The inhabitants of the City of Shinnston, Harrison County, West Virginia, within the corporate limits thereof as now established or as may hereafter be established in the manner provided by law, shall be and continue in perpetuity to be a municipal body politic and corporate, under the name of the “City of Shinnston,” with all the powers of self-government granted by the constitution and laws of the state.
The City of Shinnston, as successor in interest of the present municipal corporation of the same name, shall succeed to, own, possess and enjoy all the property and all the rights, titles and interest of every kind and nature vested in or belonging to such municipal corporation at the time this Charter becomes effective, shall be subject to all existing liabilities, shall be bound by and through the appropriate agency shall pay all existing debts, and shall faithfully perform all present duties and discharge all present obligations of such corporation.
The territory embraced within said City shall be divided into four wards as now established, or as may hereafter be established, and the Council of said City may change the boundaries of said wards, or create additional ones, as may appear to said Council to be proper or necessary; but no change shall be made in the boundaries of said wards, or any new ward created, less than sixty days before the holding of a general election for said City.