The Ferguson Act, formally titled "An Act Relating to Cities of the First Class Having a Population Exceeding 150,000 Inhabitants," was made law May 4, 1869.  The bill was conceived by Edward A. Ferguson as a means of circumventing a provision in the Ohio Constitution of 1851 that prohibited counties, cities and towns from becoming owners in any joint stock company.  It was built on the idea that while the city could not loan money to a private company to build its railroad, there was nothing in the Constitution that prevented the city from building its own road.

*The Ferguson Act as printed below is the original text of the legislation. The bill has been amended and expanded over time.

An Act Relating To Cities Of The First Class Having A Population Exceeding One Hundred And Fifty Thousand Inhabitants.'

(8307) Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, That whenever, in any city of the first class having a population exceeding one hundred and fifty thousand inhabitants, the city council thereof shall, by a resolution passed by a majority of the members elected thereto, declare it to be essential to the interest of such city that a line of railway, to be named in said resolution, should be provided between termini designated therein, one of which shall be such city, it shall be lawful for a board of trustees, appointed as herein provided, and they are hereby authorized to borrow, as a fund for that purpose, not to exceed the sum of ten millions of dollars, and to issue bonds therefor in the name of said city, under the corporate seal thereof, bearing interest at a rate not to exceed seven and three-tenths per centum per annum, payable at such times and places, and in such sums, as shall be deemed best by said board. Said bonds shall be signed by the president of said board, and attested by the city auditor, who shall keep a register of the same, and shall be secured by a mortgage on the line of railway and its net income, and by the pledge of the faith of the city, and a tax, which it shall be the duty of the council thereof annually to levy, sufficient, with said net income, to pay the interest and provide a sinking fund for the final redemption of said bonds ; provided that no money shall be borrowed on bonds issued until after the question of providing the line of railway specified in the resolution shall be submitted to a vote of the qualified electors of said city, at a specified election to be ordered by the city council thereof, of which not less than twenty days notice shall be given in the daily papers of the city; and further provided, that a majority of said electors, voting at such election, shall decide in favor of said line of railway. The returns of said election shall be made to the city clerk, and be by him laid before the city council, who shall declare the result by a resolution. The bonds issued under the authority of this section shall not be sold or disposed of for less than their par value.

(8308) Sec. 2. If a majority of the votes cast at said election shall be in favor of providing the line of railway as specified in the first section, it shall be the duty of the solicitor forthwith to file a petition in the superior court of said city, or, if there be no superior court, then in the court of common pleas of the county in which said city is situate, praying that the judges thereof will appoint five trustees, to be called the trustees of railway (the blank to be filled with the name given to the railway in the resolution); and it shall be the duty of said judges to make the appointment, and to enter the same on the minutes of the court. They shall enter into bond to the city in such sum as the court may direct, with one or more sufficient sureties, to be appointed (approved) by the court, conditioned for the faithful discharge of their duties. The bond so taken shall be deposited with the treasurer of the corporation for safekeeping.

(8309) Sec. 3. The said trustees and their successors shall be the trustees of the said fund, and shall have the control and disbursement of the same. They shall expend said fund in procuring the right to construct, and in constructing a single or double track railway, with all the usual appendages, including a line of telegraph between the termini specified in the said resolution ; and for the purposes aforesaid shall have power and capacity to make contracts, appoint, employ and pay officers and agents, and to acquire, hold and possess all the necessary real and personal property and franchises, either in this state or in any other state into which said line of railway may extend. They shall also have power to receive donations of land, money, bonds and other personal property, and to dispose of the same in aid of said fund.

(8310) Sec. 4. The said trustees shall form a board, and shall choose one of their number president, who shall also be the acting trustee, with such power as the board may by resolution from time to time confer upon him. A majority of said trustees shall constitute a quorum, and shall hold regular meetings for the transaction of business, at their office in the city under whose action they are appointed, but they may adjourn from time to time to meet at any time and place they may think proper. They shall keep a record of their proceedings, and they shall cause to be kept a full and accurate account of their receipts and disbursements, and make a report of the same to the city auditor annually, and whenever requested by a resolution of the city council. No money shall be drawn from said fund but upon the order of said board, except their own compensation, which shall be paid out of the same upon the allowance of the court appointing them, and shall be proportioned according to their respective services.

(8311) Sec. 5. Said trustees shall have power to take such security from any officer, agent or contractor, chosen, appointed or employed by them, as they shall deem advisable. They shall not become surety for any such officer, agent or contractor, or be interested directly or indirectly in any contract concerning said railway. They shall be responsible only for their own acts.

(8312) Sec. 6. Whenever the city solicitor of any city under whose action a board of trustees has been appointed as herein provided, shall have reason to believe that any one of said trustees has failed in the faithful performance of his trust, it shall be his duty to apply to the court that appointed said trustee, by petition, praying that such trustee be removed, and another appointed in his place; and when a vacancy shall occur in said board from any other cause, it shall be filled in like manner. If the said city solicitor shall fail to make application in either of the foregoing cases, after request of any holder of the bonds issued by said trustees or by a taxpayer of the corporation, such bondholder or taxpayer may file a petition in his own name on behalf of the holders of such bonds for like relief, in any court having jurisdiction, and if the court hearing the action shall adjudge in favor of the plaintiff, he shall be allowed as part of his costs, a reasonable compensation to his attorney.

(8313) Sec. 7. Whenever in the construction of a line of railway as herein provided, it shall be necessary to appropriate land for the foundation of the abutments or piers of any bridge across any stream within or bordering upon this state, or for any other purpose, or to appropriate any rights or franchises, proceedings shall be commenced and conducted in accordance with the act entitled " An act to provide for compensation to the owners of private property appropriated to the use of corporations," passed April 3, 1852, and the acts supplementary thereto, except that the oath and verdict of the jury and the judgment of the court shall be so varied as to suit the case.

(8314) Sec. 8. Whenever there shall be between the termini designated in any resolution passed under this act, a railroad already partially constructed, or rights of way acquired therefor, which can be adopted as part of the line provided for in said resolution, the trustees of said line may purchase the said railroad and right of way and pay for the same out of the trust fund.

Sec. 9. The said trustees shall have power, as fast as portions of the line for which they are trustees are completed, to rent or lease- the right to use and operate such portions upon such terms as they may deem best; but such rights shall cease and determine on the final completion of the whole line, when the right to use and operate the same shall be leased by them to such person or company, as will conform to the terms and conditions which shall be fixed and provided by the council of the city by which the line of railroad is owned.

(8815) Sec. 10. The city council of any city passing a resolution as provided in the first section, may appropriate and pay to the said trustees, out of the general fund of said city, such sum as may be necessary for defraying the expenses of the election, and said sum shall be repaid out of said trust fund when raised.

Sec. 11. This act shall take effect on its passage.