Chapter LXVII. *for a Charter of Masonic Hall Association, in Washington City, District of Columbia.* April 26, 1864. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, * That B
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Chap. LXVII.— An Act *for a Charter of Masonic Hall Association, in Washington City, District of Columbia.* April 26, 1864. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, * That B. B. French, of theMasonic Hall Association incorporated. Grand Encampment of the United States of America; Robert McMurdy, of the General Grand Royal Arch Chapter of the United States; George C. Whiting, of the Grand Consistory; E. L.
Stevens, of Osiris Lodge of Perfection, No. 1; Z. D. Gilman, of Washington Commandery, No. 1; W. P. Partello, of Columbia Commandery; W. M. Smith, of Columbia Royal Arch Chapter, No. 15; W. G. Parkhurst, of Washington Royal Arch Chapter, No. 16; James Steelle, of Mount Vernon Royal Arch Chapter, No. 20; C. F. Stansbury, of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia; Joseph Nairn, of Federal Lodge, No. 1; N. Acker, of Lebanon Lodge, No. 7; E. Kloman, of New Jerusalem Lodge, No. 9;
J. M. Turton, of Hiram Lodge, No. 10; T. J. Fisher, of Saint John’s Lodge, No. 11; L. Gassenheimer, of National Lodge, No. 12; J. Van Riswick, of Washington Centennial Lodge, No. 14; J. C. McGuire, of B. B. French Lodge, No. 15; F. L. Harvey, of Dawson Lodge, No. 16; J. W. Di Gray, of Harmony Lodge, No, 17; J. M. Hanson, of Acacia THIRTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS. Sess. I. Ch. 67. 1864.56Lodge, No. 18; N. D. Larner, of Lafayette Lodge, No. 19, of the order of free and accepted masons, of the District of Columbia, and their successors to be appointed in the manner hereinafter declared, representing the several masonic bodies before named, be, and they are hereby, incorporated Powers of corporation.and made a body politic and corporate, by the name of the Masonic Hall Association of the District of Columbia, and by that name may sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, in any court of law or equity, of competent jurisdiction, and may have and use a common seal, and the same change at pleasure, and be entitled to use and exercise all the powers, rights, and privileges incident to such corporation.
Sec. 2. Limit to amount of land. *And be it further enacted,* That the said corporation shall be capable of taking and holding real and personal estate, which estate, personal and real, shall never be divided among the members of the said corporation, but shall descend to their successors, duly elected and appointed in the manner hereinafter declared by the bodies they represent, for the pro-motion of the principles of the said corporation, and the benevolent purposes of the order of free and accepted masons, which they represent: *Provided, *That said corporation shall take and hold no more land than is necessary for a site on which to erect a masonic hall, suitable and convenient for the transaction of the business of the association and the promotion of the principles and purposes aforesaid.
But this provision shall not prevent Rooms, &c., may be rented.the said corporation from constructing suitable rooms and offices in connection with the said hall, to rent, and renting the same, and receiving rent therefor, to be applied to the promotion of the principles and purposes aforesaid. Sec. 3. Capital stock; number of shares, &c. *And be it further enacted,* That the capital stock of said corporation shall not exceed the sum of three hundred thousand dollars, and that the stock shall be divided into shares of twenty dollars each; and shall be deemed personal property, transferable in such manner as the constitution and by-laws of said corporation may direct.
Sec. 4. Books of subscription to capital stock to be opened. *And be it further enacted,* That within twenty days after the passage of this act the corporators named in the first, section, or a majority of them, or if any refuse or neglect to act, then a majority of the remainder, shall cause books of subscription to the capital stock of the said corporation to be opened and kept open in such place and for a period to be fixed by said corporators, or a majority of them, public notice of which may be given by advertisement or otherwise as said corporators or a majority of them may determine; and subscribers upon said books to the Who to be stockholders.capital stock of the corporation shall be held to be stockholders: *Provided, *That every subscriber shall pay, at the time of subscribing, such per centum of the amount by him subscribed to the treasurer elected or appointed by the corporators, or a majority of them, as may be required by said corporators or a majority of them, or his subscription shall be null and void.
And when the books of subscription to the capital stock of said corporation shall be closed, the corporators named in the first section, or a majority of them, and in case any of them refuse or neglect to act, then a majority of the remainder, shall, within twenty days thereafter, call the First meeting, how called.first meeting of the stockholders of said corporation, to meet within ten days thereafter, for the choice of directors, of which public notice shall be given for three days in two public-newspapers published daily in Washington city, or by written personal notice served on each stockholder, by the secretary or clerk of the corporation.
And in all meetings of the Votes.stockholders each share shall entitle the holder to one vote, to be given in person or by proxy. Sec. 5. Directors. *And be it further enacted,* That the government and direction of the a [Fairs of the corporators shall be invested in a board of directors, five in number, elected by the stockholders on the first Monday of December in each year from among the corporators named in the first section of this act, and their successors, elected or appointed in the manner herein-THIRTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS.
Sess. I. Ch. 67, 68. 1864.57after declared by the masonic bodies they represent, who shall hold their office for one year and until others are duly elected and qualified to take their places as directors; and the said directors shall elect one of their number to be president of the board, who shall also be president of thePresident, secretary, and treasurer. corporation, and shall elect a secretary from among their own number, or from the corporators aforesaid, who shall also be secretary of the corporation, and they shall also choose a treasurer, who shall give bonds with surety to said corporation, in such sum as the said directors may require, for the faithful discharge of his trust.
A majority of the directors shall form a quorum for the transaction of business, and in case of a vacancy inQuorum. the board of directors by the death, resignation, or otherwise, of any director, the vacancy occasioned thereby shall be filled by the remainingVacancies. directors from among the corporators named in the first section of this act, or their successors duly elected or appointed in the manner hereinafter declared by the masonic bodies they represent. Sec. 6. *And be it further enacted,* That the directors shall have full power to make and prescribe such by-laws, rules, and regulations as theyBy-laws. shall deem needful and proper for the disposition and management of the stock, property, estate, and effects of the corporation, not contrary to the charter or to the laws of the United States and the ordinances of Washington city, and shall have power to alter or amend the same as the interests of the corporation, in their opinion, may require.
And the said directors shall Lave power to regulate the payment of interest upon theInterest dividends, &c. certificates of stock held by the stockholders, or *to* the dividends that may accrue, and shall have power to provide for the redemption of the stock held by individuals, upon fair and equitable terms. Sec. 7. *And be it further enacted,* That each masonic body or organization,Corporation to consist of one corporator from certain masonic bodies. named in the first section of this act, shall be entitled, during the mouth of November, eighteen hundred and sixty-four, and annually thereafter, to meet and select, by ballot, one of its members as a successor to the person then, or last, representing it as member of this corporation, whose annual term expires next thereafter, or which may have expired next before that time, so that said corporation shall forever consist of one corporator from each of the said masonic bodies, named in the first section of this act: *Provided, however,* That should any of the said severalProviso. masonic bodies, named in the first section of this act, surrender or forfeit its masonic charter or warrant, or from any cause cease to be recognized by the order of free and accepted masons, it shall not thereafter be entitled to any representation in said corporation, nor shall the continued corporate existence and rights of this association be in anywise affected thereby, so long as there remain five corporators qualified to act as such.
Sec. 8. *And be it further enacted,* That any masonic lodge, chapter,New masonic bodies, how admitted. council, commandery, or consistory now in existence or that may hereafter be instituted in the District of Columbia, may, by and with the con-sent of two thirds of the corporators named in the first section, or their successors, be admitted to a representation in said corporation upon an equal footing with the several masonic bodies named in the first section of this act. Sec. 9. *And be it further enacted,* That this act may be altered, amended,Act may be amended, repealed, &c. or repealed, at the pleasure of the congress of the United States of America.
Approved, April 26, 1864. Chapter LXVIII: to authorize the Issuing of a Register to the Steam Vessel “John Martin.” 13 Stat. 57 1864-04-26 Chapter LXVIII Little, Brown and Company text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. Digitization Vendor 2026-01-27 38 2 public
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Chapter LXVII
*for a Charter of Masonic Hall Association, in Washington City, District of Columbia.* April 26, 1864. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, * That B
Stat.13 Stat. 57
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