day of election, nor unless bona fide held by the person in whose name it appears, in his own right, or in that of his wife, or as executor, administrator, trustee or guardian; and all votes by proxy shall be on the terms and conditions prescribed by the several acts of assembly regulating proxies. SECTION 4. That this corporation shall have authority to hold Powers. and use a common seal, with such device and inscription as they shall deem proper, and the same to break, alter and renew at Proviso. Liabilities. Hold land, &c. Objects. commonwealth. pleasure; and by the name of the Saucona iron company, shall be capable in law to sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded in any court, before any judge or justice, in all manner of suits, and all and every matter to do in as full effect as any other person or persons bodies corporate within the commonwealth; and is authorized and empowered to make by-laws and rules, and do everything needful for the good government of the affairs of the said corporation: Provided, That the said by-laws and rules be not repugnant to the constitution and laws of the United States or of this state. SECTION 5. That the said corporation shall not at any time contract debts exceeding three times the amount of the capital stock paid in, and the stockholders shall be individually liable for the amount of the capital stock by them respectively subscribed and not paid in, and shall forfeit the stock to the company, if an instalment called for be not paid within sixty days after notice that it is due, shall have been served on them. SECTION 6. That the company shall be able and capable in law to take, receive and hold in fee simple, or to lease lands and tenements, and may sell, lease, mortgage, or dispose of their interest in the same, as they may deem expedient: Provided, That the said lands shall not exceed in quantity two thousand acres at any one time, the same to be located in Northampton and Lehigh counties. SECTION 7. That the said company shall use and employ their moneys and property in making and manufacturing iron from the crude state into any shape, and transporting and vending the same, and in acquiring and using such necessary materials and conveniences as they may find advantageous; but they shall not exercise any banking privileges, nor do anything which may not be necessary and proper to the business. Annual report to SECTION 8. That the said company shall annually, on or soon secretary of the after the first day of January in each and every year, make a return, attested by the oaths of the president or secretary, of the amount of stock paid in, the number of acres of land owned by the company, the number of furnaces and works used by them, and the quantity of iron made by them within the current year; which returns shall be sent to the secretary of this commonwealth, who shall report the same to the legislature. Dividends. Transfer of stock. SECTION 9. That dividends of so much of the profits as the directors may think advisable, shall be declared soon after the settlement of the books, on the first day of January and July every year, and be paid to the stockholders or their legal representatives, at any time, on demand, after the expiration of twenty days from such declaration; but the dividends shall in no case exceed the amount of net profits actually acquired by the company, as exhibited by the books and accounts; and if the directors shall make a dividend of more than the net profits, as shown by the books of the company, the directors consenting thereto shall be liable to the company in their individual capacity, for the excess so divided and paid. SECTION 10. That the stock of said corporation shall be transferable, agreeably to the by-laws adopted by the company; but no stock shall be transferred, on which an instalment may be due and unpaid, unless with the consent of the directors. SECTION 11. That any land or property, or materials for mak- Payment of subing iron, which may be received in payment for subscriptions scriptions. to stock, shall be taken at a valuation approved by the board of directors, or by a majority of the stockholders; and this act shall not go into effect until seventy-five thousand dollars shall have been subscribed, and at least one-third of that amount be paid in, of which notice, verified by oath or affirmation, by the president of the company, shall be given to the governor. SECTION 12. That the said company shall be required to pay Tax to state. to the state treasurer, for the use of the commonwealth, a tax of one-half of one per centum upon the capital stock, or any increase thereof, to be paid in four equal annual payments; the first to be paid six months after this act shall go into force, and the remaining instalments at intervals of twelve months each, and shall pay such tax upon dividends as is now, or may hereafter be required by law. SECTION 13. That the stockholders of the said company be Individual liaand they are hereby declared to be individually liable for all billty. debts and contracts of the said company, for work and labor done and performed for it, and for all materials, produce and provisions furnished for said company, to be sued for, recovered and collected as is provided in the twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth sections of the act to incorporate the Lackawanna iron and coal company, passed the fifth day of April, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and fifty-three: And provided further, That no stockholder shall be held individually liable for any such debt as aforesaid, unless the same shall have been sued for within six months after the time it was due. SECTION 14. That this charter shall continue in force for the Limitation. J. LAWRENCE GETZ, DAVID TAGGART, Speaker of the Senate. APPROVED-The eighth day of April, Anno Domini one thou sand eight hundred and fifty-seven. JAS. POLLOCK. |