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CORPORATIONS.
Corporations were generally formed under special acts until the adoption of the Constitution of
1846, which directed that general laws should be passed for this purpose, and forbade special legis¬
lation, except for municipal purposes and in cases where the purpose to be attained could not other¬
wise be effected. The Legislature has power to alter and repeal the powers of any corporation
formed under the general laws. The articles of association or declaration of intention must in all
cases be filed in some office of record specified in the general acts; and limitations of time, capital,
and location must be specified. The stockholders of the more important classes of corporations
are personally liable to an extent equal to the amount of stock owned. Under the present Con¬
stitution, general acts of incorporation have been passed for a variety of purposes, ajl of which
belong to one of 4 general classes.1
Class I. includes those whose articles are filed in the office of the Secretary of State.
1. “An Act to provide for the Incorporation of Companies to construct PlanK Roads and
Turnpiltes.”2
2. “ An Act to authorize the formation of Companies for Mining-., Meclianical, and
Chemical Purposes’5 was passed Feb. 8, 1848.3
3. “ An Act to authorize the formation of Gas light Companies” was passed Feb. 16,1848.*
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1 Constitution, Art. VIII, Revised Statutes. Previous to 1846,
general laws existed for tlie organization of religious societies,
(1784;) colleges and academies, (17S7;) public libraries, (1796;)
medical societies, (1806;) manufacturing companies, (1811;)
banks, (1838:) and agricultural societies, (1819, 1841.) |
2 Several hundred of these corporations were formed and
several thousand miles of plank road built in 1848-52. It is
probable that less than 5 per cent, of these are now in use,
having mostly been abandoned and divided into road districts
as public highways. The companies were required to report,
but generally neglected to do so; and few general statistics are
preserved concerning them.
3 These companies, though quite numerous, were not required
to report; and statistics concerning them cannot be obtained.
Many companies that filed their articles never went into
operation. |
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* Gas Light Companies.
A * indicates companies not in operation. |
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Names of Companies. . |
Date of Organization. |
Original Capital. |
Present Capital. |
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Albany Gas Light Consumers’ Co.*.......................................... |
Feb. |
18,1856 |
$75,000 |
$75,000 |
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Albion Gas Light Co.*............................................................ |
March 13,1856 |
20,000 |
20,000 |
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Albion Gas Light Co............................................................... |
May |
13, 1858 |
30,000 |
30,000 |
|
Astoria Gas Co....................................................................... |
Dec. |
1,1853 |
20,000 |
20,000 |
|
Auburn Gas Light Co.............................................................. |
Jan. |
29, 1850 |
20,000
32,000 |
50,000 |
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Batavia Gas Light Co.............................................................. |
dune |
11,1855 |
32,000 |
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Binghamton Gas Light Co........................................................
Brockport Gas Light Co..............................................•........ |
June
Jan. |
25,1853
17, 1859 |
• 50,000 |
50,000 |
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Brooklyn Gas Co.*..............................:..................... |
Oct. |
21,1848 |
200.000 |
200,000 |
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Brooklyn Consolidated Gas Light Co......................................... |
Oct. |
24,1856 |
500,000 |
600,000 |
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Buffalo City Gas Light Co........................................................ |
March 12, 1853 |
150,000 |
150,000 |
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Buffalo Gas Light Co............................................................... |
Feb. |
29,1848 |
150,000 |
750,000 |
|
Canandaigua Gas Light Co....................................................... |
Aug. |
3,1853 |
50.000
40.000 |
50.000
40.000 |
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Catskill Gas Light Co.............................................................. |
July |
13,1855 |
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Citizens’-Gas Light Co. Brooklyn............................................. |
Oct. |
26, 1858 |
1,000,000 |
1,000,000 |
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Citizens’ Gas Light Co. of the City of Rochester.........................
Citizens’ Independent Gas Co.................................................. |
Jan.
June |
22, 1852
13. 1859 |
50,000 |
50,000 |
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Cohoes Gas Light Co............................................................... |
Sept. |
13,1852 |
50,000 |
50.000 |
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Elmira Gas Light Co............................................................... |
May |
8,1852 |
50,000 |
50,000 |
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Fishkill Gas Light Co.............................................................. |
July |
20, 1858 |
15,000 |
15,000 |
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Flushing Gas Light Co............................................................ |
July |
18,1855 |
40,000 |
61.000 |
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Fulton Gas Light Co............................................................... |
June |
12,1858 |
12,000 |
12.000 |
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Gas Light Co. of Syracuse......,................................................ |
Feb. |
9,1849 |
100,000 |
100,000 |
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Geneva Gas Light Co.............................................................. |
Nov. |
24,1852 |
75,000 |
75,000 |
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Glens Falls Gas Light Co......................................................... |
June |
17,1854 |
35,000 |
35,000 |
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Green Point Gas Light Co........................................................ |
Nov. |
29,1853 |
100,000 |
40,000 |
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Harlem Gas Light Co.............................-............................... |
Feb. |
5,1855
18,1857
9, 1859 |
120.000 |
350,000 |
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Hempstead Gas Light Co.........................................................
Hempstead Gas Light Co.......*................................................ |
April
April |
15,000 |
15,000
• |
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Hudson Gas Co.............................-........................................ |
Feb. |
23, 1853 |
50,000 |
50,000 |
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Hudson Gas Light Co.*........................................................... |
May |
22, 1852 |
50.000 |
50,000 |
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Ithaca Gas Light Co............................................................ |
Oct. |
28,1852 |
75,000 |
75,000 . |
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Jamaica Gas Light Co............—-------------—........................... |
June |
2,1856 |
30,000 |
20,000 |
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Johnstown Gas Light Co.......................i.,.............................. |
March |
16, 1857 |
18,000 |
18,000 |
|
|
Feb. |
28,1853 |
100,000 |
100,000 |
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Lockport Gas Light Co..........................—-— |
March 17,1851 |
17,000 |
•40,000 |
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Lyons Gas Light Co.............................................................. |
Jan. |
25, 1859 |
500,000 |
400.000 |
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Manhattan Gas Light Co.......................................................• |
Feb. |
26,1830 |
500,000 |
2.000,000 |
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Metropolitan Gas Light Co............................................. |
April |
17,1855 |
2.500,000 |
2,500,000 |
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Morrisania Gas Light Co....................................................... |
Oct. |
28,1852 |
200,000 |
200.000 |
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Newburgh Gas Light Co......................................................*. |
May |
17, 1852 |
60.000 |
70,000 |
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New York Gas Light Co........................................................ |
March 26, 1823 |
500,000 |
500,000 |
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New York Mutual Saving Gas Light Co.*................................. |
Sept. |
20,1852 |
1,500,000 |
1,500.000 |
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Ogdensburgh Gas Co............................................................... |
Aug. |
23, 1854 |
75.000 . |
75.000 |
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Ogdensburgh Gas Light Co..................................................... |
Juno |
15, 1853 |
100,000
75,000 |
100 000 |
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Ogdensburgh Gas Light & Coke Co......................................... |
June |
11,1854 |
75,000 |
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Oswego Gas Light Co............................................................ |
Aprii |
22,1852 |
65,000 |
(5.000 |
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Owego Gas Light Co............................................................... |
March 24, 1856 |
40,000 |
40,000 |
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