Newspaper Page Text
THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF
SEATTLE.—Continued.
for the making of which are directly or in
directly to be derived, in whole or in part,
■_ — iron; the assessments upon ■ the property
benefited thereby, and such Improvements
as the city council shall by ordinance pre
scribe shall be made by contract, to be let
to the lowest bidder therefor, under the
management of the board of public works.
It '■.hall be made a condition of every such
contract that it shall not be sublet unless
for the furnishing of material; provided,
however that the city council may, by a
two-thirds vote by ordinance provide other
wise as to any particular contract.
Sec. 11. Subdivision 1. Whenever the
public interest or convenience may require,
the city council is hereby authorized and
empowered to order the whole or any part
of-the streets, lanes, alleys, squares or places
of the city graded or regraded to the official
grade, planked or replanked, paved or re
paved, macadamized ■ or remaeadamiz3d,
graveled or regraveled. piled or replied,
capped or recapped; and to order side
walks, fjewers, manholes, culverts, cunn
ing and (crosswalks to be constructed or re
paired therein, and to order any or all work
to be done which shall be necessary to
complete the whole or any portion of the
s^pks, sidewalks, lanes, squares, alleys
for places, and the city council may levy
and collect an assessment upon all lots or
parcels of land benefited by such improve
ments to defray the cost and expense there
of, which assessment shall become a lien
fc. upon all property liable therefor prior and
BaL superior to all other liens and encum
vJßy ranees.
~ HkSubdivislon 2. The city council shall, by
igJKieral ordinance, provide the manner in
** ' * mh the aforesaid improvements may be
• « Bh and Prescribe all needful regulations
& '-'^:9B e exercise by the city of the power
§ ' ■fed and contained in the forego.ng sub
\ ■ ■pion of this section; provided, that in
¥<HF cases in which the cost of such improve
■sssfnents is to be defrayed by the collection of
a special assessment upon the property
benefited, the following proceedings shall
be taken, viz: There must be presented to
the board of public works a written peti
tion setting forth the street or streets, alley
or alleys, squares, or places, or parts there
of, to be improved, the nature of the im
provement, the mode of payment and the
fact that the signers are owners of prop
erty to be benefited to the aggregate
amount of a majority of the Assessment to
be levied for such improvement, according
to the transfer books in the office of the
county auditor. If any such property
stands in the name of a deceased person,
or any person for whem a guardian has
been appointed, the signature of the exe^
cutor or administrator or guardian, as the
case may be, shall be equivalent to the sig
nature of the owner of such property on
such petition.
If the board of public works find the facts
set forth in said petition to be true, they
shall cause an estimate of the cost of such
improvement to be made and transmit the
petition, together with all papers and in
formation in their possession touching such
rtUMten|g££ment, with the estimated cost
'■'t . -^J-.'JHE^' and their -eeominendation there
' ' HL-c »;:ty council; provided, that no
£2 ■-*-■ .'HfitiAll be changed when any abutting
|p ",i~V/, -By'x ~ owners have built or made im
"■ .*'*■" Htifcm* -on any street, highway or
dj" £"-"?-Biunless such petition shall be signed
V-- owners ot a majority of the front-
Mjlflßßl the street, highway or alley within
thtPHltrict to be affected. The city cofin
cil shail have full authority to consider all
matters In relation to such proposed im
provement, and may authorize or refuse
the same In their discretion; provided, that
the city council or board of public Works
shall not have authority to further pro
ceed In the matter of such improvement
whenever the estimated or actual cost of
any work, or improvement contemplated,
or ordered to be done by the city council
and chargeable as a lien, under the provi
sions of this article, against any lot or lots,
parcel or parcels of land, shall exceed one
quarter of the total assessed valuation of
the lots or parcels of land contained in
such assessment Jifitrict. as the same ap
pears upon the last annual assessment toll
made for the levying of taxes for munic
ipal purposes, in which case such improve
ment shall not be granted unless the same
be so modified that the cost thereof will not
exceed such one-quarter of the aforesaid
valuation.
The action and decision of the city coun
cil as to all matters passed upon by it in
relation to the rejection or the granting of
I such petition shall be final and conclusive.;
The city council may order the whole cr
any part of the streets, lanes, alleys,
squares or public places of the city to be
graded, sidewalked, residewalked, planked,
leplanked, paved cr repaved, or may order
any sewer with manholes, catch-basins and
other proper connections, to be constructed
or repaired therein, and may provide for
defraying the cost of any such improve
ment by the collection of a special assess
ment upon the property benefited in the
manner provided" in this section, without
the presentation of any petition, either to
the board of public works, or to the city
council; provided, that unless a petition as
bere'i!befsre-s?sscribe4-bg-4)resentpj, such
Improvement shall not be ordered except
by ordinance passed by the affirmative vote
of two-thirds of all the members of the
city council, at a regular meeting, or at a
meeting which is an adjournment of a reg i
lar meeting; provided, no street shall be
ordered graded without petition, except by
a unanimous vote of all members present,
and provided that main or intercepting
sewers may be ordered built along such
streets, lanes, alleys, places or highways,
or across such lands as may be in har
mony with the general plan of sewerage
adopted by the city, either upon presenta
tion of a like petition therefor by property,
owners to be benefited thereby, as above
provided for other cases, or when the im
provement may be ordered by the affirma
tive vote of two-thirds of all the members
of the city council at a regular meeting or
adjournment thereof; provided, that
in such case there shall be levied against
the property, within the assessment dis
trict to be created therefor, in like manner
us above provided for other improvements,
such proportion of the cost of said main
or intercepting sewer as would be the rea
sonable cost of a sewer with its proper man
holes, ventilators, catch-basins, flushing j
tanks, openings and wyes suitable to the i
necessities of the area or district to be as- j
sessed for the same, and the remaining- J
portion of the cost of such main or inter
cepting sewer shall be paid from the sewer
fund. The amount to be borne by the dis
trict and the amount to be paid from the
s*wer fund, shall be determined by ordin
ance in each case when the improvement is
ordered and such determination shall be
final and conclusive. j
Subdivision 3. Said general ordinance <
shall also provide for the establishment of
a local improvement district to be called ]
local improvement district No. , which j
shall include all the property between the |
termini of said improvement abutting upon, I
adjacent or proximate to the 3treet, alley, j
place, or square, proposed to be improved, i
to a distance back from the marginal line j
thereof of one hundred and twenty feet, !
.ami all property Included within said limits
of such local improvement district shall be I
considered and held to have a frontage
upon such Improvement, and shall oe the
property benefited by su: h local improve- '
ment. and shall be the property assessed to
pay the cost thereof, which cost shall be
assessed upon all of said property so bene
fited in proportion to the frontage thereof
upon such improvement, one foot of front
age or the equivalent thereof, viz: one |
hundred and twenty square feet of super
ficial area to be taken, as the unit by which
to determine the amount of frontage lor
which each of said lots, parcels or parts
thereof benefited as aforesaid shall be as
sessed aa aforesaid; provided, that in case
of rectangular blocks abutting upon the
street, alley, place or square proposed to
be improved and having a depth back there
from of less than two hundred and forty
feet, and not less than two hundred feet.
the line of the assessment district shall ex
tend only to the center of said block or
Blocks- "and provided further that in case
of rectangular blocks abutting upon any
such street, alley, place or square and hav
ing a depth back therefrom of less than
two hundred feet, the line of the assess
ment district shall extend one hundred feet
from the margin of such street, alley,
place or square. A rectangular block is
hereby aefined to be a block which has a
front and rear line parallel with the mar
gin of the street, alley, place or square
proposed to be improved. The frontage of
each lot or parcel of land in the assess
ment d'strict shall be computed and charged
but once, regardless of any angle or change
of direction in the line of the improvement.
Said assessment district shall, for the pur
pose of said assessment, be divided into
four subdivisions parallel to the marginal
line of the street, alley, place or square
proposed to be improved, each of which sub
divisions shall have a width on each side of
the improvement equal to one-fourth of the
distance from the marginal line of such
street, alley, place or square to the back
l'ne of the assessment district, to be num
bered respectively the first, second, third
and fourth suf#vis'.ons, beginning with the
one nearest to tne said marginal line of said
street, alley, place or square. Bach front
foot or its equivalent area in the first suo
division nearest to the improvement shall
be assessed forty per cent, of the total
amount to be assessed against each front
foot or Its equivalent; each front foot or its
equivalent area in the second subdivision
shall be assessed twenty-five per cent, of
the : total amount to be assessed against
each front foot or its equivalent; each
front foot or its equivalent area in the
Ith'rd subdivision shall be assessed twenty
per cent. \v Uie total amount to be assessed
against *ach J front foot or its equivalent,
/and each front foot or its equivalent rrea
in the fourth subdivision shall be assess*-!
j fifteen per cent, of the total amount to De
--^ assessed against - *ach front foot or its
equivalent. . -.. - . '
AH assessments levied upon 1m of the
United States, ttate of Washington «t«ue
university, county of King-, th« • C'tyjor »e
--attle, or any school district •billOf.^**
iU city of jfeattte rat of it*.S****** f*n. a;, \
THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF
SEATTLE.—Continued.
£ Sec. 12. There shall be two modes of
making payment for such local improve
ment, to-w:t: "Immediate payment" and
"payment by bonds." The mode to be
adopted shall be the mode petitiond for.
The mode of "immediate payment" shall be
as follows: After the city council lias by
ordinance or resolution ordered or author
ized the making of any local improvement,
and not more than twenty days after the
contract therefor has been let, as herein
after provided, the board of public works
shall report to the council an assessment
roll prepared by the city engineer, which
shall contain the description of each lot,
parcel of land or part thereof to be as
sessed, with the number of feet frontage
i charged to each, the total frontage in the
! district (frontage to be determined as pro
vided in section 11 of this article), the total
cost of the improvement, including all nec
essary incidental expenses, the rate per
front foot, the amouat of each assessment
and the name of the owner of each lot. par
cel of land or part thereof if known, but in
no case shall a mistake in tha name of the
owner be fatal where a description of the
property is given, togetner with the amount
charged to street crossings.
The council on receipt of such roll and
assessment shall cause a notice tnereof to
be published in the official newspaper of the
city for ten consecutive issues, notifying
all persons interested that such roll has
been filed and requiring them to appear at
a time fixed, not less than fifteen days
from the date of such notice, aid make ob
jection thereto. The council shall at the
time fixed consider any and all objections
made, and shall make such corrections of
such roil as it deems just, and shall then
deduct the amount of such cost assessed
against street crossings, which shall be
paid from the g»n-:ral fund of the city, and
shall then by ordnance approve such roll
and shall levy and assess the amounts there
-01 agvnsi each parcel and lot and declare
the same a first lien thereon and =-hall
cause the roll to be delivered to the city
comptroller who shah forthwith deliver to
t'.o city treasurer a certified copy there
upon receipt of which the treasurer shall
proceed to collect the same except as the
duty of collection thereof is devolved by
| law on some other officer; provided, that
such treasurer shall give ten days' notice
in the official newspaper (and shall mail a
copy of such notice to the owner of the
property assessed when the postofflce ad
dress of such owner is known, but the fail
ure to mail the sam* shall not be fatal
jwhen publication thereof is made) that
i such roll has been certified to him for col
lection, and that unless payment is made
within thirty days from the date of such
notice assessment shall become delinquent
and shall bear interest at the rate of ten
per cent, per annum until paid, and if not
paid before such assessment shall have be
come delinquent a penalty of 5 per cent,
shall be added, and the sums delinquent
shall be entered on the annual tax roll for
the current year against each lot and par
cel so delinquent, and with the interest and
penalty, collected as other taxes, separate
account being kept thereof, and if not paid
within the time fixed for the payment of
city taxes, shall be collected as such taxes
are collected, together with 3«ch additional
charges or penalties as are authorized to
be charged and collected, on other delin
quent taxes, and each lot or parcel bo de
linquent shall be sold for the amount of
such assessment with interest, penalty and)
costs, at the time and In the manner and
by the same authority as lands and lots
are sold for city taxes. The city treasurer
shall' add no penalty to any" delinquent as
sessment in any case where the state laws
require a penalty to be added to such as
sessment.
Sec. 13. Subdivision 1. The mode of pay
ment by bonds shall b* as follows: After
the city council has by ordinance ordered
or authorized the improvement, and not
more than twenty days after the contract
therefor has been let, an estimate and roll
! shall be made and returned and corrections
i be made therein and notice given .is pre
: scribed in section 12 of this article govern-
I ing local improvements made under the
! immediate payment plan, and the cost and
i expense of such improvement shall be
charged against the lots and parcels of land
iin the local improvement district to be
created by the ordinance authorizing the
! improvement, in the method prescribed by
sections 11 and 12 of this article, and the
cost and expense of grading the street
crossings shall be paid from the general
fund of the city, the same as in said sec
tions provided. Contracts shall be made
and as-sssments levied and collected in the
same manner as is provided Is. this article
for the levying and collection of assess
ments where payment is provided to be
made by the mode of immediate payment,
except as otherwise provided herein.
Subdivision 2. The city council shall by
ordinance provide that the entire cost of
such improvement shall be payable in an
nual installments of equal amounts, ex
tending over a period to be fixed by said
ordinance, not exceeding ten years from
the date of the Issuance of the bonds. The
council shall also provide by ordinance for
the issuance>3f installment. coupon bonds
of the local improvement district created
for said improvement, of such denomina
tion, and bearing such rate of interest, not
exceeding 9 per cent, per annum, as pre
scribed in such ordinance. Such ♦-\stall
ments must be equal in amount aM each
installment coupon shall include th"* inter
est upon such installment to the late of
the maturity thereof.
Subdivision 3. The "city counc i shall,
after considering upon notice as a. ove pro
vided objections to the assessment roll and
correcting the same, by ordinance approve
the roll, and charge ana assess against each
parcel and lot of land described therein, its
proper share thereof, and declare the same
to be a first lien thereon, and shall each
year levy special assessments to redeem the
bonds so issued, next thereafter maturing,
and the basis of the first assessment shall
be retained for each succeeding assessment
so to be made. Such ordinance shall pre
scribe the form of the bonds to be issued,
and may provide that the entire issue of
bonds shall be issued to the contractor in.
! payment for the making of the Improve
ment: otherwise the city comptroller shall
I sell the bonds at not less than their par
value net, and pay the proceeds therof to
the city treasurer, to be by him kept in the
improvement fund to be paid out upon war
rants drawn thereon, as other city moneys
are disbursed by him.
Subdivision 4. The owner of any par :el
of property so charged may redeem the
same from liability for such improvement
by paying the entire assessment charged
against the same ten days before the time
fixed for the issuance of the bonds; or
he may redeem his property from
such liability after the issuance of the
bonds, by paying the amount of the assess
ments levied up to the time of such pay
ment and the amount of unlev:ed assess
ments, with interest on the latter at the
'■ rate of eight per cent, per annum from the
date of the last installment to the time of
the maturity of the bonds last maturing.
All funds paid or collected on account of
1 said improvement shall be paid to the city
I treasurer and applied solely to payir.g for
sad improvement or to the redemption of
bonds issued therefor. Any parcel of land
i which has been redeemed, as herein pro
vided, or the total assessment against
which has been paid prior to the issuance
of bonds, as herein provided, shall not
thereafter be further liable for the cost of
such improvement.
I Subdivision 5. No suit to set aside any
such special assessment or to enjoin the
making of the same shall be brought, or
any defense to the validity thereof allowed,
after the expiration of thirty days from the
time the amount due on each lot or pieca of
ground liable for such assessment is ascer
tained and confirmed by the city council.
l Subdivision 6. The Issuance of such bonds
to the contractor, or the sale thereof, shall
operate to transfer to the purchaser or
! contractor or holder thereof, all the light
' and interest of the city in respect of such
assessment and the lien thereby created,
subject to the right of redemption nerein
; provided, and shall authorize the holder or
holders thereof to receive, sue for and col
: lect or have collected, such bon-1 or bonds,
by or through any of the methods provided
by law for the collection of assessments for
local improvements, and, if the city shall
fail, neglect or refuse to pay said bonds or
to promptly collect any of said assessments
when due, the owner or owners of any such
bonds may proceed in hie or their own name
to collect such assessment and foreclose the
lien thereof in any court of competent Juris
diction, and shall recover, in audition to tt;e
amount of his or their bonds, and Interest
thereon, five per centum thereof, together
with the cost of such suit. Any number of
holders of such bonds for any tingle im
1-roverr.ent may join as plaintiffs, and any
number of owners of property upon which
tb»*aid bonds are a lien may be joined as
defendants in any such suit. Such bonds
shall be equal liens upon the property lor
the assessment represented by such -bonds,
without priority of one over another, to
the extent only, however, of the several
assessments made and not redeemed from
against the several lots and parcels of land
in the assessment district.
Subdivision 7. No holder of any such
bond shall have ary claim whatever there
for against the city in any event, except to
receive from the city his proper share of
collections made by the city of the special
assessments levied for the payment there
of, but the remedy of every such holder
shall, in case of non-payment, be confined
to the enforcement or such assessment. A
copy of this subdivision shall b« plainly
written, printed or engraved on the face of
each bond,*? Issued.
Sec. S.C All public improvements to be
made by contract*shall be let to th.3 lowest
bidder therefor. 'Before awarding any such
contract trie board of public works shall
e*.use to be published in the official sews
jM»D*r of the Sty a notice, for at least ten
-"days HtTpr,, the Jetting of such contract, in
,': viting sealed proposals for such work, th«
plans and specifications'whereof must, at
■ the time pf the publication of such i notice,
be on 'flit' la th» office of the secretary oi
tn» tear*. «übs*et t« : jnrt>Oe ■ lnap*sfl«i.
■ -■"■■':■. : .' v).*"'-->"* ■'■"?■' '-.' . :■■ ■■'■■•"■" ■.•■■•''>? ..■
THE CHARTER OF * THE CITY- OF
SEATTLE.—Continued.
Such notice shall state generally the 'work
to be done, and shall call for proposals for
doing the same, sealed and filed with the
secretary on or before the day and hour
named therein. All bids shall be accom
panied by a certified check payable to the
order of the city comptroller for a sum not
less than five per cent, of tue amount of
the bid, and no bid shall be considered un
less accompanied by such check.
Sec. 15. At the time and place named,
such bids shall be publicly opened
and read; no bid shall be rejected
for informality; but shall be received
if It can be understood what is
meant thereby. The board shall proceed to
determine the lowest bidder and may let
such contract to such bidder, or if in their
opinion all bids are too high, they may re
ject ah of them and readvertise, and in
?"-?.? case all checks,shall be returned to the
Didders, but if such contract be let, then
and in such case all checks shall be re
turned to the bidders except that of the suc
cessful bidder, which shall be retained un
til a contract be entered into for making
such improvement between the bidder and
the city in accordance with such bid. If the
said bidder fails to enter into such contract
in accordance with his bid within ten days
from the date at which he is notified that
he is the successful bidder, the said check
and the amount thereof shall be forfeited
to the city, and the secretary shall deliver
sa d check to the city comptroller, who
shall draw said amount and pay the same
into the city treasury, to the credit of the
local improvement fund," and the board
shall readvertise for proposals for such
work. Neither the board nor city council
shall have power tp rmnit such forfeiture.
Sec. 16. In letting all contracts for public
improvements the board shall provide
therein that at least thirty per cent of the
amount due the contractor on estimates
snail be retained to secure the payment of
laborers who have performed work thereon
and material men who have furnished ma
terials therefor, and such laborers and ma
terial men shall for thirty days after the
work has been completed have a
lien on such thirty per cent, so re
served for labor done and materials
furnished, which lien shall be senior
to aJ other liens, whether by judg
ment, attachment or contract and no im
provement shall be deemed complete! until
the board shall have filed with the city clerk
a statement signed by a majority of them
declaring the same has been completed
The city council shall by ordinance pre
scribe suitable means and remedies for the
preservation and enforcement of the liens
provided for in this section.
Sec. 17. Any funds remaining in the
treasury belonging to the fund of any local
improvement district, after the payment cf.
the whole cost and expense of such im
provement in excess of the total sum re
j quired to defray all the expenditures by the
i city on account thereof, shall be refunded,
| on demand, to the amount of such over
! payment; and if there shall be such an ex
| cess in the assessment of any person who
; snail not have paid his assessment a rebate
j shall, on demand, be allowed to such per
j son to the amount of such over-assessment.;
; provided, such demand hereinabove pro
■ vided for be made within two years from
i the date upon wnich the assessment for
i such local improvement district became
i due. Any such funds remaining in the
| treasury after the expiration of two years
I from the date aforesaid for which no de-
I mand has been made as herein provided,
; belonging to any local improvement dis-
I trict, after the payment of the whole cost
1 and expense of such improvement, shall be
j transferred to the general fund.
, Sec. 18. Subdivision 1. Whenever an as
sessment for laying out, establishing, clos-
I ing, straightening, altering, widening,
. grading, regrading-, paving, repaying, j
I planking, replanking, sidewalkint* and !
; bridging, macadamizing, remaeadam: I
1 graveling, regraveling, piling, repillng,
j capping, recapping, any street, avenue or
; alley, or for any local improvement, which
1 has heretofore been made or which may
; hereafter be made by the city, has been or
i may be hereafter declared void, and its en
. forcement under this charter or the laws
! governing the city refused by the courts cf
: this state, or for any cause whatever, i as
i been heretofore or may be hereafter set
' aside, annulled or declared void by any
court, either directly or by virtue of
any decision of such court, the city
', council shall, by ordinance, order and !
make a new assessment or reassess
; ment upon the lots, blocks or parcels
j of land which have been or will b» Dene- I
: 11 ted by such local improvement, to the ex
. tent <■(£ their proportionate part of the cx
i pense thereof, and in case the cost shall ex- !
i ceed the actual value of such local im
, provement, the new assessment or reassess
: ment shall be for, and based upon the
actual value of the same at the time of its
completion; and to this end the boari of
! public works shall make a new assessment
I roll in equitable manner with reference to
j the benefits received, as near as may be in
j accordance with the law in force at the time
■ such reassessment is made, and when- the
j same shall have been confirmed and 11 ap
! proved by the council it shall be enforced
j and collected in the same manner ihat
j other assessments for local improve/nents
, are enforced and collected under the charter
lor laws governing the city, but all pro
-1 eeedmgs relative to making the expenses
of local improvements chargeable upon
property benefited thereby, required and
provided by this charter or laws of the
i city prior to the making of original
; assessment roll, shall not be included or re
quired within the purpose of this section.
i Subdivision 2. The city council shall by
' ordinance order and make a new assess
ment or reassessment, as provided in this
section, upon the lots, blocks or parcels of
land, which have been or will be bene
fited by such improvement, to the ex
; tent of their proportionate part of the cost,
! expense and vaiue thereof.
| Subdivision 3. Upon the passage of an
I ordinance, aa hereinbefore provided, the
. board of put/\c works shall make out an
, assessment roll according to the provisions
! of the said ordinance, and shall certify
! the same to the council.
Subdivision 4. Upon receiving the said
I assessment roll the city clerk shall give
j notice by three (3) successive publications
i in the official newspaper of the city, that
j such assessment roll is on file in his office,
j the date of filing of the same, and said
notice shall state a time at which the
I council will hear and consider objections
j to said assessment roll by parties aggriev
led by such assessment. The owner or
' owners of any property which is assessed
■ in such assessment roll, whether named
1 or not In such roll, may within ten (10)
: days from the last publication provided
! herein, file with the clerk his objections
in writing to said assessment. 4^
Subdivision 5. At the time appointed
for hearing objections to such assessment,
j the council shall hear and determine all
objections which have been filed by any
party interested, to the regularity of the
proceedings in making such re-assessment,
and to the correctness of the amount of
such re-assessment, or of the amount
levied on any particular lot or parcel of
land: and the council shall have the power
to adjourn such hearing from time to time,
and shall have power, in its discretion, to
revise, correct, confirm or set aside, and to
order that such assessment be made de
novo, and the council shall pass an order
approving and confirming said proceedings
and said re-assessment as corrected by it,
and its decision and order shall be a final
determination of the regularity, validity
and correctness of said re-assessment, to
the amount thereof, levied on each lot or
parcel of land.
Subdivision 6. The fact that the contract
has been let or thai such improvement
shall have been made and completed in
whole or in part, shall not prevent such
assessment from being made, nor shall the
omission, failure or neglect of any officer
or officers to comply with the provisions of
the charter or laws governing the city,
as to petition, notice, resolution to im
prove, es'"mate, survey, diagram, manner
of letting contract or execution of work,
or any other matter whatsoever connected
with the improvement and the first assess
ment thereof, operate to invalidate or in
any way affect the making of the new
assessment or re-assessment as provided
for by this section, charging the property
benefited with the expense thereof. Pro
vided, that such new assessment shall be
for an amount which shall not exceed the
actual cost and va' ie of the improvement,
together with any jiterest that shall have
lawfully accrued thereon, and that such
amount be equitably apportioned upon the
property benefited thereby, according to
the provisions of the cl^irter or laws of
the city. It being the true intent and
meaning of this section to make the cost
and expense of all local improvements
payable by the real estate benefited by such
improvement by making a re-assessment
therefor, notwithstanding that the proceed
ings of the city council or board of public
works or any of its officers may be found
irregular or defective, whether jurisdic
tional or otherwise; when such re-assess
ment is completed all sums paid on the
former attempted assessment shall be
credited to the property on account of
which same was paid.
Subdivision 7. In all cases where the
treasurer or proper collecting officer shall
be unable to enforce the •ohectlon of any
special assessment, by reason of irregulari
ty or omission in any proceedings subse
quent to the confirmation of such assess
ment, the council is authorized and 1 em
powered to cause a new warrant or order
to issue to the treasurer or other proper
of? sera for the collection of any assess
xst-flt which, by. reason of such irregulari
ty or omission, remains unpaid and not col
lected. The treasurer. or other prpj>er nt,
ficer, shall proceed under suc'ihb" war
, rant or order to enforce and conWpthe as-
Bes^tenta therein ■- specified ln.^le,same
manner, as near as may be, as is vr«scribed
»y the provisions of this section for the en
i forcement and collection -of s such ■ assess
: ment, after the same shall have been con
firm »d at in this section ■ provided; and as
' I often a* jury failure shall occur by reason
v of strafe ~^»yulartti» «r omissl»a«, a bbv
THE CHAATKU& vOP THE * CITY'OF
SBATTIUE^-Co»«awed.;
warrant or order may issue, and new pro
ceedings be had iin llKe manner, until such
special assessment shall be fully collected,
as to each and every lot or parcel of land
charged therewith, v*
Subdivision 8. VAny.person who has filed
objections to such new-assessment or re
assessment, as hereinbefore provided, shall
have the right /to * appeal to the superior
court of King cbunty. ■ '•
Subdivision 9.1 Such appeal shall be
made by filing a written notice of appeal
with the city clerk within ten (10) days
after such new i assessment or re-assess
ment . roll shall have been approved and
confirmed by, thft council, and said notice
shall describe the ;■ property and the ob
jections of such /appellant to such assess
ment, and such I appellant shall also file
with the clerk jof the Superior Court
afcresaid, within twenty (20) days from
the approval and confirmation of such
roll by the council, a copy of said notice,
appeal, re-assessment roll and proceedings
thereon, certified by the city clerk, together
with a bond to the city, conditioned to
pay all costs that may be awarded against
the appellant in such sum not less than
two hundred dollars.(s2oo), and with such
security as shall be approved by a judge
of said court, and the case shall be dock
eted by the clerk of such court in the
name of the- person taking such appeal
against the city as "an appeal from as
sessments." The judgment of the court
shall be either to confirm, modify or an
nul the assessment in so far as the same
affects the property of the appellant, j
from which judgment an appeal shall lie i
to the Supreme Court as in other causes.
In case the assessment is confirmed the
fees of the city clerk for copies of the
record shall be taxed against the appel
lant with other costs.
Subdivision 10. Whenever, for any
cause, mistake or inadvertence, the
amount originally assessed shall not be
sufficient to pay the cost of the improve
ment made and enjoyed by the owners of
property in the local assessment district
where the same is made, it shall be law
ful, and the city council is hereby direct
ed and authorized to make re-assess-
I ments on all the property in said local
! assessment district sufficient to pay for
such Improvement, such re-assessment to
be made and collected in accordance with
the provisions of this section.
Sec. 19. No contracts for lights or j
I lighting shall be let for a longer term
than one year. The lights shall be of
such kind as the ■ city council may by
ordinance prescribe.
Sec. 20. No work shall be done by the !
city or any department, officer or em- j
I ploye thereof, on any legal holiday or
| Sunday by way of construction or exten
| sion of any public work, nor shall any
! work be done on any such day, or be- j
I tween seven o'clock p. m. of any day amd
i six o'clock a. m. of the following day, I
by any corporation or other person, by
way of construction, extension or removal
of any structure upon, over, under or
along any street, alley, or other public
place within the city or under control of
the city, except in case of extraordinary i
emergency, and then only upon the writ
ten permit of the mayor, wherein the fact j
of such emergency, and the nature there
of shall be specified, and in case of viola
tion of any provision of this section by |
any person or corporation owning, holding ;
or claiming any franchise in, over, under, or j
along: such street, alley, or otner public '
place, all his or its right, title and inter
est in such franchise shall thereby be
forfeited and Instantly revert to the city, j
The mayor shall be free in his discretion j
to grant or withhold such permit. And i
! in no case shall any corporation or per- j
I son be permitted to commence the build- I
j ing or construction of any street or other |
< railroad, telegraph, telephone or electric j
light line in the city without first ob
! taining a permit therefor from the board
of public works.
Sec. 21. The board of public works
shall from time to time make such, rec
ommendations to the city council relat
ing to the extension or improvement of
the sewerage system as said board may
deem proper.
Sec. 22. Said board, subject to such
control as the city council shall by ordi
nance exercise, shall prescribe the loca
tion, form and materials to be used in
the construction and repairs of all public
sewers, man-holes, sinks, cesspools and
other appurtenances belonging to the
sewerage system, and of every private
sewer emptying into a public sewer, and
determine the place and manner of loca- j
tion thereof, except as otherwise in this !
charter provided. -— /
Sec. 23. Before any public sewer shall-]:
be contracted for or built, its construc
tion shall be ordered by the city council, (
and the city engineer or any other per
son the council may designate, , shall
cause to be prepared the necessary esti
mates and plans for the work, and a pro
file showing the grades of the street and
sewer, and the depth of such sewer below
the surface of • the.s^reet s»nd -the height
above the level established and used as
the city datum, and when such sewer is
completed he ~ shall cause -a map to be
prepared, showing the ; size and i location
•of the man-holes, basins and branches.
Sec. 24. No person shall connect with or
open or penetrate any public sewer or drain
without first obtaining a permit in writing
from said board, and complying with the
rules and regulations of said board in ref
erence thereto.
Sec. 25. Air, gas, steam or water above
j one hundred and forty degrees Fahrenheit
in temperature shall not be discharged into
any public sewer or into any private sewer
or drain connecting with such public sewer,
and the city council shall by ordinance pro
hibit the same.
Sec. 26. Said board shall recommend to
the city council such other rules and regu
lations concerning tie public and private
sewers and drains in said city as said board
shall deem best.
Sec. 27. The city council may upon the
recommendation of said board, by ordi
j nance passed by the affirmative vote of the
majority of all the members elected, au
thorize the purchase of any personal prop
erty, or the acquisition by purchase or con
demnation of any real estate, which may be
necessary for the construction of any sew
ers or the making of any improvement pro
vided for in article. The title to all
| real estate purchased shall be taken in the
name of the city. - . :
! Sec. 28. Said boaid may, with like au
i thorization by the city council, agree with
' the owner of any real estate over or
i through which it %is deemed desirable to
construct any sewer or other improvement
related to sewerage or drainage, upon the
amount of damage to be paid to such own- |
er for the perpetual use of said real estate !
| for such purpose. £/ - ■.'■.'.
" Sec. 29. Said boari shall, when author
j ized by ordinance ot the city council, con
! struct such sewers, reservoirs and pump
i ing works, whether within or without the
j city, as may be necessary to carry out the
general system of sewerage of the city.
Sec. 30. The city council shall by ordi- j
nance provide that the; owners and occu- '
pants of lands, buildings or premises with- j
in the city, at i their jwn expense, properly !
drain the same; or drain or clean any vault, i
cesspool, ditch, pipe or drain therein used
as a receptacle or conductor of filth or
refuse matter,* and tiat all expenditures of
the city in draining or 'cleaning private
premises, be assess«i°against such prem
j ises. Every assessment shall be a lien up
i on the premises so drained or cleaned, and
such assessment may be collected and the
lien enforced by a siit" in the name of the
city. y' -:.;;-; •: V.:-■■■■■■• ■
Sec. 31. Subdivision -I.; Before any con
tract for the doing >f any work or labor,
or furnishing any siill, labor or material
to or for the:city.of Seattle shall be valid
or binding against tie city, the contractor
shall enter into a j>int several bond
with the city of Sea tie, for the use of the
city and also for, the use of all persons who
! may perform or came to be performed any
i work or labor, or * furnish; or cause to be
I furnished any aHll, labor pr material in
] the execution of BUcl contract, conditioned
to perform the'conract'according to its
terms, conditions > aid stipulations and to
civ as they become >ue all just claims for
a.l work and labor so performed, and all !
skn.' or labor and nuterial so furnished in j
the. \ of sich contract, and to J
compi with all th»? requirements of the
charter _-nd ordinances of the city and the
amendments thereto which bond shall be
in an amount fixed >y the board of public
works, but ■ not less i than fifty per cent,
more than the contnet price agreed to be
paid for the performance of such contract,
and shall be duly sigied by such contractor
and two or more go»d and sufficient sure
j ties, and after, beinf approved as herein
provided, shall ;be fl>d in thf office of the
city comptroller, prdrided before ap
proving any such pndi the imayor and
•omptroller shall came to be filed with and
preserved by h thei, < by the proposed
sureties, a list ■of : the ! properties
owned by each sich proposed surety,
such list describe f with reasonable j
certainty the various properties and j
shewing whether .he same is com- !
munity property or eparate property and
the encumbrances tlereon. The bond shall
1 also contain any oner conditions or pro
visions required by aiy state law, and such
bond shall be deera«S-to run also to the
state of * Washington/ , »' . -
Subdivision 2.'2Tbef:ureiie« on such bond
shall each {.ißfitjfy asfail upon arrest.
; MonW an ; two sui^*' ois may ■be accepted
on*iggJii bond, S and » the^ may justify in
flfl H and different/. sums less . than
tir*fflaiispecified In : su&h.bond; provided, !
t that^a aggregate ; of/ , their : justification !
1 shall J*ih> e'u&l t* trsro sureties ; justi
fying to :do»«e the vjlnount of the bond in
i tn* manaerM --in ifrovided. t^HWNN
SuMlvl^VjagVaall be the duty of
i ' the I corp#£ jjflss«hjasai of said , city to j
_ see ''^adHHiMRK,I* '* fully f. And: prop- !
erlyJH MWa~>ni!o:m» & In*** all'
rwEoi^w \?£ - Ha??' mf tH;« »♦*-
THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF
SEATTLE.—Continued.
tion; and thereupon shall indorse
upon said bond his approval of
the form thereof. Such bond, and the
sureties thereon, shall be subject to ap
proval by the mayor and comptroller, but
they shall not approve any such bond un
less - the said corporation counsel's
approval of the form thereof be indorsed
thereon, nor unless the sureties on such
bond appear personally before the mayor
and comptroller if required, and are by
them examined, touching their fitness and
ability to become sureties on such bond;
and it shall be the duty of such mayor
and comptroller to reject person, not
withstanding his justification subscribed
to the bond, if they shall deem such per
son of insufficient ability or otherwise
unfit to become a surety on such bond.
Subdivision 4. No contract with said
city for the doing of any public work shall
hereafter be assigned or transferred in any
manner without first having indorsed
thereon the consent of the board of public
works, and of the sureties on the con
tractor's bond, and no transfer or assign
ment thereof shall in any wise affect such
bond or the liability of the sureties there
on, and any assignment or transfer with
out such consent and waiver indorsed
thereon, except by operation of law of any
such contract, shall make the same null
and void, as to any further performance
thereof by the contractor or his assigns
without any act on the part of the city;
and the board of public works shall at once
proceed to re-let such contract, or said
board may, in its discretion, proceed to
complete the same as the agent, and at
the expense of such contractor and nis
bondsmen. No assignment, transfer,
abandonment or surrender, either volun
tary or otherwise, of any contract with
the city for the doing of any work or la
bor, or the furnishing of any work or labor,
skill or material, nor any change in any
such contract, nor any extension of time
in which to complete any such contract
shall ever operate to release the sureties
on the bond in this act provided for; and
no such assignment, transfer, abandon
ment, surrender, change or extension of
time shall ever be pleaded as a defense to
any action upon such bond in any court
in this state.
Subdivision 5. The board of public
works may, whenever in their judgment
one or more of the sureties on such bonds
have become insolvent, or for any other
cause are no longer fit and sufficient sure
ties, require any such contractor to file a
ne"w or additional bond within ten days
after notice to that effect; and there
upon all work on such contract shall
cease until such additional bond shall be
filed with the city comptroller, and if any
such contractor shall fail for ten days after
notice to that effect to file a new or addi
tional bond as aforesaid, his contract shall
by that fact alone become fully ended
and void as to future performance there
of by such contractor. And thereupon the
board shall proceed to re-let such contract,
or may, in its discretion, proceed to com
plete the same as the agent and at the
expense of such contractor and his bonds
men.
Subdivision 6. If any such contraot
shall for any reason become ended or
void, and the board of public works shall
complete the same, as in this section pro
vided, and the costs of so completing
such contract shall exceed the amount
unpaid by the city upon such contract, at
the time the same shall become ended or
void, in sucn case it shall be the duty
of the corporation counsel to at once
commence an action in the name of the
city against such contractor and his
bondsmen for the recovery of the differ
ence in amount between the cost of so
completing such contract and the amount
unpaid by the city upon such contract at
the time the same became ended or void.
The board of public works is hereby pro
hibited from entering into any contract
for the doing of any work or labor or the
furnishing of any skill or material with
any person, who, within two years prior
thereto, shall have made default in the
payment of any just claim for any work
or labor performed or for any skill or ma
terial furnished pursuant to any such con
tract with such party or with any person
who within two years prior thereto shall
have assigned, abandoned, surrendered or
failed to complete any such contract, ex
cept as herein authorized, or who shall i
have failed to comply with any of the
provisions of this section.
ARTICLE IX.
The .Department of Finance.
Sectio^l. The city comptroller shall ex
ercise general Supervision over the finan
cial affairs of the city. He shall number
and keep a record of all demands allowed
by him, showing the date of approval,
amount and name of original holder, the
number, on what account, and out of what
fund payable. He shall be required to be
constantly acquainted with the exact con
dition of the treasury. He shall, on or
before the fifth day of each month, or oft
ener if required, report to the mayor and
to the city council the condition of each
fund in the treasury. He shall make an
nual reports to the city council, and to the
mayor oa his request, of the financial con
dition ertid requirements of the city, with
a careful statement and estimates of the
receipts and expenditures. He shall keep
a complete set of books by double entry
system for the city, in which shall be set
forth in plain and businesslike manner ev
ery money transaction of the city, so that
he can at any time tell the exact condition
of the city's finances. He shall make an
annual report, showing the source from
which the city's revenues were derived,
and how expended. He shall require all
claims, returns, settlements and reports
to be verified by affidavit. He shall issue
all licenses in accordance with law on pre
sentation to him of a receipt from the city,
treasurer showing that the license fee has
been paid, and shall countersign all war
rants upon the treasurer.
Sec. 2. The city comptroller and his de
puties shall have authority to take affi
davits and administer the necessary oaths
in the transaction of all city business; he
shall have a seat in the city council, with
the right to speak on any question per
taining to his department, but shall have
no vote.
Sec. 3. He shall keep publicly posted in
his office a list of all persons receiving
salaries from the city, witft the amount of
monthly salary received by each opposite
his name, which list shall be revised and
corrected by him monthly, and be at all
times open to public examination.
Sec. 4. He shall perform such other du
ties as this charter or the city council may
direct, and may appoint one chief deputy,
and, under civil service rules, such other
deputies as the city council may authorize.
Sec. 5. There shall be a city treasurer,
who shall, except as otherwise provided
by law, be ex-offlcio tax collector. He shall
not hold office for two consecutive terms.
Sec. 6. As tax collector, the city treas- !
urer shall perform the duties provided in i
this charter and by the general laws of j
the state. As treasurer, he shall receive, j
keep and pay out all moneys belonging to I
the city, and shall keep an account of all |
receipts and expenditures, under such
rules and regulations as may be prescribed
by ordinance, and shall do all things re
quired of him by this charter or the or
dinances of the city. He shall not pay
out any moneys belonging to the city ex
cept upon legal demands allowed and au
dited in the manner prescribed by this
charter or by law.
i Sec. 7. It shall be the duty of the city
treasurer to receipt for the moneys of the
city, and pay out the same only on war
rants drawn in pursuance of the order of
( the city council, signed by the mayor,
countersigned and registered by the city
comptroller. He shall each day, except
Sundays and legal holidays, render to the
city comptroller a statement of the balance
in each fund of the treasury of the city.
He shall also once each week make a
statement, under oath, to the city comp
troller, showing where the city funds are
then kept, and it shall be the duty of the I
city comptroller to forthwith verify each
such statement. He shall require good
and sufficient bonds, for his own indemnifi- i
cation, to be given by all assistants and
clerks in his office who shall receive or !
have care, custody or handling of any
moneys or other valuable thing belonging
to the city, which bonds shall be approved
by the mayor, and may be security in
demnity bonds. He shall issue a call for
outstanding warrants on any fund upon
which warrants have been previously pre
sented and payment refused for want of
funds, whenever there may be one thous
and dollars of that fund in the treasury.
or whenever there are sufficient funds in
the treasury to "ay all outstanding war
rants: interest to cease fifteen days after
the publication of the first notice. War
rants shall be paid in the order of their
number and date of issue, and shall be
charged to their respective funds. Such
call shall be made by publication in the
city official newspaper for the period of
one week, and shall be made within fifteen
days after the required amount of money
is in said fund. He shall account for and
pay over all moneys on hand as such treas
urer to his successor in office, and deliver
all books^vouchers and effects of office to
him, and such successor shall receipt there
for.
Sec. 8. Every officer or agent of the city,
or other person who shall receive or have
in his hands any money belonging to the
city, shall immediately pay over the same
to the city treasurer, and take his receipt
therefor in duplicate, one of which receipts
i shall ; be ; delivered < to«th« city ■• comptroller
I by the party paying over the ' money.i If
; any such officer, agent or 4 other; person
I shall fail to pay over to the city .treasurer
any money so received, or to deliver to the
city •■ comptroller such : receipt lof - the ; city
treasurer for j more than forty-eight hours
after the jnoney or receipt shall have been
! received *$' him, such officer, agent or oth-,
*r p«rsoil[ shall 1 forfeit *to ». the* city doubly
th» arasa^t ef Bi®n«y •• rw»lv«a, or^g
THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF
SEATTLE.—Continued.
which such receipt was given, to be re
covered by civil action brought by the
city against him in a court of competent
jurisdiction.
Sec. 9. The treasurer's books shall, at
all time in business hours, be open to pub
lic inspection, subject to such reasonable
rules and regulations as the city council
shall by ordinance prescribe.
Sec. 10. On or before the first Monday
in September in each year, the comptrol
ler shall prepare and transmit to the city
council, accompanied with estimates and
reports of each department, which he shall
require to be delivered to him from the
heads of each department on or before the)
tenth of August of each year, an estimate
of the probable necessities of the city for
rpm,t? SH'f ß fiscal year, giving the amount
fnnHc, ed to meet the interest and sinking
rt«w s for an >' and all outstanding bonded
for *?;, together with the amount need
for salaries and probable wants of all de
drtii?6^ 0*!, the- municipal government in
detail, and showing the necessities of each
of the several funds to be provided for in
the treasury The estimate shall also
f^Z,** ne^ rly as may be what amount of
income and revenue is likely to accrue to
the treasury, and be collected from fines,
licenses and all other sources of revenue
lfve U|nVe^L tax °, n Proper, and shall
rinfnviJi estimate of what amount will be
from n ° be levled and raised by tax
m°^? ti 1 Pr,° Perty..in the city, in order to
meet the necessities of such fiscal year,
Srlct^iM^th 8 t0 be based upon where
practicable, the resources and expenditures
ti l6*£ Urrent flscal year; and at the same
time the comptroller shall also report to
Sen Cfund? oUnCll the balance on hand in
ee11«-i! 1? city council shall on or be
fore the first Monday in December in each
hilL^y^ordinance flx the rate of taxes to
be levied, and levy the taxes upon all taxa
ble Property both real and .personal, in
the city, needed to raise sufficient rev™
otthi m,r,n y °n the erent departments
suin^flfcaf i3s£ government f*r the en-
Sec. 12. There is hereby created an au
diting committee, which shall consist of
the m hyf°£,*PreSldent of the city council,
rhfnJ;h^™. an i. of the finance committee
SEiFhk at?, d th-e .comptroller. The mayor
shall be the chairman of the committee,
hn?inn£ comptroller shall be secretary
but in the absence of either from any meet
ing of the committee a temporary chair
™ or secretary may be chostn^by the
committee to act for the time being.
Said committee shall hold stated meet
fr£™°« cc In each month and may adjourn
from time to time. It shall be the duty of
the committee to examine all claims and
demands against the city of whatsoever
nature and to recommend to the city coun
cil the allowance or disallowance of the
same or any part thereof.
Three members of the committee shall
constitute a quorum for the transaction
of business, but a less number can meet
and adjourn from time to time.
whin* 13 A - demands, bills and claims
££ th a may anse gainst the city, includ
ing the payment of all employes of the city
whether under regular monthly salary or
DO ' & all be duly verified as hereinafter
provided, and be filed with the secretary
of the auditing committee, who shall file
«£ m? mber £ he sam in the order of pre
sentation, and refer the same to the audit-
Lh^n 0011! 1"66 for action, whose duty It
shall be to recommend the allowance or
rejection of the same in whole or in part
ana if allowance be recommended, to desig
nrith. pafiicuHr fund from which they
are to be paid and indorse upon each claim
h^ enJ a?* d th data of the recommend^
uon of its allowance or rejection, the
amount to be allowed, and also the
section of the charter, number of or
dinance, number of contract, resolution
or order under which the said claim
?»t* dema was authorized or con
tra*ed for These indorsements shall
be verified by the signature of the chair
man and secretary of the auditing commit-
claims or demands after being
audited by said committee shall be forth
with reported to the city council for final
action.
*>,Sec^ 14 L -M 1 demands and claims against
the city hereinbefore required to be verified
shall be subscribed and sworn to before
the city comptroller or one of his deputies
or some officer authorized to administer
oaths. Each claim or demand must be ac
companied by a detailed statement of the
items, which shall be attached thereto
and made a part thereof.
Sec 15. The secretary of the auditing
committee shall attend all meetings of
said committee and keep a correct record
or journal of the proceedings of the com
mittee.
establish The following funds are hereby
First— Water Fund, into which shall
be paid all revenues derived from the wa
ter department, and from which shall be
paid all expenses of operation and main
tenance of the water system. Any sur
p.us remaining in the fund at any time
after the payment of such expenses may
by ordnan dce° f ** ? * may be Provided
<^H« hin& contained in this sub-division of
Section 16 shall repeal or in any wise in
n™^ a + y ordi nance or plan or scheme
proposed thereby heretofore approved by
the electors of the city upon submission
thereof to them, nor to prevent any modi
fication or amendment of such ordinance
plan or scheme upon submission thereof
to the electors of the city.
Second-The City Park Fund, from which
shall be paid all expenses incident to the
acquisition, maintenance, ornamentation
and improvement of the parks, park drives
boulevards and public places of the city '
Th, irdThe library Fund, from wnich
shall be paid all expenditures incident to
the Seattle Public Library
Fourth—The General Fund, into which
snail be paid all revenues of the city, ex
cept as otherwise provided by law, and
from which shall be paid all expenses and
liabilities of the city which are not payable
out of special funds. Such accounts shall
be kept in the general fund with the sev
eral departments and with other city ex
penditures, as may be prescribed by ordi
nance.
Sec. 17. The city council may from time
to time establish such other funds as it
may deem necessary, and shall establish
and continue in force all interest funds
bond funds, bond redemption funds and
other funds now or hereafter established
for the payment of interest upon and tne
payment of bonded indebtedness of the
city; and the percentage of each annual
tax levy shall be named for each fund,
and the whole amount of taxes and reve
nue of the city appropriated to said sev
eral funds accordingly; and no transfer
shall be made from one fund to another ex
cept as otherwise provided in this charter
unless by an affirmative vote of a majori
ty of the members elected of the city coun
cil by ayes and noes, recorded in the jour- I
nal of proceedings, and in no case shail
any moneys be transferred "from any fund
provided for the payment of any interest
or principal of any bonded indebtedness
then existing, nor from the library fund
to any other fund.
Sec. 18. The provisions relating to the
levy and collection of taxes contained in
Article IX. of, or elsewhere in the Charter
of Seattle, which is superseded by this
charter, are hereby continued in force, to
all intents and purposes, as if expressly re
enacted herein, in so far as may be nec
essary or proper for the enforcement oh
the part of the city of any rights, demands,
levies, claims, moneys, taxes, interest or
penalties due or hereafter to become or be
declared due to the city under such provi
sions or under any past or present law of
the state or city, and the same shall te
enforced by the collector or other proper
officer or officers herein or by law provided
for, and the title or inchoate title or rights
of the city in or to all lots or lands here
tofore Bold or hereafter to be sold to the
city under such provisions or any precedent
law or charter may be perfected under
such provisions, precedent law or charter
as fully as if such provisions, precedent
law or charter were herein expressly re
enacted.
ARTICLE X.
The Department of Sanitation.
Section 1. There shall be a Board of
Health, which shall consist of three physi
cians, graduates from some accredited
medical college, who must be physicians
in active practice, to be appointed by the
mayor and confirmed by the city council,
and who shall have supervision of all
matters appertaining to the sanitary con
dition of the city and its public institu
tions.
Sec. 2. The members of said board shall
hold office for three years and serve with
out compensation. The terms of office
shall be so arranged that one of them
; shall go out of office in each year. The
member having the shortest term to serve
shall be president of the board and the
health officer shall act as secretary of
the board. V .
See. 3. The city council shall "provi^i !
an office for the board of health, in which !
j the meetings of the board shall be held.
Such meetings shall be held at least once
a irxmth, and whenever requested by the
president or two of its members. <u«—~~"
Sec. 4. Said board shall appoint and
I remove at pleasure a health officer, who
• shall be a physician, and such other sub
i ordinate officers as , may from time to
1 time ' be deemed necessary by the city I
I council. The ; health officer shall . act as i
city physician. ; He shall be s the executive I
officer of the board and see that all ordi
nances' relating to the-sanitary affairs I
of the city and the rules and regulations \
of - the board are enforced. •>
Sec. 5. The health officer shall visit the i
public buildings ~ and • institutions of the !
city and the -"public and, other school* '
within th« i city once in each month ana
■as frequently as may be required by I
■ the boarq of ■ health, ar,d investigate the ,
■gnitary ccjMU^MgHftgiK M.m«, and make
THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF
SEATTLE.—Continued.
I the board of health. He shall also make
to the board a monthly and annual re
port of the affairs of his office, including:
natal, mortuary and other sanitary sta
tistics.
Sec. 6. Whenever the health officer shall
certify to the board of health that any
buLaing or any part thereof is for any
sanitary cause unfit for human habita
tion, said board may issue an order, to be
affixed conspicuously on the building, and
where practicable, to be served on the
owner, agent or occupant, requiring all
persons to vacate such building or apart
ment at and until such time as the board
may determine. The cause of vacation
| shall be stated in the order.
Sec. 7. Whenever a case of smallpox,
yellow fever, Asiatic cholera or other in
fectious disease is reported to the health
officer, he shall immediately visit the
premises where the person is, and If he
shall find such reported disease or any
infectious disease on such premises, he
shall forthwith cause to be displayed a
quarantine flag In a conspicuous place on
said premises, and post upon the door
way a placard setting forth the fact that
infectious disease exists therein and the
name of such disease.
Sec. 8. The health officer shall imme
diately report to the chief of police, city
school superintendent, the principals of
private and other schools within the city
and the librarian of the Seattle public li
brary, the names and residences of every
person sick of the diseases in section 7 :
of this article enumerated or any other
contagious or infectious disease he may
deem dangerous to the public health
Sec. 9. It shall be the duty of the city
school superintendent, the principals of
private and other schools within the city
and the librarian of the Seattle public
library, when so notified, to refuse ad
mittance to the public or private or other
schools or library to any member of a
household in which any of the aforesaid
diseases are found unt4 advised by the
health officer that there is no longer any
danger from contagion.
Sec. 10. Every physician In the city
shall immediately report to the health
officer in writing every patient he shall
have sick of typhus, typhoid, ship or yel
low fever, Asiatic cholera, smallpox, diph
theria or scarlatina, or such other infec
tious disease as is or may be specified
by ordinance, and shall report every
death occurring from any such disease
: immediately; -also, every householder in '
; the city shall report forthwith to the
health officer the name of every inmate
of his or her house whom he or she shall
have reason to believe to be sick of any
such disease, and any death from any
such disease occuiring at his or her
house.
Sec. 11. The health officer shall keep
a record of all births, deaths. Interments
an! cremations occurring in the city.
■ Sec. 12. All physicians and midwives
in the city shall report in writing to the
nealth officer within twenty-four hours
all births and deaths occurring in his or
her practice.
Sec. 13. The board of health through
and with the co-operation of the board
of public works, with the consent of the
city council, may locate, establish and
maintain hospitals and pest-houses and
discontinue and remove the same when
ever necessary for the preservation iof
the public health, and may appoint and
remove at pleasure such physicians and
nurses as may be necessary to maintain
the efficiency of the samo; and may cause
to be removed thereto and kept therein
any person affected with any contagious
or infectious disease.
Sec. 14. No person shall remove a per
son affected with any contagious or in
fectious disease from any house or place
within the city limits to any other house
or place without the written permission of
tia health officer.
Sec. 15. The board of health shall with
the consent of the city council appoint a
sari la ry inspector, who shall be market
inspector, inspector of sewers and inspec
tor of plumbing, of water, steam and gas
of all buildings within the city. Such
inspector shall have the powers of a po
liceman and must be a practical plumber.
His duties shall be such as are or may
be prescribed by ordinance. The city
council shall by ordinance regulate the
plumbing of all buildings with due regard
for the health of the city.
Sec. 16. The board of health may pro
claim such quarantines and establish ami
declare such quarantine districts and sta
tions as may in its judgment be neces
sary for the preservation of public health
and may appoint and remove at pleasure
a quarantine officer.
Sec. 17. All vessels arriving at tie port
of Seattle from ports which have been
legally declared infected ports, and al 1 .
vessels arriving from any place where
there is prevailing at the time" of de
parture any contagious, infectious or pes
tilential disease, are subject to quaran
tine, and must be by : the. master, owner,
pilot or consign v .reported to Jttie -quar- ,
antine ■r>ffi«£r..«tt&qut delay. Such a ves
sel must not cross a line drawn ad ' pre- ■
scribed by the board of health until the
quarantine officer has boarded the same
and given the order required by law.
Sec. 18. The board of health shall make
rules and regulations relating to th* dis
position of the sick and deceased arriv
ing on any ship or vessel, and the city
council shall provide by ordinance for
the recovery of all expenses and charges
incurred in their treatment or burial.
Sec. 19. The board of- health may, when
they deem it necessary, require all rail
road oars or other-i public conveyances,
before the same-shall stop at any depot
or station in the city, to stop at any
locality selected and «asfthlished for quar
antine purposes, and to leav£ there all
such persons, with their stores^aTtskbag
gage, as the health officer shall deSnT"*^
necessary so to be left for the health of
the city.
Sec. 20. The board of health shall make
such rules and regulations for the g o y- ■-■
err.ment of the quarantine of the heaith
of the city as from time to time the pub
lic health may require, and the physicians
or health officers in charge of any quar
antine station or place shall have power
to enforce such regulations as may be
necessary for the proper management
thereof, and it shall be the duty of all
persons in quarantine, and all agents, of
ficers, policemen or others employed uy
the city In or about said quarantine sta
tions or places to carry out and obey tne
S3.IXIQ.
Sec. 21. It shall be unlawful to disinter
or exhume from a grave, vault, cemetery
or other burial place within the city or
owned by the city, or to deposit therein
or remove from the city, the body of any
deceased person, without first causing tjL
be fi.ed at the health office a certiftowtaa
signed by * legally qualified pS*-*"^ <■ ■■
oi- Conner, setting florin as ne*r«H
sible the name, ( age, sex, color, "Wx ■■, s ,_J.■_"
birth, occupation, ; date, locality and
cause of death of such decedent, and ob- V
tain from the health-officer a written per
mit therefor. • v V
Sec. 22 The health officer shall pre
pare a booK of blank permits in proper'
form containing stubs, on which, as well
?L £ l£t Permits> shall be entered by
the health officer a record giving the
name, age, sex, nativity, cause of death
and place of burial of each person to be
buried, and when a permit is issued for
aisinterment or removal of remains, the
record snail also show the destination
of the remains.
Sec. 23. The city council shall by-ordi
nance provide for the enforcement of
such orders and regulations as the board
of health may adopt and the council ap
prove, providing also for all expenses in
curred in carrying out the same. And in
addition to the powers in this article
enumerated, the health officer and the
members of the board of health may ad
minister oaths on matters connected with
the department, and shall have such other
powers and authority as may be pre
scribed by ordinance of the city council
or by general law. The city council shall
provide for the maintenance of all Indi
gent families during the continuance of
their enforced quarantine.
Sec. 24. The city council shall pass all
such ordinances, and provide therein such
penalties, as will carry out the intent
and enforce the provisions of this article.
ARTICLE XI. : ' ' : - . .
The Fire Department.
Section 1. There shall be a fire depart
• ment, which shall consist of a chief of the
fire department, and as many subordinate
■ officers and firemen as the city council
shall from time to time by ordinance pre- y ■,
scribe. --—■-*-*"?*"■ l
Sec. 2. The mayor shall appoint the chief \a
of the fire department after exangefljast**^
under civil service rules-, "<*■ —mr?^r7T
Article XVI. of.tKrChaTter^ and may re
mo/ye-feini^r cause in accordance with ,
said rules.
Sec. 3. The fire department shall be un
der the management of the chief ot the
fi£? department, except as otherwise pro
vided by law or In this Charter
■Sec.-4.-First—The mayor shall nre° be
rules and regulations, not inco--Ment
with law and the ordinances of the .itv
for the government and con* c r *^e*iire
department, and fix and enforce c ■■-■ aJt'ea
for their violation.
Second— chief of the fire depaft£i«nt
shall, subject to the civil servu'« rules,
appoint Buboif^nate officers and ■ re men.
Third—Tb- chief shall make a monthly
statement of expenditures jf the depart
-1 ment tfi re board of public works, and al
i so fu ■ l«n to aid bopr '• an estimate of the
nee i o.' his lepa-vinent for the ensuing
r*' .'.h. with t'ui-ii recommendations as he :
ay deem pro?*r or the betterment of the
ervic.-.
Fourth— -** chief of th-> fire department
shcl; T3*'-<- annually, or oftener if required
! by tb<» C'''jncii. or if he may deem best, a
r*c■■>•*■■ >• &• « v Muneil of any municipal
