SEC. 2.

That this act take effect and be in force from

and after its passage.

Approved May 8th, 1873.

CHAPTER CLIV.

An Act to consolidate the Houston Tap and Brazoria Railway, the Huntsville Branch Railway, and the Victoria and Columbia Railroad with the Houston and Great Northern Railroad.

WHEREAS, The Houston and Great Northern Railroad Company are the owners, by purchase at sale on foreclosure of mortgage by the State, and otherwise, of the Houston Tap and Brazoria Railway; and

Whereas, said Houston and Great Northern Railroad Company own all the stock of the Huntsville Branch Railway, and are operating eight (8) miles of road under the charter thereof; and

Whereas, Said Houston and Great Northern Railroad Company are the owners of the stock of the Columbia and Victoria Railroad Company; therefore,

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That the Houston Tap and Brazoria Railway, and the Huntsville Branch Railway, and the Columbia and Victoria Railroad, are hereby made and declared to be, to all intents and purposes in law, a part of the Houston and Great Northern Railroad, and shall be under the control and management of the said Houston and Great Northern Railroad, in like manner as every other part of their railroad; and all rights, privileges and franchises granted or secured in the charter of either or all of the aforesaid corporations shall inure to and be exercised and enjoyed by the said Houston and Great Northern Railroad Company, as fully and to the same extent as they could have been by either of said companies; provided that nothing herein contained shall have any effect to relieve said consolidated company, or said Houston Tap and Brazoria Railway, from any debt or liability whatever, to which either of said roads may be liable without this act.

SEC. 2. Be it further enacted, That this act shall take effect from and after its passage.

Approved May 8th, 1873.

CHAPTER CLV.

An Act to incorporate the Texas and European Beef Company, of Galveston, Texas.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That W. F. Stocking and Geo. W. Scolley, of New York; R. M. Cary, of Liverpool, England; and M. V. McMahan and John W. McMahan, of Texas, and their associates, are hereby created and established a body corporate and politic, under the name and style of "The Texas and European Beef Company;" with capacity in said corporate name to make contracts; to sue and be sued; to plead and be impleaded; to have succession and a common seal, to make by-laws and regulations for the government of its affairs. Said company may receive subscriptions of stock, or donations in land or money; may issue their bonds as hereinafter provided, and shall have all the powers incident to private corporations at common law, not in conflict with the Constitution and laws of this State or of the United States, so that the object of this act may be carried into effect.

SEC. 2. The said company is hereby invested with the right and power to purchase lands and machinery, and erect buildings for the use of said company, and for the purpose of manufacturing, or incident thereto, as may be necessary, as hereinafter provided. Said company shall have the right to engage in packing beef or pork, and putting up the same for market or shipment.

SEC. 3. Said company may have a capital of one milfion of dollars, with power to increase the same to two millions of dollars, should the stockholders so desire, and shall be divided into shares of one thousand dollars each; each share shall entitle the party owning it to one vote, by himself or proxy; said shares shall be deemed personal estate, and shall be transferable in such manner as the directors may direct. A record of such transfers shall be kept in a book kept for that purpose.

SEC. 4. The business of said company shall be vested in a board of directors, to be elected by the stockholders annually, of not less than three nor more than seven, one of whom shall be, by said board of directors or managers, elected president.

SEC. 5. The board of directors may elect such other officers as they may deem necessary, and give them such powers and duties as the business of the company may require; provided, that no person shall be a director unless he be a stockholder to at least five shares of said stock. A majority of the. board shall constitute a quorum to do business.

SEC. 6. That said company may issue its bonds in such sums, and for an amount equal to three-fourths of the cash value of the lands and landed stock of the company, redeemable in not less than ten years, with interest not to exceed eight per cent. per annum, payable semiannually; provided, that a lien shall exist, and is hereby created on the land and landed stock, the buildings and machinery of said company, to secure the payment of the said bonds so issued.

SEC. 7. That when said company shall issue any bonds as provided in section six of this act, the proviso to section four shall be incorporated into said bonds, and after any of said bonds have been negotiated, all persons shall be deemed to have conclusive notice of the lien created.

SEC. 8. The corporators herein named, or any three of them, shall, within four months after the passage of this act, organize as contemplated.

SEC. 9. This act shall be in force from and after its passage.

Approved May 8th, 1873.

CHAPTER CLVI.

An Act to incorporate Owensville High School.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That R. Crawford, M. N. Weatherby, J. C. Womack, W. L. Glass, J. S. Parish, A. McDonald, O. M. Addison, Hiram M. Glass and W. B. Morrow, all of the county of Robertson, and State of Texas, be and are hereby made a body corporate and politic, for the management and control, as trustees, for an institution of

learning in the town of Owensville, Robertson county, Texas, under the name and style of "Owensville High School."

SEC. 2. Said board of trustees, and their successors in office, shall have power, and are hereby authorized to own and hold property, both personal and real or mixed, to an amount not exceeding five hundred thousand dollars in value, and to obtain the same by purchase, gift, bequest or otherwise; and to buy and sell, sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded; to own and use a seal; to keep a record; to have succession, and to do all other things, and have all other powers necessary, not inconsistent with the public good, nor the Constitution of the United States or the laws of Congress, nor the Constitution and laws of the State of Texas, to enable the said trustees to establish and control an institution of learning.

SEC. 3. Said board of trustees shall have the power, and it shall be their duty to organize by the election of officers usual to such a body, and to enact, for their gov ernment, by-laws and rules of order; also, to elect a faculty for said school, to consist of such members as they, the said trustees, in their wisdom may deem proper, whose duty it shall be to establish male and female departments; to prescribe a course of study, conduct examinations, make awards of merit, confer degrees, and grant diplomas or certificates of scholarship, and to do all other things necessary to promote learning and maintain good order and morals.

SEC. 4. Said board and faculty shall hold office under the rules and regulations of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South; and when any vacancy shall occur in the board of trustees, either by death, removal, resignation or otherwise, such vacancy shall be filled by appointment of the bishop or presiding officer of the Northwest Texas Annual Conference of the Methodist Church, South, by the advice and by the nomination of the quarterly conference of Owensville circuit or station of said conference.

SEC. 5. That this act take effect from and after its passage.

Approved May 8th, 1873.

CHAPTER CLVII.

An Act to incorporate the Marvin College.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That Rev. Thos. Stanford, Rev. J. M. Jones, Rev. W. G. Veal, Rev. J. Fred Cox, Rev. John S. McCarver, Rev. F. P. Ray, Rev. John Powell, Rev. T. W. Hines and Rev. Wm. Price, clerical members of the Northwest Texas Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church South; and B. F. Hawkins, D. G. Ransom, G. C. Parks, E. M. Brack, S. N. Hilburn, T. Patterson, Dr. Wm. Kerr, J. F. Reagor and James E. Smith, lay members of said church, trustees of Marvin College of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, located at Waxahachie, in the county of Ellis, State of Texas, and their successors in office, be and they are hereby created a body corporate, under the name and style of "The Board of Trustees of Marvin College;" and by that name they shall have succession for the term of ninety years, and be capable in law to sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded; to enact by-laws, rules and regulations for their own government; to have, hold and enjoy, in their official capacity, all property, of whatever kind, that may be granted to them by donation, bequest or otherwise, for the benefit of said institution; to acquire and hold property by purchase; to convert any or all of said property into money; to disburse the same for the interest of said college; provided, that no authority is hereby vested in them to sell, convey or dispose of the college building or buildings, and the grounds upon which the same has been or may hereafter be located, except by the consent and concurrence of the Northwest Texas Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, or any other conference of said church, in the bounds of which the said college may be situated. That the said trustees of Marvin College shall have the power to elect their own chairman, and such other officers as to them may seem proper; to elect a president, professors and teachers for the said college, and generally to do and perform all acts needful and proper for the promotion of the objects of said institution; and shall have a common seal for the transaction of its business, which they may alter at pleasure.