A Bill for an act to incorporate the Wabash ^& Indiana^ Rail Road Company

Sec 1 Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois represented in the General assembly, That all such persons as shall become stockholders agreeably to the provisions of this act, in the corporation hereby created shall be, and for the Term of Sixty years from & after the passage of this act, shall continue to be a body Corporate and politic by the name of the Wabash ^& Indiana^ Rail Road Company, and by that name, shall have succession for the term of years above specified may sue & be sued [defend] & [be] defended in any Court of law or equity, may make and use a common seal, may make bye Laws and regulations for the management of its property, the regulations of its affairs, and for the Transfer of its stock, not inconsistent with the Constitution of the United States & of this States and the laws thereof; and may moreover appoint such subordinate agents, officers & servants, as the business of the said Corporation may require, and allow to them a suitable compensation prescribe their duties, and require bond for the faithful performance thereof, in such penal sums, and with such [sureties?] as they may choose who shall hold their offices during the pleasure of a majority of the Directors of the said Corporation.

2 The said Corporation shall have the right to construct and during its continuance to maintain and continue a rail Road with a single or double track and with such appendages as may be deemed necessary for the convenient use of the same from the Eastern boundary line of this state, at such point as may be selected, to such point at or near the Town of Chicago as shall be determined after a survey shall have been made of the route not interferring with other routes heretofore given to be the most eligible and proper therefor

3. The Capital stock of the said Company shall be, One Million of Dollars, which shall be deemed personal property, and shall be divided into shares of One hund[red] Dollars each

4 Francis C Sherman[,] Hiram Pearsons, Edmund D Taylor, Charles V. Dyer, and L D Boone shall be commissioners for receiving subscriptions to the Capital Stock of said Corporation who shall give notice of the time & place of the opening of the books for subscription to said stock and shall direct the manner in which the same shall be takena majority of said Commissioners shall be sufficient to make [a] quorum of the Board for such purpose.

5.

The affairs of said Corporation shall be managed by a board of seven Directors to be annually chosen by the stock holders from among themselves, as soon as may be after the stock has been subscribed of which due notice shall1 be given The Commissioners or a majority shall attend for such purpose & shall certify the persons elected which certificate shall be sufficient evidence of their election. All future elections shall be held at the time & in the manner prescribed at the time & place by the bye Laws of said Corporation, each stock holder shall be allowed as many votes as he owns shares at time of such election The said Directors shall hold their offices for one year after their election and shall elect elect One of their number President of said board.

6 The said corporation shall have the right to construct said road and shall have power to regulate the time, & manner in which goods, effects & passengers, shall be transported on the same, and the manner, in which the same shall be used, by what force the Carriages to be used thereon, may be propelled, and the rates of toll on the transportation of persons, or property thereon; and shall have power to erect & main-tain houses, toll gates, and other buildings, for the accommodation and management of the said Road and transport thereon

7 In case the corporation shall not be able to acquire the title to Land through which said Road shall be laid by purchase or voluntary cession it shall be lawful for said Corporation

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to appropriate so much ^of said^ lands as may be necessary for its own use for the purposes contemplated by this act, [by?] three commissioners to be appointed by the Circuit Court of the County in which such Lands may in valuing such lands & the damages, the owners thereof may sustain by such appropriation thereof and paying to the owner the amount thereof, said Commissioners shall be sworn faithfully to appraise the value of the same and on the payment of such value the lands shall vest in fee simple in said corporation.

8. It shall be lawful for the said Rail Road, or any other rail Road Company heretofore incorporated in this state to take & hold by voluntary grant, gift sale, or cession, devise or conveyance any Lands which may lie in this State, and the same to dispose of & reconvey for the purpose of aiding such Company in constructing & expediting the making of such rail Road.

9. Said Corporation are authorised to construct the said Rail Road across any water course, road or other public Highway, and shall be bound to repair all public Highways and water Courses which may be injured in constructing the said rail Road, and shall restore them as far as practicable to as good a condition as they were before they were injured

This act shall be deemed and taken as a public act and shall be construed beneficially for all purposes herein specified.