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,
from 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 shall be made a condition of every such
contract that it shall not be sublet unless
for the furnishing of material; provid2d,
however, that the city council may, by a
two-th'rds 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 orplaces
of the city graded or regraded to the official
grade, planked or replanked, paved or re
paved, macadamized or remacadamiz^d,
graveled or regraveled, piled or repiled,
cappel or recapped; and to order side
walks, sewers, manholes, culverts, curD
j 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
streets, sidewalks, lanes, squares, alleys
or places, and the city council may levy
_/tnd 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
' upon all property liable iherefor prior and
superior to all other liens and encum
brances.
Subdivision 2. The city council shall, by
general ordinance, provide the manner in
which the aforesaid improvements may be
made, and prescribe all needful regulations
for the exercise by the city of the power
granted and contained in the foregoing sub
division of this section; provided, that in
all cases in which the cost of such improve
ments 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 whom 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 tig
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
improvement, with the estimated cost
thereof, and their recommendation there
of, to >-c city council: provided, that no
grade sririll be changed when any abutting
"»wner <v- owners have built or made im- ,
on any street, highway or ■
alley, unless such petition shall be signed !
by the owners of a majority of the front- j
age on the street, highway or alley within
the district to be affected. The city coun
cil shall have full authority to consider all
matters in relation to such proposed im
provement, and may authorize or refuse j
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, j
parcel or parcels of land, shall exceed one- i
quarter of the total assessed valuation cf
the lots or parcels of land contained in
such assessment Jintrict. as the same ap
pears upon the last annual assessment 101 l i
made for the levying of taxes for munic- |
ipal purposes, in which case such improve- j
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
such petition shall be final and conclusive.
The city council may order the whole or
any part of the streets, lanes, alleys,
squares or public places of the city to be
graded, sidewalked, residewalked, planked, I
leplanked, paved cr repaved, or may order |
any sewer with manholes, catch-basins and J
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
hp^einbefoxe-prjeseribed be presented, such
iriW-ove-nent shall not be ordered except
K^rdinance passed by the affirmative vote
o/> 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, r.o street shall be
ordered graded without petition, except by
a unanimous vote of all members present,
and provided that main or intercepting
Sfwers may be ordered built along such
s/eets, lanes, alleys, places or highways,
</ across such lands as may be in har
lony with 1 the general plan of sewerage
fiopted by the city, either upon pres^nta
jon of a like petition Iherefor by property
A'ners to be benefited thereby, as above
pvided for other cases, or when the im
•fovement may be ordered by the afnrma
ve vote of two-thirds of all the members
[ the city council at a regular meetinr? or
Ijournment thereof; provided, that
i such case there shall be levied against
(c property, within the assessment dis
"ct to be created therefor, in like manner
' above provided for other improvements,
jeh proportion of the cost of said main
or intercepting sewer as would be the rea
sonable cost of a sewer with its prop?r man
holes, ventilators, catch-basins, flushing
tanks, openings and wyes suitable to the
necessities of the area or district to be as
sessed for the same, and the remaining
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
sewer fund, shall be determined by ordin- j
ance in each case when the Improvement is j
ordered and such determination shall be
final and conclusive.
Subdivision 3. Said general ordinance I
shall also provide for the establishment of |
a local improvement district to be called
local improvement district No. , whinh
shall include all the property between the
termini of said improvement abutting upon,
adjacent or proximate to the street, alley,
place, or square, proposed to be improved,
to a distance back from the marginal line
thereof of one hundred and twenty feet,
and all property included within said limits
of such local improvement district shall be
considered and held to have a frontage
upon such improvement, and shall ue the
property benefited by sir. h local improve
ment, and shall be the property assess 3d 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 whinh
to determine the amount cf frontage for
which each of said lots, parcels or parts
thereof benefited as aforesaid shall be as- !
sessed as 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 defined 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 district 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
rv^Hf of said assessment, be divided into
rour 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 sirle of !
the improvement equal to one-fourth of the
-distance from the marginal line of such j
street, alley, place or square to the back j
line of the assessment district, to be num- j
bered respectively the first, second, third
and fourth subdivisions, beginning with the I
one nearest to the said marginal line of said ,
street, alley, place or square. Each front j
foot or its equivalent area in the first pud- j
division nearest to the improvement shall |
be assessed forty per cent, of the total i
amount to be assessed against each front '
loot or its equivalent; each front foot or its ,
equivalent area in the second subdivision j
shall be assessed twenty-five per cent, of ;
the total amount to be assessed against j
each front foot or its equivalent; each i
front foot or its equivalent area in the i
th"rd subdivision shall be assessed twenty,)
per cent. <>i the total amount to be assessed i
against tach front foot or its equivalent, I
and each front foot or, its equivalent crea ;
in the fourth subdivision shall be assessed .
fifteen per cent, of the total amount to be ■
assessed i against each front foot or . its ;
equivalent. ] • ,■"':. ;. l"\
All assessments levied upon lanis of the
United States, state of Washington, «tate
.university, county of King, the city of Se
ikttip or any school district shall be paid by
l^lty of Seattle out of it* general funa.
THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF
J SEATTLE.—Continued.
! Sec. 12. There shall be two modes of
' making payment for such local improve
; ment, to-wit: "Immediate payment" and
I "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 has 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
i roll prepared by the city engineer, which
shall contain the description of each lot,
j parcel of land or part thereof to be as-
I sessed, with the number of feet frontage
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 r.e.c
--i essary incidental expenses, the rate per
j front foot, ths amount of each assessment
• and the name of the owner of each lot. par
! eel of land or part th^repf if known, but in
I 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,
j The council on receipt of such roll and
i 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, tnd make ob
jection thereto. The council shall at the
time fixed consider any ami all objections
: made, and shall mako such corrections of
! such roll as it deems just, and shall then
■ deduct the amount of such cost assessed
j against street crossings, which shall be
! paid from the g;n--ral fuml of the city, and
j shall then by onl'rarre approve-such roll
and shall levy and assess the amounts there
-01 aga-nsi each parcel and lot and dec-lire
ihe same a first lien- thereon and fball
cause the roll to be delivered to the city
, comptroller who shall Forthwith deliver to
; t'.o city ir^asurer a certlikvl copy thereof.
i 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 I
. such treasurer shall give ten days' notice i
! in the official newspaper (and shall mail a
i copy of such notice to the owner of the
property assessed when the postoffiee ad
dress of such owner is known, but the fail- i
; ure to mail the sama shall not be fatal |
i when publication thereof is made) that ',
: stich roll has been certified to him for col- i
; 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 I
I per cent, per annum until paid, and if not !
■ paid before such assessment shall have be- !
come delinquent a penalty of 5 per cent. j
shall be added, and the sums delinqu?nt ;
i shall be entered on the annual tax roll for !
the current year against each lot and par- j
eel so delinqufnt, and with the interest and ;
; penalty, collected as other taxes, separate
I account being kept thereof, and if not paid j
j within the time fixed for the payment of !
! city taxes, shall be collected as such taxes !
; are collected,.together with such additional I
i charges or penalties as are authorized to i
! be charged and collected on other delin- ;
j quent taxes, and each lot or parcel so de- j
| linquent shall be sold for the amo int or I
'. such assessment with interest, penalty andj '
costs, at the time and in the manner and t
by the same authority as lands and lots ' i
j are sold for city taxes. The city treasurer
shall add no penalty to any delinquent as- ! ,
sessment in any case where the state laws i
require a penalty to be added to such cS
■ sessment.
Sec. 13. Subdivision 1. The mo Je of pay- '
ment by bonds shall b? as follows: After !
the city council has by ordinance ordered \ :
or authorized the imprevement, and not I
| more than twenty days after the contrait : i
I therefor has been let, an estimate and roll ; ,
j shall be made and returned and corrections ! •
be made therein and notice given .is pre- j
I scribed in section 12 of this article govern- ! :
ing local improvements made under the :
! immediate payment plan, and the cost and j :
j expense of such improvement shall be :',
charged against the lots and parcels of land | :
in the local improvement, district to be ; :
created by the ordinance authorizing the ' .
; improvement, in the method prescribed by i \
sections 11 and 12 of this article, and the" .
cost and expense of grading the "treet ,
crossings shall be paid from the general
fund of the city, the same as in said sec- i :
tions provided. Contracts shall be made ! ,
and assesments levied and collected in the i
same manner as is provided in this article ; :
for the levying and collection of assess- | ,
ments where payment is provided to be . ,
made by the mode of immediate payment, ! i
except as otherwise provided herein. f j
Subdivision 2. The city council shall by ! (
ordinance provide that the entire cost of , ,
such improvement shall be payable in an- I ]
nual installments of equal amounts, ex- | ]
tending over a period to be fixed by said i i
ordinance, not exceeding ten years from ' .
the date of the issuance of the bonds. The I <
council shall also pijovide. by opdinanoo £w-n
the issuance or installment coupon bonds ! j
of the local improvement .district created : ;
for said improvement, of such denomina- j (
tion, and bearing such rate of interest, r.ot ! £
exceeding 9 per cent, per annum, as pre- ! ,
scribed in such ordinance. Such />stall- i (
ments must be equal in amount ap^ each <
installment coupon shall include th*» inter- j ]
est upon such installment to the late of i j
the maturity thereof. j i
Subdivision 3. The city counc I shall, -: i
after considering upon notice as al ove pro- <
vided objections to the assessmenv roll and j
correcting the same, by ordinance approve ! <
the roll, and charge and assess against each ; j
parcel and lot of land described therein, its <
praper share thereof, and declare the same , ]
to be a first lien thereon, and shall each i j
year levy special assessments to redeem the j ,
bonds so issued, next thereafter maturing, I ,
and the basis of the first assessment shall j
be retained for each succeeding assessment '
so to be made. Such ordinance shall pre- | !
scribe the form of the bonds to be.issued, i ,
and may provide that the entire issue of j '
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 i «
value net, and pay the proceeds therof to \ ]
the city treasurer, to be by him kept in the j j
improvement fund to be paid out upon war- . !
rants drawn thereon, as other city moneys '
ere disbursed by him. ]
Subdivision 4. The owner of any par:el '
of property so charged maj redeem the '
same from liability for such improvement !
by paying the entire assessment charged i
against the same ten days before the time ! '
fixed for the issuance of the bonds; or ;
he may redeem his property from j
such liability after the issuance of the i \
bonds, by paying the amount of the assess
ments levied up to the time of such pay- |
ment and the amount of unievied 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 1
the maturity of the bonds last maturing. J
All funds paid or collected on account of '•
said improvement shall be paid to the city ■
treasurer and applied solely to payir.g for '
said improvement or to the redemption of >
bonds issued therefor. Any parcel of land | '
which has been redeemed, as herein pro- •
vided, or the total assessment against '
which has been paid prior to the issuance J
of bonds, as herein provided, shall not j
thereafter be further liable-for the cost of J
such improvement. '
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 ea?h lot or p!ec.3 of .
ground liable for such assessment is ascer- J
tamed and confirmed by the city council. ;
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 1
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- ,
leet cr 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 his or their own name .
to collect such assessment and foreclose the \
lien thereof in any court of competent juris- j
diction, and shall recover, in addition to tlie .
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- .
I'-rovement may join as plaintiffs, and any ,
number of owners of property upon which '
the said bonds are a lien may be loined as j
defendants in. any such suit. Such bonds .
shall be equal liens upon the property for ,
the assessment represented by such bonds, .
without priority of one over another, to i
the extent only, however, of the several .
assessments made and not redeemed from j
against the several lots and parcels of land | |
in, the assessment district. j (
I SuDdivision 7. No holder of any such ■
bond shall have ar.y 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- ■
cf. but the remedy of every : such holder ,
shall, in case of non-payment," be confined ■
to the enforcement of such : assessment. A '■
copy of this subdivision shall: be plainly ■
written, printed or engraved on the fae. of ,
1 each.bond so issued. > »••.. "„_._• ;. >.', •* ,
| Sec. 11. All public improvements to be i
made by contract shall, be let to tha lowest '
bidder therefor. Befos^&wardlng any such
contract the board f or public, works shall :
cause to be published in :> the official news- ;
: paper of the city a^iotieife, for,-at.least ten ;
I days before aMWMHkg of such contract, in
viting sealed^H-iJwßls for such work, the :
plans and sPigffi . Jjjbns whtreof must, at :
the time of jfl ■Pg^ation of such notice, ' :
be on file ImF 1," fl* th° secretary of i
the boardJ^W*«t te^«&Bl^ inipestion.
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 the 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
it 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, tir if in "their
opinion all bids are too high, they may re
ject all of them and readvertise, and in
such case all checks shall be leturned 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
Vi 1? P 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 whrch he is notified that
he is the successful bidder, the saiu check
and the amount thereof shall be forfeited
to the city, and the secretary shall deliver
said check to the city comptroller, who
shall draw said ampunt and pay the same
into the city treasury, to the credit of the
'local improvement fu^d," and the board
shall readvertise for proposals for such
work. Neither the board nor city council
shall have power to remit such forfeiture.
Sec. 16. In letting all contracts for publ'c
improvements the board shall provide
therein that at least thirty per cent, of the
amount due the contractor on estimates
shall 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 aU other liens, "whether by judg
ment, attachment or contract ana nu 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 >jre
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
quired to defray all the expenditures by the
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 tne assessment of any person who
shall not have paid his assessment a rebate
shall, on demand, be allowed to such per
son to the amount of such over-assessment:
provided, such demand hereinabove pro
vided for be made within two years from
the date upon wnieh the assessment for
such local improvement district became
due. Any such funds remaining- in the
treasury after the expiration of two years
from the date aforesaid for which no de
mand has been made as herein provided,
belonging to any local improvement dis
trict, after the payment of the whole cost
and expense of such improvement, shall be
transferred to the general fund.
Sec. 18. Subdivision l. Whenever an as
sessment for laying out, establishing, clos
ing, straightening, altering, widening,
grading, regrading, paving, repaying,
planking, replankmg, sidewalkin? mul
bridging, macadamizing, remacadanrsing,
graveling, regraveling, piling, repiling,
capping, recapping, any street, av^e or
alley, or for any local improvement, which
has heretofore been made or which may
hereafter be made by the city, has been or
may be h.ereaiter 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, 1 as
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
of land which have been or will be uene
tited by such local improvement, to the ex-
Lent of their proportionate fjart of :he ex
pense thereof, and in case the cost shall ex
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
roll in equitable manner with reference to
the benefits received, as near as may be in
accordance with the law in force at tht? time
such reaspess-.ment is iia^e, and wheu t:ie
same sShall have been connrmed and ap
proved by the council it shall be enforced
and collected in the same manner ihat
sther assessments for local improve nents
ire enforced and collected under the charter
Dr laws governing the city, but all pro- |
i-eedmgs relative to making the expenses
}f local improvements chargeable upon
properly benefited thereby, required and
provided by this charter or laws of the
;ity prior to the making of original
issersment roll, shall not be included or re
juired within the purpose of this section.
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
[and, which have been or will be bene
fited by such improvement, to the ex
tent of their proportionate part of the cost,
expense and value thereof.
Subdivision 3. Upon the passage of an
ordinance, as hereinbefore provided, the
noard of pubic works shall make out an ]
issessment roll according to the provisions
it the said ordinance, and shall certify
:he same to the council.
Subdivision 4. Upon receiving the said
assessment roll the city clerk shall give
notice by three (3) successive publications
n the official newspaper of the city, that
such assessment roll is on file in his office,
the date of filing of the same, and said
notice shall state a time at which the
council will hear and consider objections
to said assessment roll by parties aggriev
ed by such assessment. The owner or
owners of any property which is assessed
in such assessment roll, whether named
or not in such roll, may within ten (10)
lays from the last publication provided
lerein, file with the clerk his objections
n writing to said assessment.
Subdivision 5. At the time appointed
for hearing objections to such assessment,
the council shall hear and determine all
abjections 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
and; and the council shall have the power
to adjourn such hearing from time t9 time,
and shall have power, in its discretion, to
revise, correct, confirm or set aside, and to
>rder that such assessment be made de ,
aovo, and the council shall pass am order
approving and confirming said proceedings
and said re-assessment as corrected by it,
md its decision and order shall be a final
letermination of the regularity, validity
md correctness of said re-assessment, to
:he amount thereof, levied on each lot or
parcel of land.
Subdivision 6. The fact that the contract
las been let or that such improvement
shall have been made and completed in
ivhole or in part, shall not prevent such
issessment from being made, nor shall the
pmission, failure or neglect of any officer
>r officers to comply w Tith the provisions of
the charter or laws governing the city,
is to petition, notice, resolution to im
prove, estimate, survey, diagram, manner
)f letting contract or execution of work,
>r any other matter whatsoever connected
;vith the improvement and the first assess
ment thereof, operate to invalidate or in
any way affect the making of the new
issessment or re-assessment as provided
for by this section, charging the property
penefited with the expense thereof. Pro
vided, that such new assessment shall be
for an amount which shall not exceed the
actual cost and vale of the improvement,
together with any .nterest that shall have
awfully accrued thereon, and that such
amount be equitably apportioned upon the
property benefited thereby, according to
the provisions of the charter 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 tb©
treasurer or proper collecting officer shall
be unable to enforce the coLection 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 em
powered to cause a new warrant or order
to issue to the treasurer or either proper
ofj rj&rs; for the collection of any assess
rrK.flt which, by reason of such irregßlar'
ty or omission, remains unpaid and not col
lected. The treasurer, or other proper of
ficer, shall proceed under such new war
rant or order to enforce and collect the as
sessments therein specified in the same
manner, as near as may be, as is prescribed
ry the provisions of this section for the en
forcement and collection of such assess
ment, after the same shall have been con
firmed as in this section provided; and ss
often as a#y failure shall occur by reason
of such «r omiSßi«ns, a new
THE CHARTER !% CITY OP
S E A*POT3B3WwMwt inied.
wan-ant or order mayii c, and new pro
ceedings be hadinlikejQjaiiner.iuntil such
speci&i assessment' sfcalt*beS*uUy. collected,
as to eaoh and every lot o:' parcel of land
charged therewith.V-C'fe'-S?^-
Subdivision B.',Any;persf*TaSwho has filed
objections to.Buchjnewfa'iSessment or re
assessment, en. hereia^ofore provided, shall
have the right vto ? appeal to % the * superior
court of King county. ''.f ¥■
Subdivision s9. ,'j fc*uch • ■ appeal shall be
made by filing a wmten notice of appeal
with the city clerk within ten (10) days
after such new/assessment, or re-assess
! ment roll shall have : been approved and
i confirmed by the council;" and said notice
shall describe • the ? property : and the ob
jections of such appellant to such, assess
ment, and such ? appellant shall also file
with the clerk of the Superior Court
aforesaid, within twenty (20) days from
the approval; and confirmation of such
roll by the council, a copy of said notice,
appeal, re-assessment 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 ($200), and with such
security as shall be approved. by a judge
; of said court, and the case shall be dock
eted by the 4 clerk lof 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,
from which judgment, an appeal shall lie
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
! ments on all the property - in said local
| assessment district sufficient to pay for
; such improvement, such re-assessment to
j be made and collected in accordance with
j the provisions of this section.
j Sec. 19. No contracts for lights or
! 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 cm
i ploye thereof, on any legal holiday or
Sunday by way of construction or exten
sion of any public work, nor shall any
j work be done on any such day, or be
i tween seven o'clock p. m. of any day and
six o'clock a. m,. of the ' following day,
by any corporation or other person, by
| way of construction, extension or removal
I of any structure upon, over, under or
along any street, alley, or other public
I place within the city or. under control of
j the city, except in case' of extraordinary
emergency, and then only upon the writ
i ten permit of the mayor, wherein the fact
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
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.
The mayor shall be free in his discretion
to grant or withhold such permit. And
in no case shall any corporation or per
son be permitted to commence the build
ing or construction of any street or other
railroad, telegraph, telephone or electric
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
i 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
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 f^r thej^flc^and a pro
file showing cn"S gr'adesjl^^he street and
, sewer, and the depth ot duch sewer below
the surface of the street and 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 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
I one hundred and forty degrees Fahrenheit
I 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 the 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
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 «f any sew
ers or the making of any improvement pro
vided for in this article. v The title to all
real estate purchased shall be taken in the
i name of the city. , ' ."-
Sec. 28. Said board may, with like au
! thorization by the city council, 1 agree with
j the owner of any real estate over or
! 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. ; : :i', ]
Sec. 29. Said board shall,, when author
ized by ordinance of the city;council; con
struct such sewers, reservoirs and pump
ing works, whether within or. without the
city, as may be necessary to carry out the
general system of sewerage of the city.
Sec. 30. The city council shall by ordi
nance provide that the ; owners =and occu
pants of lands, buildings or premises with
in the city, at their own. expense, properly
drain the same, or drain or clean any vault,
cesspool, ditch, pipe or drain therein used
as a receptacle or conducto4 of E filth or
refuse matter, and that all expenditures of
the city in draining or J cleaning ■ private
premises, be assessed against, such prem
ises. Every assessment shall be a lien up
on the premises so drained or cleaned, and
such assessment may be ; collected and the
lien enforced by a suit in the name of , the
! city. *:' ";-.-JK- >;•> :". ■
Sec. 31. Subdivision 1. i Before i any con
tract for the doing of any wojk or labor,
or furnishing any skill, labor ipri mateiial
to or for the city of Seattle shall be .valid
or binding against the city, th^ contractor
shali enter into a joint and> several bond
with the city of Seattle, for the use of the
city and also for the use of alt persons who
may perform or cause to be performed any
work or labor, or furnish or cfeuse to . c
furnished any skill, labor ior material ;in
the execution of such contract, conditioned
to perform the contract according ito > its
terms, conditions and stipulations and to
pay as they become due all just .claims for
a work and labor so performed, and all
skt. 1 or labor and material so furnished in
the \ >v' cution of such contradt, and to
compi with all the requirements ■of % the
charter ■_• nd ordinances of the and the
amendments thereto,' which bowd shall be
in an amount fixed by the bbardi of public
works, but not less s than • fifty '■ n.cr cent,
more than the contract price agty/i to be
paid for the performance Lontract,
and shall be duly signed by such ontractor
and two or more good and sufficient sure
i ties,- and after being: approved'«U3'' herein
provided, shall be filed in the ->f< cc of the
city comptroller, provided th-»t tttef ore ap
proving any suck bond the y-or and 1
comptroller, shall cause to be filed with and
preserved by them, by the ; proposed
sureties, a list of the v%rap€Eties:
owned by each such proposes surety,
such list describing with :>j* raaspnable
certainty the various 5 properjfijffltand
shewing whether.,' the same Hfcjill
] munity property or separate ppojSHHHmd
i the encumbrances thereon. The JjaHWshall
I also contain any other conditioajßPr pro
i visions required by any state lawjffnd'such
■ bond shall be deemed to ; run aS to the
1 state of Washington. :j^S^S^^«f^ :-It-
Subdivision 2. The sureties on j|s3h bond
■j shall each justify as bail upon t'lßtst:--
More than two sureties may ljgilcceptefl
on such bond, and tt&y*j£££ig&ptlfy •in
separate ,» and • differen<S«^fi S»3 3 than
the sum specified in -suflß .i ; ■rovided.
I that the-aggregate 'o*gg§ -.- ' ' rgß tio. n
, shall be equaltOg-jM I justi
, fyiuS injfrtfggH HxH}d in
the maralß Br^B
SubdivilH BMHR^^V M iut7 of
the corporo^^Lf^K Jifck." lH il¥ to
see that suc^H Bkßlk,
erly executed^H Mfce^' w^!l
■: I resptets ■to _^*T*flH|' -1 B^* "" '" "~ " f
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_any person, not
withstanding his ' justification subscribed
to the bond, if they shall deem such per
son of insufficient ability or otherwise
unrit to become a surety on such bond.
Subdivision 4. No contract with said
city far 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
thsreon, 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
o# 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
I in this state.
Subdivision 5. The board of publio
works may, whenever in their judgment
one or more of the sureties on such bonds
I have become insolvent, or for any other
cause are no longer fit and sufficient sure
ties, require any such contractor to file a
new 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 contract
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
con-.ir.ence an action in the name of the
city against such contractor and his
boncsmen 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, ov 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 authoris-ed, or who shall
have failed to coroaJy with any of the
provisions of thl^|9§sion.
ARTICLTE IX.
The Department of Finance.
Section 1. 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 *snail 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 on his request, of the financial con
dition and 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 ail
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, with 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-officio 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
this charter and by the general laws of
j the state. As treasurer, he shall receive,
keep and pay out all moneys belonging to
I the city, and shall keep an account cf all
I 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.
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
city comptroller to forthwith verify each
such statement. He shall require good
and sufficient bonds, for his own indemnifi
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 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
I call shall be made by publication in the
! city official newspaper for the period of
one week, and shall be made withm 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-
Sec. 8. Every officer or agent of the city,
or other person whoi 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 cf which receipts
I shaH be delivered to the city comptroller
byvtheparty paying over the money. If
any such officer, agent or other person
hall fail to pay over to the city treasurer
any money so received, or to deliver to the
city comptroller such receipt of the. city
1 treasurer, for mor i than forty-eight hours
after the xntvney or receipt shall have be^n
received :by him. such officer, agent or cth
erZperson sh.ill forfeit to the city double
k€H« , aTn#Hnt ■®f > m©n«y so r*«elvl»d, , jr tar
THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OP
SEATTLE.-ConUnaed.
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
or the probable necessities of the city for
the ensuing flscal year > giving the amount
required to meet the interest and sinking
funds for any and all outstanding bonded
debts together with the amount needed
for salaries and probable wants of all de
partments of 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
show as nearly as may be what amount of
income and revenue is likely to accrue to
the treasury, and be collected from fines
licenses and alMbther sources of revenue,
exclusive of tax on property, and shall
give an estimate of what amount will be
required to be levied and raised by tax
from all property in the city, in order to
meet the necessities of such fiscal year,
S£.« estmatest 0 be based upon, where
practicable, the resources and expenditures
h™^ he current fiscal year; and at the same
time the comptroller shall also report to
the city council the balance on hand in
each fund.
Sec. 11 The city council shall on or be
fore the first Monday in December in each
year by ordinance fix 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 reve
nue to carry on the different departments
of the municipal government for the en
suing fiscal year.
Sec. 12. There is hereby created an au
diting committee, which shall consist of
the mayor, president of the city council,
the chairman of the finance committee
thereof, and the comptroller. The mayor
shall be the chairman of the committee,
and the comptroller shall be secretary
nut in the absence of either from any meet
ing of the committee a temporary chair
man or secretary may be chosen by the
committee to act for the time being.
. Said committee shall hold stated meet
ings once 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 jSmess but a less number can meet
and adjourn from time to time.
Sec. 13. All demands, bills and claims
which may arise against the city, includ
ing the payment of all employes of the city
whether under regular monthly salary or
not, shall be duly verified as hereinafter
provided, and be filed with the secretary
of the auditing committee, who shall file
and number the same in the order of pre
sentation, and refer the same to the audit
ing committee for action, whose duty it
shall be to recommend the allowance or
rejection of the same In whole or in part
and if allowance be recommended, to desig
nate the particular fund from which they
are to be paid, and indorse upon each claim
or demand the date of the recommenda
tion 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
or demand was authorized or con
tracted for. These indorsements shall
be verified by the signature of the chair
man and secretary of the auditing commit
tee. All claims or demands alter being
audited by said committee shall be forth
with reported to the city council for final
action.
Sec. 14. All 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.
Sec. 16. The following funds are hereby
established:
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
plus remaining in the fund at any time
after the payment of such expenses may
be disposed of as is or may be provided
by ordinance.
Nothing contained in this sub-division of
Section 16 shall repeal or in any wise in
validate any ordinance 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— 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
Third—The Library Fund, from which
shall be paid all expenditures incident to
the Seattle Public Library.
Fourth— General Fund, into which
shall 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 the
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
nal of proceedings, and in no case shall
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 on
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 sold 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.
Sec. 3. The city council shall provide
an office for the board of health, in which
the meetings of the board shall be held.
Such meetings shall be held at least once
a m-ointh, and whenever requested by the
president or two of its members.
Sec. 4. Said board shall appoint and
remove at pleasure, a health officer, who
i shall be a physician, and such other sub
ordinate officers as may « from time to
time be deemed necessary by the city
council. The health officer shall act as
city physician. He shall be the executive
officer of the board and see that all ordi
nances relating to the sanitary affairs
of the city and the rules and regulations
of the board are enforced.
Sec. s'. The health officer shall visit the
public buildings and institutions of* the
city and the public and other schools
within the city once in each month and
as frequently as may be - required by
the boaro. of health, and investigate the
sanitary condition of the same, and make
monthly repsrfen <tt such; «awiainaU«B f
-i - V
1 THE CHARTER OF THE CITYW
SEATTLE.— IB
the board of health. Ke shall also m3iH
i to the board a monthly and annual re^l
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
bui.aing or any-part thereof is for any
sanitary cause unfit for human habita
tion, said board may issue an order, to be
afhxed conspicuously on the building, and
i wbere practicable, to be served cm the
owner, agent or occupant, requiring all ,
persons to vacate such building or apart-i
ment at and until such time as the board I
may determine. The cause of ' vacation!
shall be stated in the order. 1
Sec. 7. Whenever a case of smallpox, I
yellow fever, Asiatic cholera or other in-1
fee Urns 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 j
quarantine flag in a conspicuous plac» on 1
said premises, and post upon the door-J
way a placard setting forth the fact thatl
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
i priJMe and other schools within the city
and the librarian of the Seattle public li
brary, tne names and residences of every
person sick of the diseases in section 7
or this article enumerated or any other
contagious or infectious disease he may
deem dangerous to the public health.
bee. 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
d'seases are found until advised by the
health officer that there'is no longer any
danger from contagion.
,faec, « 10. Every physician in the city
snail immediately report to the health
officer to writing every patient he shall
nave 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, ana shall report everr
death occurring from any -Such disease
immediately; also, every householder in
the city shalli. report forthwith to the
health officer the name of every Inmate
or 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 di«M o-ceuiricg at his or her
I'ouse.
Sec- ii. - The health officer shall keep
a record of all births, deaths, interments
an! cremations occurriLg in the city
. Sec. 12. All physicians and midwives
in tne city shall report In writing to the
al th officer within twenty-four hours
all births and deaths occurring in his ir
her practice.
Sec. 13. T ne board of heu^h 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
aiiccntinue and remove the same when
ever necessary for the preservation of
the public health, and may appoint an«L
remove at pleasure such, physicians id
nurses as may be necessary to maintain
the efficiency of the same; and may causa
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
fie health officer.
Sec. 15. The board of health shall with
the consent of the city council appoint a
santary 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.
Hl3 duties shall be such as are or may
be prescribed by ordinance. The city
council shall by ordinance regulate the
piurr.bmg of all buildings with due regard
for the health of the city.
Sec. 16. The board of health may wre
claim such quarantines and establish and
declare such quarantine districts and sta
tions as may in its judgment be neces
sary for the preservation of^publie health,
and may appoint and remove at pleasure
a quarantine officer.
Sec. 17. All vessels arriving at me port
of Seattle from ports which have been '
legally declared infected poets, and all
vessels arriving from any . place where
there is prevailing at the,, time; of-ds«- —
parture any contagious, infectious or pes
tilential disease, are subject to quaran
tine, and must be by (the master, owner, '.
pilot or consignee, reported to the quar-"''
antine officer without delay. Such a ves
sex must not cross a line drawn as pre
scribed by the board of health until the
quarantine officer has boarded the same
and given the order required by law.
Sec. IS. The board of health shall make
rules and regulations relating to the 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 or all expenses and charges
.ncurred in their treatment or burial. "
Sec. 19. The board of health may, when
they deem it necessary, require- all rail
road cars or other public conveyances,-
oeicre the same shall stop at any depot
or station in the city, to stop at any
locality selected and established for quar
antine purposes, and to leave there all
such persons, with their stores and bag- •
gage, as the health officer shall deem
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 guv
errment of the quarantine of the health
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
i 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 Dy
the city in or about said quarantine sta
tions or places to carry out and obey the s
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 bod" a* any
deceased person, without iirst causing to
be filed at the health office a certificate
signed by a legally qualified physician
or coroner, setting forth as nearly as pos
sible the name, age, sex, color, place of
birth, occupation, date, locality and
cause of death of such decedent, and ob
tain from the health officer a written per
mit therefor.
Sec. 22. The health officer shall pre
pare a booK of blank permits- in proper
form containing stubs, on which, as well •
as m the Permits, shall be entered by
the health officer a record giving the
name age, sex, nativity, cause of death
and p.ace of burial of each person to be
buried, and when a permit is issued for
aisinterment. or removal of remains, the
record shall also show the destination
ot 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. fc 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
scribe.
Sec. 2. The mayor shall appoint the chief
of the fire department after examination
under civil service rules, as provided by
Article XVI. of this Charter, and may re
move him for cause in accordance with
said rules.
Sec. 3. The fire department shall be un- -
der the management of the- chief ct the
fire department, except as otherwise pro
vided by law or in this Charter.
Sec. 4. First— mayor shall prescribe'
rules and regulations, not inconsistent j
with law and the ordinances of the city,
for the government and control of the fire .
department, and fix and enforce penalties
for their violation.
Second—The chief of the fire department
shall, subject to the civil service rules,
appoint subordinate officers and firemen/ .
Third—The chief shall make a monthly
statement of expenditures of the depart
ment to the board of public works, and al
so furnish to said board an estimate of the I
needs of his department for the ensuing p
month, with such recommendations as he '
may deem proper for the betterment of the
service. Jr> r
Fourth—Th° chief of the fire deparj^ent
shall make annually, or oftener if afJKUred I
by the council, or if he may deejaßast. a
report «o Ui« «iif eauncil of anJ |l|eipal
