the provisions of the act, entitled "An Act to authorize the erection of a poor house by the township of Jenkins, the borough of Pittston and township of Pittston, in the county of Luzerne," approved the eighth day of May, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, be and the same is hereby extended and made applicable to the borough of Hazleton, township of Hazle and township of Foster, in said county; and that Joseph Greenawalt, of the borough of Hazleton, Ralph Tozer, of the township of Hazle, and Richard Sharp, of the township of Foster, be and they are hereby appointed commissioners and constituted directors, with all the powers and privileges, and subject to the same duties and regulations as are provided for in the act to which this refers, and shall hold office and fulfill the duties of the same until their successors are elected, as therein specified, at the March election next ensuing the date of this act, one for one year from Hazle borough, one for two years from Hazle township, and one for three years from Foster township; and that annually thereafter one person shall be elected for director in the manner specified in the act to which this refers. ELISHA W. DAVIS, Speaker of the House of Representatives. ROBT. M. PALMER, Speaker of the Senate. APPROVED-The first day of May, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and sixty-one. A. G. CURTIN. No. 527. AN ACT To change the boundaries of the borough of Stewartstown, York county. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Represen tatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in General Assembly met, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That the portion of the territory of said borough of Stewartstown which is owned by Israel Gable, Nicholas Richey and Jacob Miller, is hereby annexed and attached to Hopewell township, York county, and made part of said Hopewell township for all purposes whatever; and the lines of said borough are hereby altered so as to exclude and cut off all the lands of said Israel Gable, Nicholas Richey and Jacob Miller from being any part or portion of said borough of Stewartstown. ELISHA W. DAVIS, Speaker of the House of Representatives. ROBT. M. PALMER, Speaker of the Senate. APPROVED-The first day of May, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and sixty-one. A. G. CURTIN. No. 528. AN ACT To incorporate the Lancaster Home Mutual Fire Insurance Company. 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 John Shaeffer, Christian Gast, John D. Skiles, J. B. Swartz- Corporators. welder, Charles A. Heinitsh, David G. Swartz, Anthony Lechler, Christian H. Lefevre, Jacob N. Miller, Doctor John M'Calla, S. S. Rathvon, David Shultz, Colonel D. W. Patterson, Jacob Griel, David Pancoast, Lewis Sprecher, C. Widmyer, John S. Miller, Moses Wenger, Christian Kine and B. B. Martin, and their associates, successors and assigns, are hereby created and constituted a body corporate by the name, style and title of the Lancaster Home Mutual fire insurance company, to be located style. iu Lancaster county, with all the legal powers and incidents of a body politic and corporate in law, and by that name to have perpetual succession, and be able to sue and be sued, plead and Powers. be impleaded, in all courts of record or elsewhere, and to purchase, receive, have, hold and enjoy, to them and their successors, lands, tenements, rents, annuities, franchises and hereditaments, and choses in action, and the same to sell and dispose of from time to time: Provided, That the clear yearly value or Limitation of inincome of the houses, lands, lots and tenements, rents and an- come. nuities, or other hereditaments, and real estate of the said company, and the interest of money loaned by it, shall not exceed three thousand dollars; and also make and have one common seal, and the same to alter and renew at pleasure; and also to Seal. ordain, establish and put in execution such by-laws, ordinances By-laws. and regulations as shall appear necessary and convenient for the government of the company, not being contrary to this charter or the laws of the United States or of this commonwealth, and generally to do and transact all such matters and things as shall to them lawfully appertain to do and transact Board of direc Classification. for the well-being of said company and the due management and well ordering of its affairs. SECTION 2. That the power of this association shall be vested tors, their duties in a board of directors consisting of nine; the first nine per sons named in this act shall constitute the first board of direc tors, with power to organize the corporation, to pass all by-laws, rules and regulations necessary for the good government of the affairs of the company, subject to amendment at the regular meetings of the members of the company, to transact the business of said company with all the power of the company, and to hold their power and authority until their places are supplied by the elections to be made, as their terms respectively expire, as is herein provided; said board is to be divided into three classes, as follows: The first three persons named in this act, shall constitute the first of said classes; the second three shall constitute the second class, and the third three the third class; the seats of the first class shall be vacated at the expiration of one year after the first annual meeting of the members of the company, those of the second class, at the expiration of the second year, and those of the third class at the expiration of the third year, so that after the first annual meeting of the members of the company, one class shall be chosen every year; and if vacancies occur in the board, either by death, resignation, non-attendance, or otherwise, the board may supply such vacancy by appointment, until the next annual meeting, when the members of the company shall fill such vacancy for the unexpired term. Vacancies. Membership. Meetings. Elections. SECTION 3. That all persons who shall insure in said company, and also their heirs, executors, administrators and assigns, con tinuing to be insured in said company, in accordance with the provisions of the by-laws thereof, shall thereby become mem bers during the period they shall remain so insured, and no longer. SECTION 4. That general meetings of the members of this company shall be held annually, at such time in the month of November as shall be determined in the by-laws thereof, and at such place in the city of Lancaster as shall be designated by a majority of the directors present at any regular meeting of the board, and also whenever called by the board of directors, or whenever requested by twenty members; the election of new members of the board, to fill the seats of each class, respectively, as their terms expire, shall take place at said annual meeting, to be held in the month of November of each year, public notice of such election having been duly given; the eleetions, at such annual meetings, shall be by ballot; each member being insured in said company to the amount of five hundred dollars, or less, shall be entitled to one vote, those insured to the amount of one thousand dollars, to two votes, and to one additional vote for every thousand dollars insured above the first thousand; but no amount insured shall entitle any member to more than ten votes; said elections to be conducted by three Judges of elec judges, not being directors, chosen for that purpose, who shall certify, under their hands, the result of said election, and the same shall be filed with the papers of the company; the board of directors, for the time being, shall choose, from among their Votes. tions. own members, one to be president, and shall, from time to time, Officers and as it may be necessary, choose a treasurer, also a secretary, and agents. such other agents and officers as may be deemed necessary, and fix their respective fees and salaries, and require such bonds for the faithful discharge of the duties assigned, as may be thought advisable, or as the interests of the company may require; and shall have full power to suspend, remove or displace any such officer or agent of the company; and shall procure a book or books, wherein shall be fairly and legibly entered all the transactions of said board of directers, which books shall, at all times, be open for the inspection of the members of said company; five members of the board of directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business; three members, Quorum. however, of the board may, at the times appointed for stated meetings of the board, fill vacancies therein, by appointment, in accordance with the by-laws of the company; the president and secretary shall, in conjunction with the treasurer, at the annual Statement of meetings of the members, present to the company a general and affairs. detailed statement of its affairs. SECTION 5. That if it shall happen, at any time, that an elec- Failure to hold tion of directors shall not be made by such annual meeting of election at annual meeting not the members of the company, on any day pursuant to this act to dissolve cor and the by-laws of said company, when it ought to have been poration. made, the corporation shall not, for that cause, be dissolved; but it shall be lawful, on any day, due notice having been given, to hold and have an election of directors, in such manner as may be regulated by the by-laws and ordinances of said company; those directors whose term of office may have expired, without an election to supply their places, may continue to discharge the duties thereof until successors shall have been duly elected. SECTION 6. That the business of this company shall be trans- Mode of transacted on the mutual principle and for the mutual security of the acting business. members; each member or insured party shall be liable to an assessment of his just share of any loss or losses arising from the destruction by fire of any property insured. All property insured by this company shall have the amount insured thereon equalized or adjusted, in accordance with the ratio of insurance adopted in the by-laws, by being multiplied with such figures or numbers as will combine the amount insured with the ratio of insurance; in the case of the least exposed or safest kind of real estate, the multiplier shall be one, and in the case of all more dangerous property than such safest kind, real and personal, the amount insured shall be multiplied by such numbers and decimals of numbers, as compared or proportioned with one for the safest property, as the basis, will express the different degrees of danger, thus making such addition to the insured amount of all property, which is more dangerous than the safest kind, as will equalize or put on the same footing all the members of the company, so that a uniform per centage will apply with justice to all in any one assessment; the share of any loss or losses, and expenses to be assessed against each member, shall be estimated, from this equalized or adjusted amount, according to the per centage required to meet the loss or losses; collections of assessments to raise the funds for meeting the losses or damage, which may be incurred by this company, may be made. Classificatien of Upon what in surances may be made. Exceptions. Limitations. at stated times or whenever deemed necessary, on such equalized or adjusted amount of each insurance; such per centage, as may be determined by the by-laws, shall be paid by the party insuring before he or she receives his or her policy, for the purpose of forming a reserve fund for meeting current losses and expenses in advance of the assessments therefor; the board of directors having apportioned the losses and expenses among the members as above provided, the members shall pay the same to the treasurer of the company, or to such persons as may be duly authorized by him, within thirty days after publication of notice thereof; and in case of neglect or refusal of any member to pay the same as assessed upon him or her as his or her portion of the losses and expenses of the company, his or her policy may be declared void, and the company may sue for and recover said portion assessed, with costs of suit; but no assessment for loss, occasioned by any one fire, shall exceed three and a-half per centum on the equalized or adjusted amount of each insurance; no money shall be drawn from the funds of said company for the purpose of making dividends or dividing profits. SECTION 7. That the board of directors shall, in concurrence property, ratio of with the by-laws, classify the different kinds of property, real insurance, &c. and personal, contemplated to be insured, determine the ratio of insurance between the different classes of property and the sum to be insured in any case; they shall have full power, on behalf of said company, to make insurances against loss by fire on any building or buildings, and on agricultural products, and generally on all kinds of merchandise, goods and effects within the limits of Lancaster county, except books of accounts, bills, bonds, ready money, jewelry, plate, paintings, engravings, powder and powder mills, distilleries, and cotton and woollen manufactories; but this company shall have no power to insure a larger amount of property, in any one square in any city, borough or town, than to the amount of one hundred and twenty thousand dol lars in any one square or block comprised between four streets, nor more than to the amount of thirty thousand dollars, in the aggregate, on property on any one side of a square; and no one risk, nor several combined in one building, shall exceed five thousand dollars; nor shall any property, real or personal, be insured by this company for more than two-thirds of its value, as estimated by the board of directors or their agent or agents; every contract of insurance or policy to be made by the said company, shall be signed by the president, and attested and signed by the secretary: Provided however, That the board of directors may authorize a president of the board pro tempore, and also a secretary pro tempore, to sign policies in case of sickness or other inability to sign them by the regular incumbents. SECTION 8. That the board of directors of this company, if tors may borrow necessity shall require, shall have power at any time to borrow any sum of money not exceeding ten thousand dollars in the aggregate, including all former sums borrowed and remaining unpaid, to be appropriated to and expended in the payment for loss or damage sustained by fire by the company; and it shall be lawful for said company to loan such portion of their money on hand as may not soon be wanted for the purposes of said company, to be secured by mortgage or judgment creating a Contracts and policies to be signed. Proviso. Board of direc money. Empowered to loan money. |