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CHARTER 
 
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 CITY OF HARTFORD 
 

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CHARTER OF THE CITY OF HARTFORD. 
 
 Section i. The territorial limits of the corporation of the City of 
 Hartford shall hereafter include all the land and territory now situated with- 
 in the limits of the town of Hartford, and all lands and territory which are 
 now held or may hereafter be acquired by said City of Hartford in any man- 
 ner and for any purpose whatsoever. 
 
 Sec. 2. All electors of this State dwelling within said limits are hereby 
 declared to be and shall forever continue to be a body politic and corporate, 
 in fact and in name, by the name of The City of Hartford, and by that name 
 they and their successors shall have perpetual succession, and be a person in 
 law, capable of suing and being sued, pleading and being impleaded, in all 
 suits of what nature whatsoever, and shall have power to acquire, own, hold, 
 and convey any estate, real and personal ; and may have a common seal, and 
 may alter the same at pleasure, and by virtue of this act shall be vested with, 
 possess and enjoy all the estate, real and personal, rights, privileges, and im- 
 munities which have become vested in the inhabitants of said city in their 
 corporate capacity since the original incorporation thereof, and whereof said 
 city has never been lawfully divested hitherto; and said city shall have juris- 
 diction in civil and commercial matters on the Connecticut River opposite 
 the said city, and constables of said town of Hartford and police officers of 
 said city shall have authority to execute legal process on said river opposite 
 said city ; it being provided that said city shall in no manner regulate or in- 
 terfere with the navigation thereof, or impose any tax, toll, or duty on the 
 commerce upon said river, except as hereinafter expressly provided. 
 
 Sec. 3. Said city shall remain divided into ten wards, as follows : 
 
 FIRST WARD. 
 
 Beginning at a point on Main Street opposite the center of Charter Oak 
 Street, thence running easterly through the center of Charter Oak Street to 
 the Connecticut River, thence northerly along the west bank of the Connecti- 
 cut River to a point opposite the center of Talcott Street, thence westerly 
 through the center of Talcott Street to the center of Main Street, thence 
 southerlv through the center of Main Street to the place of beginning. 
 
 SECOND WARD. 
 
 Beginning at a point in the center of Main Street opposite Talcott Street, 
 ihence running easterly through the center of Talcott Street to the Connecti- 
 cut River, thence northerly by the Connecticut River to the City line, thence 
 westerly by the northern boundary line of the City to a point where the New 
 York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad crosses, thence southerly along 
 the center of the track of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad 
 to the center of Canton Street, thence westerly through the center of Canton 
 Street to the center of Windsor A. venue, thence southerly through the 
 center of Windsor Avenue to the center of Main Street, thence southerly 
 through the center of Main Street to the place of beginning. 
 
 22^392 
 
THIRD WARD. 
 
 Beginning at a point on Windsor Avenue opposite Canton Street, thence 
 running easterly through the center of Canton Street to the center of the 
 track of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, thence northerly 
 along the center of the track of the New York, New Haven and Hartford 
 Railroad to the northern boundary line of the City, thence westerly by the 
 northern boundary line of the City, to a point opposite the center of Vine 
 Street, thence southerly in a straight line coincident with Vine Street pro- 
 duced to the center of Vine Street ; thence southerly through the center of 
 Vine Street to the center of Albany Avenue, thence easterly through the 
 center of Albany Avenue to the center of Belden Street, thence easterly 
 through the center of Belden Street to the center of Windsor Avenue, thence 
 northerly through the center of Windsor Avenue to the place of beginning. 
 
 FOURTH WARD. 
 
 Beginning at a point on Little River opposite the center of Union Place, 
 thence running northerly through the center of Union Place to the center of 
 Church Street, thence easterly through the center of Church Street 
 to the center of High Street, thence northerly through the center of 
 High Street to the center of Windsor Avenue, thence northerly through the 
 center of Windsor Avenue to the center of Belden Street, thence westerly 
 through the center of Belden Street to the center of Albany Avenue, thence 
 westerly through the center of Albany Avenue to the center of Vine Street, 
 thence northerly through the center of Vine Street to Holcomb Street, thence 
 northerly in a straight line coincident with Vine Street produced to the north- 
 ern boundary line of the city, thence westerly on the northern boundary line 
 of the city to the western boundary line of the city, thence southerly on the 
 western boundary line of the city to the center of Asylum Avenue, 
 thence easterly through the center of Asylum Avenue to the center 
 of Woodland Street, thence northerly through the center of Woodland 
 Street to the center of Collins Street, thence easterly through the center of 
 Collins Street to the center of Garden Street, thence southerly through the 
 center of Garden Street to the center of Asylum Street, thence easterly 
 through the center of Asylum Street to the center of Union Place, thence 
 southerly in a straight line to the place of beginning. 
 
 FIFTH WARD. 
 
 Beginning at a point on Main Street opposite Mulberry Street, thence 
 running westerly through the center of Mulberry Street to the center of 
 Little River, thence westerly by the Little River to a point opposite the cen- 
 ter of Union Place, thence northerly through the center of Lliion Place to 
 the center of Church Street, thence easterly through the center of Church 
 Street to the center of High Street, thence northerly through the center of 
 High Street to the center of Main Street, thence southerly through the 
 center of Main Street to the place of beginning. 
 
 SIXTH WARD. 
 
 Beginning at a point on Main Street opposite Mulberry Street, thence 
 westerly through the center of Mulberry Street to the center of Little River, 
 thence westerly by the center of Little River to a point opposite the center 
 of Hungerford Street, thence southerly through the center of Hungerford 
 
Street to the center of Park Street, thence easterly through the center of 
 Park Street to the center of Main Street, thence northerly through the center 
 of Main Street to the place of beginning. 
 
 SEVENTH WARD. 
 
 Beginning at a point on Main Street opposite the center of Charter Oak 
 Street, thence easterly through the center of Charter Oak Street to the Con- 
 necticut River, thence southerly by the Connecticut River to the southern 
 boundary line of the City, thence westerly by the southern boundary line of 
 the City to the center of Maple Avenue, thence northerly through the center 
 of Maple Avenue to the center of Webster Street, thence northerly through 
 the center of Webster Street to the center of Washington Street, thence 
 northerly through the center of Washington Street to the center of Park 
 Street, thence easterly through the center of Park Street to the center of 
 Main Street, thence northerly through the center of Main Street to the place 
 of beginning. 
 
 EIGHTH WARD. 
 
 Beginning at a point on Park Street opposite the center of Washington 
 Street, thence southerly through the center of Washington Street to the 
 center of Webster Street, thence southerly through the center of Webster 
 Street to the center of Maple A.venue, thence southerly through the center 
 of Maple Avenue to the southern boundary line of the City, thence westerly 
 by the southern boundary line of the City to the western boundary line of 
 the City, thence northerly by the western boundary line of the City to a 
 point where the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad crosses, 
 thence northerly along the center of the track of the New York, New Haven 
 and Hartford Railroad to the center of Park Street, thence easterly through 
 the center of Park 'Street to the place of beginning. 
 
 NINTH WARD. 
 
 Beginning at a point on Little River opposite the center of Union Place, 
 thence running northerly to the center of Asylum Street, thence westerly 
 through the center of Asylum Street to the center of Garden Street, thence 
 northerly through the" center of Garden Street to the center of Collins Street, 
 thence westerly through the center of Collins Street to the center of Sigour- 
 ney Street, thence southerly through the center of Sigourney Street to 
 Little River, thence southerly in a straight line coincident with Sigourney 
 Street produced to the center of Park Street, thence easterly through the 
 center of Park Street to the center of Hungerford Street, thence northerly 
 through the center of Hungerford Street to the Little River, thence easterly 
 along the center of Little River to the place of beginning. 
 
 TENTH WARD. 
 
 Beginning at a point on Sigourney Street opposite the center of Collins 
 Street, thence running westerly through the center of ColKus Street to the 
 center of Woodland Street, thence southerly through the center of Woodland 
 Street to the center of Asylum Avenue, thence westerly through the center of 
 Asylum Avenue to the western boundary line of the City, thence southerly 
 along the western boundary line of the City to a point where the New York, 
 New Haven and Hartford Railroad crosses, thence northerly through the 
 
center of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad track to the 
 center of Park Street, thence easterly through the center of Park Street to a 
 point opposite the center of Sigourney Street, thence northerly in a straight 
 line coincident with Sigourney Street produced to the center of Sigourney 
 Street, thence northerly through the center of Sigourney Street to the place 
 of beginning. 
 
 ELECTIONS. 
 
 Section i. Every elector of this State having the qualifications and 
 complying with the requirements prescribed by law, entitling him to vote 
 at any city meeting, in said city for the election of officers thereof, shall be a 
 freeman of said city. All elections hereafter held within the City and Town 
 of Hartford shall be held pursuant to the provisions of the statute laws of 
 this State relating to elections. 
 
 Sec. 2. At the several elections held within the City and Town of Hart- 
 ford for the choice of city officers, those only shall vote who are registered on 
 the corrected lists of voters last before completed, including those added on 
 the day of election ; provided, that no person shall vote in any ward meeting 
 held for the choice of city officers unless he shall have resided in such ward 
 sixty days next preceding the day of said ward meeting. If such person 
 otherwise qualified to vote in said city meeting shall have removed from 
 one ward to another within said sixty days, he shall be entitled to vote in 
 the ward in which he last resided before his removal. 
 
 Sec. 3. Meetings of said City shall be held annually on the first Mon- 
 day of April for the choice of officers and such other proper business as shall 
 be specified in the warning of such meeting and shall be warned by the Mayor 
 in such manner and held at such places within the several wards as shall be 
 prescribed by the ordinances and by-laws of said City; and in each ward 
 in said City the ballot boxes shall be opened at six o'clo(;k in the forenoon 
 and remain open until five o'clock in the afternoon and no longer. Special 
 meetings of said city may be called and held in such manner as the ordi- 
 nances and by-laws of said City shall prescribe and may be adjourned from 
 time to time ; and all questions before any such meeting shall be determined 
 by a major vote of the legal voters present and voting. 
 
 Sec. 4. At the meeting of said city on the first Monday of April, 1906, 
 and biennially thereafter, the freemen of said city shall elect from among 
 their number by a plurality vote, a Mayor who shall hold office for two years 
 and until his successor is chosen and qualified; a Town and City Clerk, a 
 Collector, a Controller, a Treasurer, a Corporation Counsel and a City 
 Sheriff, each of whom shall hold office for two years from and after the first 
 day of May next succeeding his election and until his successor is chosen 
 and qualified. 
 
 Sec. 5. At the annual meeting of said city holden next after this act 
 shall take effect, to wit: On the first Monday of April, 1905, and annually 
 thereafter for the choice of officers and other proper business, there shall be 
 chosen by a plurality vote in each ward from among the electors entitled to 
 vote therein, one Alderman and four Common Councilmen ; the Alderman to 
 hold office for two years and the Councilmen for one year and until their suc- 
 cessors are chosen and qualified. 
 
 Sec. 6. At any city meeting held in the Town and City of Hartford, 
 the vote of the electors for the candidates for any office or for any proposition 
 acted upon at such meeting may be taken upon any of the voting machines 
 authorized by the General Statutes to be used in city elections. 
 
POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE MAYOR. 
 
 Section i. The Mayor shall be the chief executive officer of the city. 
 He shall have been a legal resident and an elector of the city for the five 
 years immediately preceding his election, and shall reside in the city during 
 his term of office. Whenever there shall be a vacancy in the office of Mayor, 
 or whenever the Mayor shall be prevented by absence from the city, by ill- 
 ness, or by any other cause, from attending to the duties of his office, the 
 president of the Board of Aldermen, or, if said president shall be absent or 
 disabled, the president of the Board of Councilmen, shall act as Mayor until 
 the Mayor is again able to assume the duties of his office or until the vacancy 
 shall be filled by election, and said acting Mayor shall have all the rights, 
 powers and duties of said Mayor, except the powers of appointment and re- 
 moval, until the vacancy is filled or the Mayor is again able to act. 
 
 It shall be the duty of the Mayor : 
 
 1 . To cause the laws and ordinances to be executed and enforced, to in- 
 form the prosecuting attorney of all violations of law brought to his atten- 
 tion, and to conserve the peace within said city. He shall be responsible for 
 the good order and efficient government of said city. 
 
 2. To fill by appointment vacancies in office in all cases in which he is 
 given by law the power to appoint. 
 
 3. To communicate to the Court of Common Council during the month 
 of May next succeeding his election, and semi-annually thereafter, or oftener 
 if he shall deem necessary, a general statement of the condition of the city 
 in relation to its government, finances, public improvements, and affairs, 
 with such recommendations as he may deem proper. 
 
 4. To call special meetings of the Court of Common Council when he 
 may deem it expedient. 
 
 5. To sign all bonds and deeds and all written contracts of the city 
 made either by the Court of Common Council or any officer of the City in 
 accordance with authority conferred upon them by this charter or the ordi- 
 nances. 
 
 6. To either approve or disapprove, in writing, every vote, resolution, 
 order, or ordinance passed by the Court of Common Council. If he approve 
 it or fail to take action within ten days after the passage thereof, such vote, 
 resolution, order, or ordinance shall become operative and effectual. In case 
 the Mayor shall fail to take action upon any vote, resolution, order, or ordi- 
 nance passed by the Court of Common Council, within ten days after the 
 passage thereof, the City Clerk shall endorse the fact upon the vote, resolution, 
 order or ordinance. If he disapprove it he shall notify the City Clerk of that 
 fact within said period of ten days, and he shall transmit in writing his rea- 
 sons for such disapproval to the body in which it originated at its next meet- 
 ing, and such vote, resolution, order, or ordinance shall not become operative 
 and effectual unless passed over his veto by an affirmative vote of a majority 
 of all the members of each Board of the Court of Common Council, present 
 and absent. The Mayor may also approve or disapprove any part of any 
 vote, order, ordinance, or resolution, and the part of the vote, order, ordi- 
 nance, or resolution approved shall become operative and effectual, and the 
 part disapproved shall be void, unless passed over his veto in the manner 
 aforesaid. 
 
 The Mayor shall have power : 
 
 I. To assume the entire control and direction of the police and fire 
 forces of the City, or either of them, for a period not exceeding five days, at 
 
his discretion in case of emergency, and to exercise all of the powers con- 
 ferred upon the fire and police departments in relation thereto. 
 
 2. To exercise, whenever necessary in order to suppress tumults, riots, 
 or unlawful assemblies, within the limits of said city, all the powers given 
 by law to sheriffs in relation to riotous assemblages ; and, at all times, when 
 necessary, to require the aid of any sheriff, deputy sheriff, constable, or 
 policeman, or any or all of them together, to assist him in executing the laws 
 within the limits of said City. 
 
 3. To make requisition for the several companies of the Connecticut 
 National Guard and the divisions of naval reserve, or any of them, when- 
 ever he shall have reason to believe that great opposition will be made to the 
 exercise of his authority, and to exert all the force necessary to enable him 
 to execute the laws within the limits of said City. 
 
 4. To call together, for consultation and advice upon the affairs of 
 the City, the Street Commissioner, the Water Commissioner, the Commis- 
 sioner of Public Safety, the Charity Commissioner, the President of the 
 Board of Park Commissioners, the Corporation Counsel, the City Treasurer, 
 the Controller, and such other executive and administrative officers as he may 
 deem best ; and at such meetings he may call on any of said officers for such 
 reports as to the matters under their management as he may deem proper. 
 
 5. To appoint, whenever he may deem it best to do so, three compe- 
 tent, disinterested persons, no more than two of whom shall be of the same 
 political party, to examine without notice the affairs of any department, offi- 
 cer, or employe of said City, and submit the results of said examination to 
 him. 
 
 6. The Mayor, by and with the advice and consent of any four mem- 
 bers of the Board of Aldermen, may remove from office any person appointed 
 by him or any of his predecessors, for cause. 
 
 7. To administer oaths within said city. 
 
 If any person shall hinder, obstruct, resist, or abuse the Mayor in the 
 execution of his office, or when ordered to render assistance to the Mayor 
 (being of sufficient age and ability) shall refuse or neglect to do so, such 
 offender, being thereof duly convicted, shall pay a fine not exceeding one 
 hundred dollars, or shall be imprisoned in the county jail not exceeding six 
 months, or both, at the discretion of the court having cognizance of the 
 offense. 
 
 Every commissioned officer and soldier, when called into service by the 
 Mayor, as aforesaid, shall have the same pay, and in case of disobedience 
 be subject to the same penalties, as if called into service by the sheriff of the 
 County. 
 
 CORPORATION COUNSEL. 
 
 Section i. There shall be in said City a Corporation Counsel, to be 
 chosen by the electors of said City and to hold office for two years from the 
 first day of May following his election and until his successor is chosen and 
 qualified. At the time of his election, he shall have been an attorney and 
 counselor at law of this State, for not less than ten years. He shall hold 
 no other office in the city government during his term. 
 
 Sec. 2. He shall be the legal adviser of the City and its departments, 
 and it shall be his duty to represent said City in all civil actions in any court 
 wherein said City is interested (except as otherwise provided), and to give 
 his written opinion upon any legal question which may be submitted to him 
 by the Mayor, or by the Common Council, or by any department, or by any 
 
city official with the written consent of \he pA^jaff^ AV[ opinions so given by 
 him shall be recorded in an indexed booklvwtich'jfetj^l^^all J^e kept in his 
 office, and shall be the property of the City^Smj^JsSeL^f^nion?, as the Mayor 
 may direct shall be published in the year book issued next after such opin- 
 ions are given. He shall, when so directed by the Mayor or Common Coun- 
 cil, represent the City in all matters pending before the General Assembly 
 affecting the interests of said City; and he shall perform all other legal 
 services which may be required of him by the Common Council, or by law or 
 ordinance. He shall annually, during the month of April, make a written 
 report to the Court of Common Council of his doings for the year next pre- 
 ceding, also showing the condition of all unfinished business in his hands. 
 Sec. 3. His office shall be kept open during such hours as the Common 
 Council may by ordinance direct. He shall be allowed his actual clerical ex- 
 penses, and a reasonable allowance to be made for the preparation of real 
 estate titles as hereinafter provided. He may employ such additional counsel 
 to aid in any legal proceedings as shall be approved by the Board of Public 
 Works. 
 
 CONTROLLER. 
 
 Section i. The City Controller shall keep, in books provided for that 
 purpose, accounts with each of the city departments, with such of the city 
 officers as may be designated by the Board of Finance, and such other ac- 
 counts as the City Ordinances, or said Board of Finance, may direct. 
 
 Sec. 2. He" shall prescribe the form of all accounts and of all reports 
 to be rendered, and have the inspection and supervision of the accounts of all 
 other departments and officers and may administer oaths. 
 
 Sec. 3. He shall audit, or cause to be audited, the accounts of the sev- 
 eral departments and of all city officers, at least once in every six months; 
 and shall submit to the Common Council on or before the tenth day of June, 
 and on or before the tenth day of each third month thereafter, a report of 
 the condition of each of said accounts, together with a summary of all ac- 
 counts of the city, exhibiting the revenues, receipts, and expenditures, the 
 sources from which the revenues and funds are derived, in what manner the 
 same have been disbursed, and the amount drawn against each item of the 
 appropriations. 
 
 Sec. 4. He shall keep a separate account for each specific item of the 
 appropriations, and shall require all warrants to state specifically against 
 which of said items the warrant is drawn. Each account shall be accom- 
 panied by a detailed statement in a separate column, of unpaid contracts and 
 outstanding orders charged against it. 
 
 Sec. 5. He shall not suffer any appropriation to be overdrawn, or the 
 appropriation for one item of expense to be drawn upon for any other pur- 
 pose, or by any department other than that for which the appropriation was 
 specifically made, except in case of transfers made as hereinafter provided. 
 
 Sec. 6. Each claim or account against the city excepting claims for 
 salaries, shall be first verified by the oath or affirmation of the claimant or 
 his authorized agent, if required by the Controller, then certified to be cor- 
 rect and justly due by the officer or board by whom, or under whose authority 
 the same was contracted. Pay-rolls for labor may be audited as one claim, 
 but individual receipts must be taken by the representative of the depart- 
 ment who shall pay the laborers. Such claim or account shall then be trans- 
 mitted to the Controller, who shall examine and compute each bill rendered, 
 and, on finding it correct, said Controller shall number the various claims. 
 
and enter them in books kept by him for that purpose ; and when said claims 
 are so numbered and entered, he shall draw his order on the City Treasurer 
 for the several amounts due, and prepare and fill out receipts in accordance 
 therewith; provided, that for any sums for which the city becomes legally 
 liable upon its bonds or notes, the City Clerk may draw his order upon the 
 Treasurer, upon which, when countersigned by the Mayor and Controller, 
 said sums shall be paid. In case of the absence, inability, or disability of the 
 Controller, the Mayor shall have power to appoint some person to perform 
 his duties temporarily. 
 
 Sec. 7. The Controller shall give bonds to the city in the amount of 
 twenty thousand dollars. He shall have an office provided by the city, and 
 shall keep the same open during such hours as the Common Council by 
 ordinance may direct. 
 
 Sec. 8. The Controller shall, at the end of each fiscal year, or oftener 
 if so required by the Mayor, and also upon the death, resignation, removal, 
 or the expiration of the term of any officer, audit or cause to be audited, ex- 
 amine, and settle the accounts of such officer, and if he shall be found in- 
 debted to the city, the Controller shall state an account and file the same with 
 the Corporation Counsel, together with a copy of the official bond of such 
 officer, if any, and give notice thereof to him or his legal representatives ;. 
 and the Corporation Counsel shall forthwith proceed to collect such balance 
 from such officer or his sureties. Notice of the audit shall be given by the 
 Controller to the officer or his legal representatives, before the final state- 
 ment of the account ; and if desired by such officer or his legal representa- 
 tives, opportunity shall be given for a hearing. A copy of such notice, with 
 a certificate of the fact of service thereof, shall be filed with the statement of 
 account, as evidence of service of notice. 
 
 TREASURER. 
 
 Section i. The Treasurer shall have the same power and authority as 
 Town Treasurers have, and shall be accountable to said city. He shall have 
 the custody and disbursement of all funds belonging to the city, and he shall 
 be treasurer of the Town Deposit Fund, which fund is vested in the City of 
 Hartford. He shall have an office provided by the city, which shall be kept 
 open during such hours as may be by ordinance prescribed. He shall be al- 
 lowed his actual office and clerical expenses. He shall give bonds to the city 
 in the amount of fifty thousand dollars. 
 
 Sec. 2. All city funds shall be deposited in such banks and trust compa- 
 nies as shall be designated by the Board of Finance. 
 
 Sec. 3. The Treasurer shall pay all orders drawn on him by the Con- 
 troller in the order in which they shall be presented to him. The Treasurer 
 shall report to the Board of Finance on the first Monday of each month the 
 amount of money belonging to said city in his hands, also the sources of his 
 last month's receipts, and shall present to said board, each month, his ac- 
 counts for the month next preceding, properly audited and certified by the 
 Controller. 
 
 Sec. 4. The Treasurer shall countersign all bonds and notes of the city. 
 
 COLLECTOR. 
 Section i. The City Collector shall have all of the powers, and be sub- 
 ject to all the duties imposed by law upon collectors of town taxes, and 
 specially conferred on the Collector of city taxes for Hartford. He shall re- 
 ceive and collect all taxes due to said city, and no discount shall be allowed 
 thereon. All taxes shall be due on the first day of July, and on all taxes re- 
 
maining due and unpaid after the first day of August, next after the same 
 are laid, one-half of one per cent, shall be added and made collectible as a 
 part of such tax, and a further sum of one half of one per cent, shall be in like 
 manner added and made collectible on the first day of each succeeding month 
 thereafter until such tax is paid. He shall receive and collect all assessments 
 of every kind made by said city and all license fees payable to said city. 
 All licenses issued by any city department or officer shall be presented to the 
 City Collector, or his authorized agent, in the Collector's office, who shall re- 
 ceive the fee prescribed therefor, and shall countersign each license before 
 the same shall be in effect. He shall cause a record of each license, so count- 
 ersigned, to be kept in his office. The Mayor, or in his absence, the acting 
 mayor, shall have power to issue a warrant for the collection of any of said 
 taxes or assessments. 
 
 Sec. 2. It shall be the duty of the Collector to report to the corporation 
 counsel, on the first Monday of September- in each year, ail taxes and as- 
 sessments upon real property, which have not been abated according to law, 
 and which have been due and unpaid for the period of ilii-ee years; and all 
 taxes assessed on personal property which have not been abated, according 
 to law, and which have been due and unpaid for a period of one year ; and it 
 shall be the duty of the corporation counsel to proceed forthwith to collect 
 the same, bringing suit where necessary. Whenever any tax due to said 
 city is abated, the authority making the abatement shall cause notice thereof 
 to be given forthwith to the Collector. 
 
 Sec. 3. It shall be the duty of the Collector to collect all poll and mili- 
 tary taxes from persons liable to pay the same, and to report to the Common 
 Council in the month of January in each year the names and addresses of all 
 persons who, being liable to pay such taxes on the first day of July next pre- 
 ceding, have neglected to pay the same. 
 
 Sec. 4. Said Collector shall, on each business day, deposit with the 
 Treasurer of said city all moneys collected by him during the twenty-four 
 hours then ended, and shall take the Treasurer's receipt for the same in dupli- 
 cate, one copy of which he shall file in the Controller's office forthwith. 
 
 Sec. 5. The Collector may employ such clerical assistance as the Com- 
 mon Council shall by ordinance provide, and said Council shall limit the com- 
 pensation of such clerks. 
 
 Sec. 6. Said Collector shall give bonds to the city in the amount of fifty 
 thousand dollars. 
 
 CLERK OF THE TOWN AND CITY. 
 
 The Town and City Clerk of said town and city of Hartford, chosen as 
 hereinbefore provided, shall continue to discharge all the duties required of 
 Town Clerks by law and all the duties of City Clerk of said city. He shall 
 be Registrar of Vital Statistics and shall index all records without extra 
 compensation therefor. On the first week-day of each month said Town 
 Clerk shall make report to the Controller of all fees collected by him during 
 the preceding month and shall pay the amount of the same to the City Treas- 
 urer. On or before the fifteenth day of April in each year, beginning in 1907, 
 he shall submit to the Mayor an account of his doings and the doings of his 
 office for the preceding year ending March thirty-first, which shall contain a 
 statement of all moneys received and expended during said year. As City 
 Clerk he shall be clerk of the Board of Aldermen and the Board of Finance, 
 and shall record their doings. He shall send, immediately after it takes ef- 
 fect, a copy of any ordinance, resolution, or order of the Common Council, 
 and any resolution or order of any board or committee of which he is clerk, 
 to each department or officer affected thereby. He shall perform such other 
 
clerical duties as may be required by the ordinances of the city. He shall 
 publish all city ordinances as soon as the same are enacted, and record the fact 
 and date of such publication. He shall make, upon the records of said city, 
 entries of his own acts in serving and publishing notices of orders passed by 
 the Common Council. Said Clerk shall devote his entire time to the service of 
 the city, and shall have no other occupation during his term of office, and he 
 shall keep his office open during such hours of each business day as the ordi- 
 nances of the city shall direct. Said Clerk may appoint one or more depu- 
 ties, who, after having taken the oath or affirmation provided by law for 
 Town and City Clerk, shall assist said Clerk, and when acting in the discharge 
 of their clerical duties shall have all the powers and duties of said Clerk. 
 All acts of said deputies and all records kept by them shall have the same 
 validity and effect as acts and records of said Clerk. Said deputies may be 
 removed by the said Clerk at any time. The salary of said Town and City 
 Clerk and the salaries of his deputies shall be fixed by the Common Council 
 and paid by said city, and said salaries shall be in lieu of all other com- 
 pensation for the services of said Clerk and his deputies. The office expenses 
 of said Clerk, when approved by the Common Council, shall be paid by said 
 city. All records hitherto kept, or which may hereafter be kept, by any Clerk 
 or Deput^^ Clerk of said city, shall have the same validity as the records of 
 Town Clerks, and shall be in all courts prima facie evidence of the truth of 
 the matters therein recorded. Of any official records hitherto kept, or whi"ch 
 may hereafter be kept, by the Clerk of said city, or by any Deputy Clerk 
 thereof, a copy certified under the hand of any such recording officer shall be 
 received in all courts as evidence, in the same manner as the original record 
 would be received. 
 
 CITY SHERIFF. 
 On the first Monday of April, 1906, there shall be elected a City Sheriflf, 
 who shall have within said city the powers of Constables of towns. He shall 
 notify, when so directed by the Mayor, the Court of Common Council of any 
 meeting of either body or any committee thereof ; he may serve any civil pro- 
 cess returnable to or issued by either of said courts or any committee of the 
 same, and shall serve all notices issued by any committee or department. 
 He shall perform all duties required of him by law and the ordinances of the 
 city. After the passage of this act no City Marshal shall be elected. 
 
 BUILDING INSPECTOR. 
 The Maypr shall appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the 
 Board of Aldermen, a Building Inspector and a Deputy Building Inspector, 
 who shall hold their offices for two years from the first day of January next 
 succeeding their appointment, and until their successors are chosen and 
 qualified. Said Building Inspector shall be Fire Marshal and shall have all 
 the powers and perform all the duties reposed in and required of said officers 
 by the statutes of the State and the ordinances of the city. 
 
 SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. 
 Section i. The Court of Common Council shall biennially elect a 
 Sealer of Weights and Measures, to serve two years from the first day of 
 June following his appointment. It shall be his duty to compare all scales, 
 weights and measures with the United States and standard weights and 
 measures belonging to the" city of Hartford. Said Sealer of Weights and 
 Measures may appoint an assistant, whose acts shall have equal authority 
 with his own. He may also remove said assistant. He shall perform all 
 other duties required of him by the ordinances of the city or imposed upon 
 
 12 
 
such officers by the Statute Laws of this State now existing or hereafter en- 
 acted ; and it shall be his duty to cause to be enforced within said city the 
 Statute Laws of the State and the ordinances of the city respecting weights 
 and measures. All fees paid to him shall be paid by him to the Treasurer 
 monthly and an account thereof rendered by him monthly to the Controller. 
 His salary shall be fixed by the Court of Common Council. 
 
 DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE. 
 
 There shall be in said city a Department of Finance, which shall be un- 
 der the control of a board consisting of the -Mayor, who shall be its presiding 
 officer, the Treasurer, the Controller, and three citizens, none of whom shall 
 hold any other office in said city government, and to be appointed as herein- 
 after provided. 
 
 The necessary expenses of said board shall be paid by the city, but no 
 member of the board shall be paid for his services as a member thereof. 
 
 Meetings of said Board of Finance shall be held when called by the 
 Mayor, and reasonable personal notice of said meetings shall be given to the 
 members thereof, or written or printed notice shall be sent to the residence 
 of each member, or mailed to him by the clerk of said board at least twenty- 
 four hours before the time of holding such meeting. 
 
 The City Clerk shall be ex officio clerk of said Board of Finance. 
 
 During the month of April, 1905, the Mayor shall appoint three citizen 
 members of said board — one to hold office for one year, one to hold office for 
 two years and one to hold office for three years — and in each April thereafter 
 the Mayor shall appoint one member of said Board of Finance for a terni of 
 three years from the first day of May next succeeding. 
 
 Said Board of Finance shall have direction over and control of the sink- 
 ing fund of said city, and shall direct where the same shall be deposited and 
 how the same shall be invested. Said sinking fund shall be paid by the Col- 
 lector to the City Treasurer and deposited in some bank or banks as directed 
 by said Board of Finance, in the name of the city of Hartford, subject to 
 draft by the City Treasurer upon the counter-signature of the Mayor, and 
 no part of the funds so deposited as a part of the sinking fund of said city 
 shall be drawn upon or invested, except as ordered by said Board of Finance. 
 
 Said Board of Finance shall designate the depositories in which all city 
 funds shall be kept, and may designate the method and manner in which the 
 Controller shall keep the accounts of the various city departments and the ac- 
 counts of said city with its various officers. 
 
 Whenever it becomes necessary for said city to borrow money either upon 
 its notes or by the issuance of bonds, or to refund any of its existing indebt- 
 edness, the Court of Common Council, before acting thereon, shall first sub- 
 mit the matter to the Board of Finance for its investigation, recommendation 
 and report. 
 
 Said Board of Finance and the Ways and Means Committee of the Court 
 of Common Council, acting jointly, shall in the month of February in each 
 year, make estimates of the moneys necessary to be appropriated for the ex- 
 penses of said city for the year next ensuing, beginning April first, and of the 
 rate of taxation required to meet the same, and shall classify' the said ex- 
 penses under appropriate heads and departments. At all such meetings the 
 Mayor shall preside, and in his absence the chairman of the Ways and Means 
 Committee shall preside. 
 
 In the preparation of said estimates said Joint Committee shall give 
 notice to each board or department of a definite time and place where they 
 will meet to consider the needs of such board or department, and said body 
 
shall recommend such tax upon the polls and ratable estates within the limits 
 of said city as it shall deem necessary to meet such expenses. Said estimates 
 and the rate of taxation recommended shall be submitted to the Court of 
 Common Council at its first regular meeting in the month of March next suc- 
 ceeding, and during said month of March said court shall proceed to con- 
 sider and act upon said estimates and said appropriations and rate- of taxa- 
 tion so reported by said Board of Finance and Ways and Means Committee 
 and approved by the Court of Common Council shall be final, and the Court 
 of Common Council of said city for the year ensuing shall not make any ap- 
 propriation or authorize the expenditure of any sum in excess of the esti- 
 mates made as aforesaid, excepting upon a two-thirds vote of said Court of 
 Common Council, nor shall any of the departments of said city expend any 
 sum in excess of said estimates except the same be authorized by a two-thirds 
 vote of said Court of Common Council. 
 
 BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS. 
 
 Section i. There shall be in said city a Board of Public Works, which 
 shall consist of the Mayor, who shall be its presiding officer, and the Com- 
 missioner of Streets, the Commissioner of Charities, the Commissioner of 
 Public Safety and the Water Commissioner. The necessary expenses of said 
 department shall be paid by said city. 
 
 Sec. 2. It shall be the duty of said board to hold a regular bi-weekly 
 meeting on some week-day to be fixed by said board, and said board may hold 
 a special meeting at any time on personal notice to the members thereof or on 
 notice mailed to each member by the 'clerk of said board at least twenty-four 
 hours before the time of holding such meeting. Such special meetings shall 
 be called by the Mayor or may be called by any two members in case of the 
 absence or disability of the Mayor. 
 
 Sec. 3. It shall be the duty of said board to care for and keep in repair 
 the public buildings belonging to said city ; to confer upon the afifairs and 
 conduct of the several departments composing said Board of Public Works, 
 and no expenditure of the funds appropriated to either of the Departments of 
 Streets, Charities, Public Safety or Water, except those specifically appro- 
 priated for a particular purpose in the annual report of the Board of Finance 
 and Ways and Means Committee, shall be made by any of the said depart- 
 ments except upon the affirmative vote of the Board of Public Works. 
 
 Sec. 4. Said board shall perform such other duties as are imposed upon 
 it by the provisions of this resolution and such duties as the Court of Com- 
 mon Council may hereafter by ordinance provide. 
 
 Sec. 5. Said board shall act as a Board of Contract and Supply, and it 
 shall be its duty, after public notice and in accordance with regulations to 
 be prescribed by general ordinance of the Court of Common Council, to let 
 to the lowest bidder, who shall give adequate security for the performance 
 of his contract, all contracts for the performance of any work or for the sup- 
 ply of any materials for the use of any department of the city, in all cases 
 where such work and materials will cost to exceed five hundred ($500.00) 
 dollars, unless by a resolution passed by a two-thirds vote of each branch 
 of the Court of Common Council, it is determined to be impracticable to pro- 
 cure such work or materials by contract, or that the interests of the city re- 
 quire that such work or materials be procured otherwise, or unless in case of 
 accident or other injury by which the heating or plumbing system of any 
 public building, or by which any of the fire engines or hook and ladder 
 
trucks or any of the pumps, engines, or boilers used in connection with the 
 water works of said city shall become disabled, in which emergency the Com- 
 missioner of the appropriate department shall cause such repairs thereto to 
 be made upon the filing with the clerk of the Board of Public Works a certi- 
 ficate approved by the Mayor showing such emergency and the necessary 
 repairs. Said board shall have the power to reject any and all bids. 
 
 DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING. 
 
 There shall be in said city a Department of Engineering, the head of 
 which shall be called the City Engineer, and shall be appointed by the Mayor 
 by and with the advice and consent of the Board of Aldermen, and shall hold 
 his office during good behavior or until removed for cause as hereinbefore 
 provided for other appointees of the Mayor. 
 
 Said Department of Engineering, under the direction of the Board of 
 Public Works or of the Court of Common Council, shall make all surveys, 
 maps, plans, drawings, specifications and estimates relating to the work of 
 said Department of Public Works, or any bureau or division thereof ; or for 
 the Court of Common Council or any committee thereof, or for the Board of 
 Assessors ; shall superintend the construction of all public works of the city 
 of Hartford or any department thereof not specially entrusted to other offi- 
 cers, and do any other engineering work which said board may require ; and 
 shall perform such other duties as may be designated by said Board of Public 
 Works or by the Court of Common Council. He shall also furnish to the 
 Corporation Counsel a copy of any map or drawing or memoranda in his pos- 
 session, which said Corporation Counsel may require for the trial of any case 
 or for the preparation of any opinion. 
 
 The City Engineer shall have the custody of all maps of the city of 
 Hartford or any department thereof not especially entrusted to other city 
 officials by the General Statutes. 
 
 All employes in the Engineering Department shall be appointed and 
 may be removed by the City Engineer. The salaries of all employes in said 
 department exceeding $ioo.(30 per month shall be fixed by the Board of 
 Public Works upon the recommendation of the City Engineer. The sala- 
 ries of all employes of said department not exceeding said amount shall be 
 fixed by the City Engineer, provided that the whole expense of administer- 
 ing said department shall not exceed the sum appropriated therefor by the 
 Court of Common Council of said city. 
 
 DEPARTMENT OF STREETS. 
 
 Section i. There shall be a Department of Streets, which shall be 
 under the care and control of a Commissioner, to be appointed by the Mayor, 
 by and with the advice and consent of the Board of Aldermen. Said Com- 
 missioner shall hold office during good behavior, or until removed for cause 
 as hereinbefore provided for other appointees of the Mayor. The Street 
 Commissioner when appointed shall be responsible for the care and control 
 of all streets, avenues, highways, bridges, sidewalks, and all public ways and 
 grounds whose care is not expressly devolved upon other departments, and 
 for improving and repairing and cleaning the same. He shall have control 
 of the repairing, cleaning and maintenance of all sewers, drains, culverts, 
 sluiceways and catch-basins, and of the location and regulation within the 
 highway limits of all poles, wires, street railway tracks, electric, telegraph 
 and telephone appliances, and of all conduits, subject to the provisions of 
 
 15 
 
special and general laws. He shall make all suitable rules and regulations 
 in regard to said department and the conduct of its business. Said commis- 
 sioner shall devote his entire time to the service of the city, and shall have no 
 other occupation during his term of office, and he shall keep his office open 
 during such hours of each business day as the ordinances of the city shall 
 direct. His compensation shall be fixed by ordinance. 
 
 Sec. 2. He shall appoint all officers and employes of said department 
 and shall fix their compensation, except as herein otherwise provided. By 
 written order giving the reasons therefor, he may remove or suspend any 
 officer or employe of such department appointed by him, provided such writ- 
 ten order shall be recorded in the records of the department. 
 
 Sec. 3. He shall have power and it shall be his duty to cause to be exe- 
 cuted all orders of the Court of Common Council for the lay-out, construc- 
 tion, alteration or discontinuance of highways, streets, gutters, sidewalks, 
 curbs and crosswalks, the exchange or sale of highways, the establishrnent of 
 building lines, the erection of street lamps, the raising, filling up or drain- 
 ing of low lands, and all other orders of said court for the construction, alter- 
 ation or repair of other public works not expressly ordered to be executed or 
 superintended by other officers or persons. He shall cause the prompt com- 
 pletion of all necessary repairs of streets, highways, sewers, and public works 
 within the limits of the streets, highways and thoroughfares of the city other 
 than public buildings, and shall keep all public places, streets, and highways 
 clear of obstructions and nuisances ; shall cause the prompt removal of all 
 filth, encroachments, encumbrances, and obstructions, and shall require all 
 persons to conform to the city ordinances in the use of said streets, highways, 
 and pubHc places; shall co-operate with the Health and Police Departments 
 in their orders and rules relative to the disposition of garbage, ashes, and 
 rubbish ; shall superintend and provide, subject to the provisions hereinbefore 
 made, for the lighting of the streets, and in general may do all acts necessary 
 or proper in the execution of the powers arid duties aforesaid. The Court of 
 Common Council shall pass no vote laying out, establishing or ordering to be 
 constructed any new street, sidewalk, curb, gutter, sewer, street, building or 
 veranda lines, or any alteration, discontinuance of, or improvement relating 
 to streets and sewers until such vote or the petition for the passage of such 
 vote, shall have been referred to said Street Commissioner for investigation. 
 
 Sec. 4. The Street Commissioner shall appoint a clerk, whose salary 
 shall be limited by the Court of Common Council. It shall be the duty of said 
 clerk to perform the clerical work of said department and to preserve for the 
 use of -the department and for the use of all officers of said city, such state- 
 ment of titles to real estate to be furnished by the Corporation Counsel as 
 may facilitate the work of said department or the work of any other depart- 
 ment or officer of said city which may be designated by the Mayor. Said 
 clerk shall keep a record of the acts and proceedings of said department and 
 an account of expenditures and receipts, which shall be open to the inspec- 
 tion of any member of the Court of Common Council. Said clerk shall be 
 ex officio clerk of the Board of Public Works. 
 
 Sec. 5. Said Street Commissioner shall, as of the thirty-first day of 
 March in each year, make a report to the Court of Common Council of said 
 city of all receipts and from what sources, and of all expenditures, and for 
 what purpose, which have been received and expended during the previous 
 year, and shall also specify what orders of said court have been complied 
 with and what orders have not been carried out and the reasons for the same, 
 and shall present said report with such recommendations as he may deem 
 
 16 
 
best concerning the management of his department to said Court of Com- 
 mon Council at its first regular meeting after said thirty-first day of Marcli. 
 
 Sec. 6. The Street Commissioner may order the owner or owners of 
 any land fronting on any highway or street in said city to construct or re- 
 pair sidewalks, curbs, or gutters within the highway adjacent to said land 
 in the manner and within the time specified in such order, at such grade as 
 said city may have constructed in said highway. Notice of such order shall 
 be given by said Commissioner to the property owner afifected by said order 
 in the manner prescribed by ordinance. If any owner shall neglect or re- 
 fuse to comply with such order, or to remove snow, ice, sleet, dirt, or rub- 
 bish from the sidewalk adjacent to his land in the highway required by or- 
 dinance, it shall be the duty of the Superintendent of Streets, at the expense 
 of the city, to perform the things required by such order or ordinance, and 
 the expense so incurred shall, from the time when such Superintendent be- 
 gins to act and make expense in the premises, be and continue a lien and real 
 encumbrance in favor of said city upon such land. Such amount may also be 
 recovered in an action in the name of said city. 
 
 Sec. 7. There shall be the following bureaus in said department : 
 
 1st. A Bureau of Streets, the head of which shall be appointed by the 
 Street Commissioner, and shall be called the Superintendent of Streets. 
 Said Superintendent may appoint and remove his own subordinates, except 
 as herein provided, subject to the approval of the Street Commissioner. He 
 shall have charge, under said Commissioner, of the opening of all new streets 
 and the improvement, repair, and cleaning of all streets, avenues, highways, 
 alleys, sidewalks, curbs, gutters and public grounds under the charge of 
 said department. The salary of said Superintendent shall be limited by 
 ordinance and fixed by the Street Commissioner. 
 
 2d. A Bureau of Sewers, the head of which shall be appointed by the 
 Street Commissioner and shall be called the Superintendent of Sewers, and 
 which office may be filled by the Superintendent of Streets or otherwise, or 
 if approved by the Board of Public Works, by the City Engineer. Said 
 Superintendent shall appoint, and may remove, subject to the approval of 
 the Street Commissioner, his own subordinates, except as herein provided. 
 Said officer shall be charged under said Commissioner with the repair, 
 cleaning and general maintenance of all sewers, drains, sluiceways, culverts 
 and catch-basins, and with such other duties as may be designated by the 
 Street Commissioner or by ordinance of the Court of Common Council. The 
 salary of said Superintendent, unless he be the City Engineer, shall be lim- 
 ited by ordinance and fixed by the Street Commissioner. 
 
 3d. A Bureau of Engineering, the head of which shall -be the City 
 Engineer, which shall make all surveys, maps, plans, drawings, specifications 
 and estimates relating to the work of said department ; shall superintend the 
 construction of sewers, bridges and improved pavements, and do any other 
 engineering work required by the department, and shall care for and pre- 
 serve all maps, drawings, surveys, estimates, papers and books of said 
 bureau. 
 
 4th. A Bureau of A.ssessment, which shall consist of the Board of 
 Assessors of the city of Hartford. 
 
 Sec. 8. Said Bureau of Assessment shall act as a court for the assess- 
 ment of betterments and appraisals of damages, and whenever any public 
 work, including dykes, shall have been lawfully laid out or altered by the 
 Court of Common Council, said Bureau of Assessment may assess the whole 
 or any part of the expense of laying out, altering and making such public 
 
 17 
 
work (including highways, streets, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, sewers, parks, 
 public walks, openings between buildings, the establishment of street, building 
 and veranda lines, sidewalks and cross-walks, draining low lands, or filling up 
 the same) upon the persons whose property is, in the judgment of said 
 Bureau of Assessment, specially benefited thereby, whether the land of such 
 person or persons abuts upon such public work or not, and estimate the pro- 
 portion of such expense, which said persons shall respectively defray, and 
 enforce the collection of the same ; or may,- if it deems proi)er, assess the 
 expense of any such public work directly upon the land benefited thereby, 
 describing said land in said assessments by metes and bounds, specifying 
 the amounts assessed on each piece so described respectively, which said 
 land, on default of payment of said assessment within six months after public 
 notice thereof shall have been given, shall be liable to be sold for the pay- 
 ment of the same, and the Court of Common Council shall prescribe by 'ordi- 
 nance the manner of proceeding in such assessment and appraisal and the 
 manner of giving notice of said assessment, and the time, manner and place 
 of sale of any lands so assessed, provided always that before taking any land 
 or private property for any of the public uses aforesaid, said bureau shall 
 agree with the owner or owners thereof as to the damage done thereby, or 
 shall cause to be made a fair appraisal of s^ich damage, which shall be the 
 actual damage done to the property of such owner or owners, by taking said 
 land or private property without deducting therefrom any benefits on ac- 
 count of such public work, and shall pay to or deposit the same for the bene- 
 fit of such owner or owners. And provided further, that it shall be the duty 
 of the Court of Common Council to enact ordinances containing suitable pro- 
 vision for giving notice to all persons interested in any property so taken of 
 the proceedings of said court, in that behalf and of the appraisal of damages. 
 The City Engineer and Corporation Counsel shall attend all hearings given 
 by the Bureau of Assessment upon the assessment of benefits or appraisals 
 of damages and render such assistance in the interest of the city as may be 
 required of them in said proceedings. 
 
 Sec. 9. Before any public work or improvement, for the cost of which 
 the city of Hartford under its charter may assess benefits, shall be laid out 
 or constructed, the cost of the same, including damages to be paid, shall be 
 .ascertained by the Court of Common Council of said city, and all benefits to 
 be paid by the persons benefited thereby shall be ascertained as follows : The 
 vote or resolution proposing the layout or construction of such work or im- 
 provement shall be by said Court of Common Council referred to the Street 
 Commissioner, who shall first estimate the cost of the construction of such 
 work or improvement. It shall then be referred to the Bureau of Assess- 
 ment, which shall appraise the damages to be paid to any person for land 
 or any interest therein taken for such improvement, and shall also assess 
 the said cost of construction and the amount of such damages upon the per- 
 sons benefited thereby as hereinbefore provided, subject to the right of ap- 
 peal. Upon the completion of such proceedings, the Bureau of Assessment 
 shall report the same to said Court of Common Council with its recommen- 
 dations, and said Court of Common Council may thereupon direct the lay- 
 out or construction of such work or improvement at its discretion. 
 
 Sec. 10. Appeals may be taken from the assessment of benefits only, 
 but if taken from the appraisal of damages shall be from the said appraisal 
 and also from the assessment of benefits made at the same time and for the 
 same public w^ork. Such appeals shall be taken from the action of the 
 Bureau of Assessment to the judge of the Court of Common Pleas for the 
 
county of Hartford, and shall be taken within ten days after public notice 
 shall be given of such appraisal or assessment, and shall be by suitable peti- 
 tion in writing setting forth the whole of said assessment or appraisal and 
 assessment appealed from, and asking for a reappraisal and reassessment, 
 or for a re-assessment only, with a citation attached thereto signed by any 
 authority authorized to sign writs and returnable before said judge at 2 
 o'clock in the afternoon on the day three weeks subsequent to the day on 
 which public notice of said appraisal shall have been given, and said cita- 
 tion shall be served upon the Clerk of said city at least six days before the 
 return day thereof. 
 
 Sec. II. As many of the parties interested as may choose to do so 
 niay join in such appeal, and when separate appeals are taken by different 
 parties from one assessment and appraisal, all such appeals shall be heard 
 and tried as one cause. 
 
 Sec. 12. Such appeals may be heard by said judge, but shall, upon 
 the motion of any party thereto, or person interested therein, be referred to 
 a committee for hearing. 
 
 Sec. 13. If, upon the hearing of any appeal, the judge or committee 
 shall find cause to alter said appraisal and assessment, or assessment of 
 benefits only, then said .judge or committee shall proceed to re-apportion 
 the whole amount of the damages and benefits, or benefits only, upon the per- 
 sons or land specially benefited. 
 
 Sec. 14. If the judge or committee hearing said appeal shall be of 
 opinion that persons other than those who appear upon the record are inter- 
 ested in the subject matter of said appeal, said judge or committee shall 
 cause the appellants to give notice of the pendency of the proceedings to 
 such other persons, which notice shall be by publication in one or more news- 
 papers published in said city for such time and in such form as said judge 
 or committee shall direct. 
 
 Sec. 15. Said judge shall have, for the purpose of disposing of said 
 appeal, all the power of the Superior Court, and may render judgment there- 
 on and mav tax costs in favor of either party and issue execution for said 
 costs to be taxed as upon civil process in the Superior Court. 
 
 Sec. 16. Said judge shall, when the proceedings in any case arising un- 
 der this act are closed, return all the papers connected with the case to the 
 Clerk of said city, to be kept by him on file, and all appeals wdiich may here- 
 after be taken from any appraisal of damages or assessments of benefits made 
 by the Bureau of Assessment of the city of Hartford to the Judge of the 
 Court of Common Pleas for the county of Hartford, and which shall be 
 l^ending at the time of the completion of the term of service of said Judge, 
 shall be heard and disposed of as fully and completely by the successor of 
 such Judge as said appeals might have been by the Judge to whom the\' 
 were originally taken, and nothing in this act shall affect any appeal from 
 the Board of Street Commissioners now pending. 
 
 Sec. 17. Upon the final layout or completion of the construction of 
 any such public work the Street Commissioner shall give notice thereof, 
 and that said benefits are due and payable, by publication twice in two daily 
 newspapers published in said city, and all benefits assessed therefor shall 
 be immediately due and payable. If the actual cost of the construction of 
 any public work shall be less than the sum estimated by the Street Com- 
 missioner and assessed upon the parties benefitc^d, each of the parties so as- 
 sessed shall be entitled to a proportionate deduction from his assessment. 
 Said benefits shall be a lien upon the land on account of which they were as- 
 
 19 
 
sessed, which said Hen shall CGmmence and attach to said land from the tinie 
 of the passage by the Court of Common Council of the vote laying out or 
 ordering the construction of said work, provided that the same shall not re- 
 main a lien thereon for a longer period than three months from the date of 
 the last publication provided for in this section, unless the Street Commis- 
 sioner shall within that time lodge with the Town Clerk of the town of 
 Hartford for record a certificate signed by him describing the premises, the 
 amount assessed and the improvement for which it was assessed. 
 
 Sec. 1 8. In all cases in which the Court of Common Council shall have 
 agreed upon with or appraised to any person or persons damages for taking 
 any land or private property for any public work in said city, and shall also 
 have assessed betterments on account of the same jiublic work upon the 
 owner or owners of such land or ])rivate property, or upon such land or pri- 
 vate property, the amount of such assessment shall l)e an offset against such 
 damages, and the City Treasurer mav credit such owner or owners with 
 the amount of such assessment so assessed upon or payable by him or them, 
 and the entry of such credit upon the books of said Treasurer shall have the 
 same effect as the payment to such owner or owners so credited in whole or 
 part payment, as the case may be, of the sum appraised for such damages, 
 but the Court of Common Council may, in any indivi4ual case where they 
 see fit, pay the whole of such damages and collect the assessments of better- 
 ments as heretofore. 
 
 Sec. 19. Whenever it shall be necessary for the proper construction of 
 any bridge, sewer, culvert, highway, embankment or other public work or 
 improvement in the city* of Hartford, or for the protection and security of 
 any such public work already constructed, it shall be lawful for the Court 
 of Common Council of said city to direct and for the Street Commissioner 
 to cause any stream or water course not navigable within the limits of said 
 citv to be changed and diverted from its natural or ])resent channel, into a 
 new or different channel. ^' 
 
 Sec. 20. Before causing any stream or water course to be diverted as 
 provided in the preceding section, the said Street Commissioner shall agree 
 with the owner or owners of any property or franchise which may be re- 
 quired for the said purpose as to the amount of compensation or damage 
 to be paid to the said owner or owners *fcr the same, and in case of disagree- 
 ment between said commissioner and any such owner or owners as to the 
 amount of such damage or compensation, then the same shall be appraised 
 in the same manner hereinbefore provided for the appraisal of damages for 
 the laying out of highways, and any pers.ui aggrieved by said appraisal shall 
 have the same right of appeal as parties aggrieved by the appraisal of dam- 
 ages in laying out highways. This act, however, shall not be so construed 
 as to impose any new liability for damages lipon said city for any change in 
 any water course indirectly or necessarily resulting from the legal layout 
 and construction of any public work already built or hereafter to be built. 
 
 Sec. 21. The Court of Common Council of the city of Hartford is 
 hereby authorized whenever in its opinion the public health or proper sewer- 
 age of said city requires such action, to take, occupy, and appropriate in 
 such manner as they shall from time to time deem expedient, any stream or 
 part of a stream, natural or artificial, running in or through said city, and to 
 straighten, deepen, or lower the same, or lower, alter, or remove any or all 
 walls, dams, flumes or other obstruction toi the free and healthy flow of such 
 stream or part of a stream, or raise any of said dams, or build and maintain 
 other dams where the public health or convenience miay require, or to cover 
 
any such stream or part thereof, by arches, culverts, or other struc- 
 tures, or to divert the w^ater from such stream or part thereof, and 
 cause it to flow through a sewer or other aqueduct built in and lipon the bed 
 of such stream, or laid in the earth in or near either bank thereof, or to re- 
 move or cause to be removed, or alter any or all structures which at any sea- 
 son of the year cause the accumulation of stagnant water or interrupt in any 
 manner the free and healthy flow of any part of said stream. 
 
 Sec. 22. Whenever said Common Council shall take action under the 
 foregoing power, the vote or resolution proposing said improvement shall 
 be referred to the Street Commissioner of said city, who shall cause to be 
 prepared a descriptive survey of the improvement proposed, with a careful 
 estimate of the cost of completing the same, and agree if possible with the 
 parties interested upon the damages and special benefits on account of such 
 improvement. He shall give notice ten days prior to the time appointed in 
 said notice for said hearing in two daily newspapers published in said city, 
 of a time and place for meeting all parties interested in said improvement, 
 and if at such meeting no agreement can be made, said city may proceed in 
 the manner provided in the next succeeding section. But if such agreement 
 shall be made by said Commissioner and ratified by said Common Council, 
 the sums agreed upon having been paid to the parties entitled thereto, or 
 deposited to their credit in the City Treasury, said city may proceed with 
 and complete said improvement, and do all things necessary or convenient 
 for that purpose without further liability. 
 
 Sfx. 23. If said Street Commissioner shall be unable to agree with the 
 parties interested upon the damages or benefits to be paid on account of such 
 improvement; the Superior Court for Hartford county may, on application 
 of said city, after causing such notice to be given of the pendency of such 
 application as said court shall order, appoint three judicious and disinter- 
 ested freeholders of the county of Hartford to estimate the damages and 
 benefits resulting from said improvement ; and said committee having been 
 duly sworn, and having given notice of the time and place of their meeting 
 for the purpose aforesaid, by publishing the same not less than three times 
 in each of two newspapers published daily in said city at least ten days prior 
 to said meeting, shall meet at the time and place designated, and, having 
 heard all parties in interest who shall appear before them, shall determine 
 what parties will be damaged by said improvement in excess of special bene- 
 fits and the amount thereof ; also what parties owning or interested in lands, 
 easements, or franchises within a reasonable distance of said improvement 
 will receive special benefit over all damage and the amount thereof ; and also 
 what parties will receive an equal amount of damage and benefit ; and there- 
 upon said committee shall report in writing to said court, which may con- 
 firm, correct, alter, or set aside said report and decide all questions that may 
 be raised in the proceedings. If said report shall be set aside, said com- 
 mittee, or a new one to be appointed by said court, shall proceed as before, 
 and their report being finally accepted by such court shall be confirmed by 
 the order or decree of said court ; and said report and order or decree shall 
 be recorded by the Clerk of the Superior Court for Hartford county, and 
 the award of damages and benefits therein contained shall be final between 
 the parties, and said damages being paid or deposited as before provided, 
 said city may proceed with and complete said public improvement, and do all 
 acts necessary or convenient for that purpose without further liability. 
 
 Sec. 24. All amounts due to said city as special benefits under the pre- 
 ceding sections, whether reached by agreement or assessment, may be col- 
 
lected by warrant under the hand of the Mayor or Acting Mayor of said 
 city, directed to the Collector thereof, who shall enforce the same in the same 
 manner as tax warrants are served and enforced. Every such amount shall 
 also be and remain a lien upon the land or other property on account of 
 which it was assessed, which said lien shall commence and attach to said land 
 from the time the Common Council shall take action, laying out or ordering 
 said improvement ; provided, that the same shall not remain a lien thereon 
 for a longer period than three months after the final completion and ac- 
 ceptance of said work or improvement, unless the Street Commissioner shall 
 within that time lodge with the Town Clerk of the town of Hartford, for 
 record, a certificate signed by the Street Commissioner, describing the prem- 
 ises, the amount assessed, and the improvement for which it was assessed. 
 Sec. 25. Upon the completion of said work or improvement, the said 
 Street Commissioner shall give notice thereof, and that said benefits are due 
 and payable, by publication twice in two daily newspapers published in said 
 city, and all benefits assessed thereon shall be immediate!/ due and pay- 
 able. If the actual cost of the construction of such improvement or public 
 work shall be less than the sum assessed upon the parties benefited, each of 
 the parties so assessed shall be entitled to a proportionate deduction from his 
 assessment. 
 
 WATER DEPARTMENT. 
 
 Section i. There shall be a Department of Water, which shall be un- 
 der the care and control of a Commissioner to be appointed by the Mayor, 
 by and with the advice and consent of the Board of Aldermen. Said Com- 
 missioner shall hold office during good behavior or until removed for cause 
 as hereinbefore provided for other appointees of the Mayor. He shall de- 
 vote his whole time and attention to the construction, extension, supervision, 
 care and management of the water works. His salary shall be fixed by city 
 ordinance. He shall have power to appoint a secretary, who shall keep full 
 and accurate records of the department and shall file and preserve all papers 
 belonging to the department; a cashier, who shall give bonds to the city in 
 the sum of $20,000, and also necessary superintendents of the works, to act 
 under his instructions ; and may also employ such other laborers, servants and 
 agents, as may be necessary for the prosecution of the business entrusted 
 to his charge, and may remove the same at pleasure ; and may fix the com- 
 pensation of said clerk, superintendent or employes, subject to the approval 
 of the Board of Finance. 
 
 Sec. 2. He shall have the care, control and management of all prop- 
 erty connected with the water works of the city of Hartford, and shall pro- 
 vide for the proper preservation and maintenance thereof. He shall cause 
 the prompt completion of all repairs thereon, and the extension of service 
 pipes as the same shall be needed. The proceeds of all bonds issued by the 
 city for construction expenditures in its Water Department shall be ex- 
 pended only upon the requisition of the Board of Finance. 
 
 Sec. 3. He shall establish the rates for the use of water, subject to the 
 approval of the Common Council ; and whenever any rent shall remain un- 
 paid after the time prescribed and limited for payment by the rules of said 
 Commissioner, it shall be lawful for said city to charge and receive addi- 
 tional percentage for collecting the same ; provided, the conditions of said 
 percentage be published in the same manner as the by-laws made by said 
 city for the preservation of said water works. 
 
 Sec. 4. He shall collect all sums due for the use of water, including 
 
all percentages for delayed payment, and shall pay over to the City Treas- 
 urer each day the money so collected. 
 
 Sec. 5. The Common Council shall pass no vote or resolution ordering 
 or establishing new mains, or any alteration in said water works, until such 
 vote, or petition asking for the passage of such vote, shall have been re- 
 ferred to the Commissioner for investigation. Any claim or debt due for 
 the use of the water or for service pipes shall be and constitute a lien upon 
 the land, building, tenement or premises, upon or in connection with which 
 said water or pipe are used, against the owner of the same, his heirs or as- 
 signs, until such claim or debt is fully paid ; but the same shall not remain 
 a lien for a Jpnger period than three months after the same becomes due, un- 
 less a certificate shall be lodged by the said Commissioner with the Town 
 Clerk of the town of Hartford, and signed by him or his secretary, describ- 
 ing the premises and the amount claimed under said lien. And said lien 
 may be foreclosed in the name of said city at any time after said debt or 
 claim is due and payable, before the Court of Common Pleas for Hartford 
 County, in the same manner as a mortgage is foreclosed, or may be collected 
 of the person or persons liable therefor in an action before the said court. 
 
 Sec. 6. The city of Hartford by said Water Commissioner, is hereby 
 empowered to take and convey from the Connecticut river and from any 
 water source or supply in the towns of Hartford, West Hartford, Avon, 
 Farmington and Bloomfield such supply of water as the convenience or 
 necessity of the inhabitants of said city or the inhabitants of any of said 
 towns who Hve upon the line of the main pipe carrying such water supply 
 may require, and may also extend and continue said water main from the 
 north line of the town of Wethersfield through the highway to the Con- 
 necticut State Prison, and to such other points in the town of Wethersfield 
 as may have been or may hereafter be agreed upon between said Commis- 
 sioner or said city and the Selectmen of said town of Wethersfield. And 
 said city of Hartford is empowered to take and hold, and said Commissioner 
 to acquire, lands and other estate in said city or towns necessary for the con- 
 struction of any canals, aqueducts, reservoir and other works for conveying 
 or containing water, or for laying any pipes or conductors for conveying 
 water into or through said city or towns, or to secure or maintain any por- 
 tion of the water works of said city, and in general to do any act necessary 
 or convenient for accomplishing the purpose of supplying said city and the 
 aforesaid inhabitants of said towns with water, and to distribute said water 
 in said city and towns. 
 
 Sec. 7. The city of Hartford and the Water Commissioner thereof, 
 for the purpose of improving and increasing the water supply of said city, 
 are hereby authorized and empowered to take and hold the stream known as 
 the south or west branch of Salmon brook, a stream entering the Farming- 
 ton river at or near Tariffville, Connecticut, together with the streams and 
 water sources connecting with said south or west branch of said Salmon 
 brook, above a point on said stream three thousand feet northeasterly from 
 the point where the highway leading from Bushy Hill Corners southward 
 between the Barn Door Hills, so-called, into the town of Simsbury crosses 
 said stream. And said city and the Water Commissioner thereof are further 
 empowered to take and hold any lands which may be necessary or con- 
 venient for constructing aqueducts and reservoirs for the purpose of utiliz- 
 ing such water supply and conveying the same to the city of Hartford, under 
 the provisions of this charter ; provided, however, that no authority is hereby 
 given to take water from the Farmington river or any of the ponds and 
 
 23 
 
streams tributary thereto, which He to the northward of and flow through 
 the southern boundary of the town of Canton ; and further provided, that no 
 authority is hereby given to take water from the stream from which the 
 town of Granby now receives its supply of water for domestic purposes, 
 or from any other tributaries of said Salmon brook which enter said brook 
 or any of its branches below the point on said stream above described. 
 
 Sec. 8. Before any highway is overflowed by reason of a dam erected 
 under the authority given by this resolution, said city and Water Commis- 
 sioner thereof, if they cannot agree with the Selectmen of any town inter- 
 ested in the layout, grading or alteration of such highway, as to the change 
 in the layout, grading, or other alteration of said highway, a^id as to the 
 payment of the cost of the construction thereof, shall prefer its application 
 to the Superior Court of the county in which such highway is located, ac- 
 companied by a summons signed by proper authority to be served, in the 
 same manner as civil process, on one of such Selectmen to appear and be 
 heard thereon, and unless the parties shall agree as to the judgment to be 
 rendered, said application shall be heard and decided by a committee of three 
 disinterested persons to be appointed by the court. Upon such hearing said 
 committee shall make such alterations in such highway as it may judge to 
 be necessary, survey and lay out the same, and, having given three days' 
 notice to the owner or owners of all the land affected by such alteration, per- 
 sonally or by leaving a written notice at their respective places of abode, if 
 residents of this state, or if non-residents, by like notice to the persons hav- 
 ing charge of the land of the time and place of their meeting for this pur- 
 pose, shall under oath estimate the damages sustained by or the special 
 benefits accruing to each person by such change in the layout, grading, or 
 other alteration of said highway, and report in writing their doings to said 
 court. All persons and parties interested in the alteration of such highway 
 may appear before said court and remonstrate against the acceptance of said 
 report for any irregularity or improper conduct on the part of the committee, 
 and for that cause the court may set aside said report. And if the court shall 
 be of the opinion that said report ought to be accepted the court shall accept 
 it, and the damages so assessed with the costs of the application shall be paid 
 by the town, and the amount assessed for special benefits shall be paid to the 
 town by the persons upon whom they were assessed, and all assessments of 
 benefits may be collected in the same manner as town taxes. Said com- 
 mittee shall also estimate the cost of the construction of said new highway 
 by reason of the change in the layout, grading, or other alteration of said 
 highway as determined by said committee ; and when said city and Water 
 Commissioner thereof shall have paid to said town the amount of damages 
 paid by said town to the persons found to be specially damaged by the 
 change of the layout, grading, or other alteration of said highway, less the 
 amount of special benefits assessed against persons found by said committee 
 to be specially benefited by said change in the layout, grading, or other alter- 
 ation of said highway, together with the costs of such application and esti- 
 mated cost of the construction of the change in the layout, grading, or other 
 alteration of said highway, such payment shall be in full of any and all 
 claims on the part of any person, individual or corporation against said city 
 and Water Commissioner thereof on account of damages to such highway by 
 reason of the erection of said dam. 
 
 Sec. 9. If said city and its Water Commissioner thereof shall intro- 
 duce water into said city under the authority given under Section 7 of this 
 resolution, it shall be lawful and shall be the duty of said city to supply said 
 
 24 
 
water to the inhabitants of said town of Granby upon the same terms and 
 conditions that water is now supplied to the inhabitants of the town of West 
 Hartford. 
 
 Sec. io. If said city and its Water Commissioner thereof shall intro- 
 duce water into said city under the authority given by this resolution, it 
 shall be lawful, and shall be the duty of said city to supply said water to the 
 inhabitants of any of the towns through which the line of main pipes con- 
 ducting said water to the city of Hartford shall pass, who live within one- 
 half of a mile of said line of main pipes, upon the same terms and conditions 
 that water is now supplied to the inhabitants of the town of West Hartford. 
 
 Sec. II. The city of Hartford is hereby authorized and empowered to 
 extend its water mains from the Hartford and Bloomficld town line through 
 the highway known as Blue Hills Avenue northerly into the town of Bloom- 
 field, and to the second or main entrance to Mount St. Benedict's cemetery, 
 and thence to such other points in the town of Bloomfield as may be agreed 
 upon by said city and Water Commissioner thereof and the Selectmen of 
 the town of Bloomfield. Said city and Water Commissioner thereof shall 
 have control of said water mains and of the connections thereto, and shall 
 have the same rights and be subject to the same duties and obligations in re- 
 spect thereto and to the laying and the repair thereof, as though the same 
 were within the limits of the city of Hartford. 
 
 Sec. 12. It shall be lawful and it shall be the duty of said city and Water 
 Commissioner thereof to supply water from such extended mains to any of 
 the inhabitants of said town of Bloomfield living within one-half of a mile 
 of said line of main pipes, so extended, upon the same terms and conditions 
 under which water is now^ supplied to inhabitants of the town of West Hart- 
 ford. 
 
 Sec. 13. Said city, by its Water Commissioner, is hereby authorized 
 to enter in or upon any land or water for the purpose of making surveys, and 
 to agree with the owner or owners of any property or franchise which 
 may be required for the purposes of this act, as to the amount of 
 compensation to be paid to such owner or owners for the same, and in case of 
 disagreement between said city and any owner or owners as to such compen- 
 sation, or as to the amount of damages which ought to be awarded to any per- 
 son claiming to be injured in his estate by the doings of said city, or in case 
 any such owmer shall be an infant, married woman or insane, or absent from 
 this State, or unknown, or the owner of a contingent or uncertain interest, any 
 Judge of the Superior Court may, on the application of either party, cause 
 such notice to be given of said application as said Judge shall see fit to pre- 
 scribe, and after proof thereof may appoint three disinterested persons to ex- 
 amine the property proposed to be taken for or damaged by said city ; ,and 
 they, being duly sworn to a faithful discharge of their duty, shall estimate the 
 amount of compensation which said owners shall receive, and report the same 
 in writing to said Judge, who may thereupon confirm the doings of said ap- 
 praisers and direct whether said city shall pay the same in full compensation 
 for the property taken or the injury done the property by said city. Said 
 Judge shall prescribe the manner and time of such payment, and upon com- 
 pliance with such order, said city may proceed with the construction of said 
 work w^ithout any liability to any further claim for compensation or dam- 
 ages. Said Judge shall lodge the application, and all the papers in any such 
 proceeding after its final disposition, with the clerk of the Superior Court 
 for Hartford county, to be by him kept on file, and to be recorded in a book 
 
 2i 
 
provided for the purpose. All property held for the water purposes of the 
 city, wherever situated, shall be exempt from taxation. 
 
 Sec. 14. Said city shall have control of all the mains and connections 
 lying and being in said towns as fully as if the same were located in said city 
 of Hartford, and is empowered to make use of the ground or soil under any 
 road, railroad, highway, street, private way, land or alley, the same to be 
 restored to its usual condition and damages done thereto to be repaired, and 
 all special damages thereby maintained by any person or corporation to be 
 paid to such person or corporation. The Commissioner may make by-laws 
 and regulations for the protection, preservation or management of said 
 water works, and the same may be enforced by suitable penalties, to be fixed 
 by ordinance. 
 
 Sec. 15. All property now held in the -name of the Board of Water 
 Commissioners of said city, and all rights of action vested in, or that have ac- 
 crued to said board, shall by this act be vested in said city of Hartford, and 
 said city shall have the right in its own name to collect all moneys due for the 
 use of water, including all fines and penalties and additions, and to foreclose 
 all liens that have been filed in the name of said Water Board, and to en- 
 force all contracts made with them or their predecessors, and it is hereby 
 made the duty of the present Board of Water Commissioners to execute all 
 necessary papers to perfect the title of said property in said city. 
 
 Sec. 16. If any person shall maliciously and wilfully corrupt the water 
 of any reservoir, cistern, hydrant, conductor, engine, pipe, or any portion of 
 the water works of the city of Hartford, or destroy or injure any work, ma- 
 chinery, materials, or property erected, constructed, usecl or designed to be 
 used within the city of Hartford or elsewhere for the purpose of procuring 
 and keeping a supply of water, the city Police Court shall have jurisdiction 
 of the offense, and shall punish the oft'ender by a fine not exceeding two hun- 
 dred dollars, or by imprisonment not exceeding six months, or by such fine 
 and imprisonment both, and said offender shall also be liable for treble the 
 actual damage in a civil action brought therefor in the name of the said city 
 before the Court of Common Pleas for Hartford county. 
 
 Sec. 17. All lands under the control of this department and used for its 
 purposes, including its park and driveways about its reservoirs, shall be for 
 all purposes included within the water works property of the city. 
 
 Sec. 18. It shall be the duty of the city of Hartford and the Water 
 Commissioner thereof, to lay connecting pipes and furnish water to any of 
 the residents of the town of West Hartford or to owners of land or buildings 
 in said West Hartford who may apply. to them for the same, from the pipes 
 which conduct water through said town to the city of Hartford, whenever 
 such residents or owners will guarantee that ten per centum of the cost of 
 the additional necessary connecting pipes and of the expenses of laying the 
 same shall be annually paid to said city as water rents or otherwise ; and any 
 of such residents or owners shall be furnished with water by said board 
 whenever such owners or residents shall themselves lay the pipes for that 
 purpose; and the rates so paid for water so furnished as above shall be the 
 same as are from time to time established by said commission and approved 
 by the Common Council of said city for the inhabitants of said city. 
 
 DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY. 
 
 Section i. There shall be a Department of Public Safety, which shall 
 be under the care and control of a Commissioner to be appointed by the 
 
 26 
 
Mayor and confirmed by the Board of Aldermen. Such Commissioner shall 
 hold office during good behavior or until removed for cause as hereinbefore 
 provided for other appointees of the Mayor. He shall devote his entire time 
 to the service of the city, and shall have no other occupation during his term 
 of office, and he shall keep his office open during such hours of each business 
 day as the ordinances of the city shall direct. His compensation shall be 
 fixed by ordinance. 
 
 Sec. 2. The Commissioner of Public Safety shall have charge and 
 supervision over (a) the police department; (b) the fire department; (c) 
 the health department, and shall have the powers conferred by statute on 
 Police Commissioners, Fire Commissioners, Health" Officers and Health 
 Commissioners. 
 
 Sec. 3. The Commissioner shall appoint a secretary, to hold office dur- 
 ing his pleasure. \t shall be the duty of the secretary to attend at the of- 
 fice of the Commissioner and keep, under his direction, first, all records and 
 papers relating to the police department ; second, all records and papers re- 
 lating to the fire department ; third, all records and papers belonging to the 
 health department. The Commissioner shall also cause a record to be kept 
 of all his official acts and all such records and papers must at all times be 
 open to the inspection of the Mayor, and on the written order of the Mayor, 
 to the inspection of any resident of the city. 
 
 Sec. 4. The Commissioner shall make rules and regulations not in- 
 consistent with the provisions of this charter, the other laws of the State, or 
 the ordinances of the city for the government, direction, management and 
 discipline of the police department, the fire department and the health de- 
 partment. He shall have control of all the property of the city used for and 
 by said departments and shall, subject to the limitations contained in the 
 duties and obligations devolving on the Board of Public Works, purchase all 
 supplies used by said department, and shall provide for the heating, lighting 
 and repairs of all buildings used by said departments. 
 
 POLICE DEPARTMENT. 
 
 Section i. The Police Department shall as to its component parts re- 
 main as now constituted until the same shall be changed by the action of the 
 Common Council, which has power at all times by ordinance to determine 
 the number of members of the Police Department and the classes or grades 
 into which they shall be divided. 
 
 Sec. 2. The Commissioner has authority to appoint as vacancies in the 
 police force occur or as the ordinances of the Common Council may require, 
 all the officers and members of the police force (except, however, that when 
 he shall appoint a chief of police, such appointment shall be with the written 
 approval of the Mayor), and at all times to classify and distribute them into 
 grades to conform to such ordinances, and under such ordinances he may 
 appoint and assign to duty, temporary or special members of the police force 
 for such time of service and upon such terms and conditions as such ordi- 
 nances may specify, and wdth the same powers as the regular members of 
 the police force, except as limited in such ordinances. All members of the 
 regular police force shall be appointed from the supernumerary force; but 
 no one shall be permanently appointed until he shall have performed active 
 police service as supernumerary for at least one year. 
 
 Sec. 3. The Commissioner of Public Safety shall have power for 
 caus<', after a hearing on charges preferred by himself or otherwise, to re- 
 
 27 
 
move, reduce in rank, or suspend without pay, any officer or employe in the 
 police department that he has power to appoint. 
 
 No removal, reduction in rank, or suspension shall be made for political 
 reasons. 
 
 Charges against any officer or employe shall be preferred by serving 
 upon the person accused at least forty-eight hours before the time fixed for 
 a hearing, a copy of the charges so preferred against said officer or employe. 
 
 Sec. 4. In addition to the supernumerary and regular police force of 
 the city of Hartford, there shall be an honorary grade, known as the veteran 
 reserve, to which the Commissioner of Public Safety may, at his discretion 
 and subject to the written approval of the Mayor, transfer any member^! 
 the regular force, who shall through age or physical disabilities incurred in 
 the discharge of perilous duty ui in long and faithful service, become per- 
 manently disqualified for the more active duties oi the regular grade ; and 
 said Commissioner of Public Safety may, at his discretion and subject to the 
 written approval of the Mayor, as a reward for conspicuously meritorious- 
 service, retire permanently from duty any member of the veteran reserve 
 after twenty years of continuous service in the department, upon the certifi- 
 cate of the surgeon of the department or of a board of surgeons, to be desig- 
 nated by said Commissioner of Public Safety, showing that said member is 
 permanently disabled, physically or mentally, so as to be unfit for any police 
 duty ; provided, that such surgeon or board of surgeons shall further certify 
 that in his or its opinion said disability is due to injury received or exposure 
 endured in the performance of duty in sai'd department ; and such member 
 so retired shall be entitled to receive from the policemen's relief fund of the 
 department, during his life-time, unless said vote is annulled by said Com- 
 missioner, with the approval of the Mayor, an annual sum, payable monthly, 
 not exceeding one-half, nor less than one-third, of his previous compensa- 
 tion per annum. 
 
 Sec. 5. Said Commissioner of Public Safety shall permanently retire 
 from duty any member of the veteran reserve upon his written request ; pro- 
 vided, such member has served thirty years of continuous duty in the de 
 partment, and shall through age or physical disabilities incurred in the dis- 
 charge of perilous duty, or in long and faithful service, become permanently 
 disqualified for the more active duties of the regular grade, and provided, 
 that the surgeon of the department, or a board of surgeons to be designated 
 by said Commissioner of Public Safety, shall certify that in his or its opinion 
 said disability is due to injury received or exposure endured in the perform- 
 ance of duty in said department ; and such member so retired shall be enti- 
 tled to receive from the policemen's relief fund of the department, during his 
 life-time, an annual sum, payable monthly, equal to one-half of his previous 
 compensation per annum. 
 
 Sec. 6. The Common Council shall by ordinance fix the pay or com- 
 pensation of all active members of the department. 
 
 Sec. 7. The provisions of Chapter 124 of the General Statutes of Con- 
 necticut relating to the police benefit fund shall apply to the Police Depart- 
 ment of the city of Hartford, and the Mayor of the city, the Commissioner 
 of Public Safety and the Controller shall be the trustees of said fund. The 
 Commissioner of Public Safety shall be president of said board of trustees 
 and shall draw all orders upon said fund, which shall be countersigned by 
 the secretary of said board of trustees, who shall be designated by the board. 
 All the duties devolving under said chapter of the General Statutes upon the 
 
Police Commissioners or Police Committee are hereby devolved upon the 
 Commissioner of Public Safety. 
 
 FIRE DEPARTMENT. 
 
 Section i. The Fire Department shall as to its component parts re- 
 main as now constituted until the same shall be changed by the action of the 
 Common Council, which has power at all times by ordinance to determme the 
 number of members of the Fire Department and the classes or grades into 
 which they shall be divided. 
 
 Sec. 2. The Commissioner of Public Safety has authority to appoint 
 as vacancies in the Fire Department occur, or as the ordinances of the Com- 
 mon Council may require, all the officers and members of the Fire Depart- 
 ment (except, however, that when he shall appoint a chief of the Fire De- 
 partment, such appointment shall be with the written approval of the 
 Mayor), and at all times to classify and distribute them into grades to con- 
 form to such ordinances. 
 
 Sec. 3. The Commissioner of Public Safety shall have power for 
 cause, after a hearing on charges preferred by himself or otherwise, to re- 
 move, reduce in rank, or suspend without pay any officer or employe in the 
 Fire Department that he has power to appoint. 
 
 No removal, reduction in rank or suspension shall be made for political 
 reasons. 
 
 Charges against any officer or employe shall be preferred by serving 
 upon the person accused at least forty-eight hours before the time fixed for 
 a hearing, a co])y of the charges so preferred against said officer or employe. 
 
 FIREMEN'S RELIEF FUND. 
 
 Section i. There shall be in the city of Hartford a fund known as 
 and called The Firemen's Relief Fund, which shall consist of moneys re- 
 ceived from the following sources : First : All bequests or donations to the 
 department from private or public sources for the purposes for which this 
 fund is constituted. Second : ^lonthly assessments on the salaries of mem- 
 bers of the department, not exceeding two per centum thereof, as the trus- 
 tees of said relief fund shall from time to time determine ; provided, the as- 
 sessment upon permanent men shall not exceed one-half the rate of assess- 
 ment made upon the call men. Third : Five per centum of all fees collected 
 on account of licenses issued to sell spirituous or intoxicating liquors within 
 the limits of the town of Hartford, and such sums as the Court of Common 
 Council may see fit to appropriate from time to time. 
 
 Sec. 2. Said relief fund shall be under the general charge of the 
 Mayor, the Commissioner of Public Safety and the Controller, who shall 
 be a board of trustees for this purpose, and shall have discretionary power 
 to make and change investments. The Commissioner of Public Safety, the 
 Chief of the Fire Department and the Treasurer of the city of Hartford, 
 by virtue of their offices, shall be, respectively, the president, the secretary 
 and the treasurer of said board of trustees. All orders drawn against said 
 relief fund shall be signed by the ])resident and countersigned by the secre- 
 tary of said board. 
 
 Sec. 3. From this relief fund said board of trustees by a majority vote 
 may appropriate and cause to be paid such sums and at such times as they 
 may deem advisable, to the following persons and for the following pur- 
 poses : First : Any member of said department who shall be permanently 
 
disabled for the performance of ordinary duty as the result of injury received 
 or exposure endured in the performance of duty, upon such medical exam- 
 ination, as sai'd board of trustees may prescribe. Second : Any member who, 
 after twenty years of meritorious service, shall have been retired from ordi- 
 nary duty or detailed for some special duty, or, if a call man of said depart- 
 ment, shall be entitled when retired to a yearly amount not to exceed the 
 yearly amount he received in service before retirement, and if a permanent 
 tireman, he shall be entitled to a yearly amount not exceeding one-half the 
 regular yearly compensation received in service before retirement. 
 
 Sec. 4. The secretary of the board of trustees shall record all proceed- 
 ings and votes taken by said trustees in reference to said fund and said pay- 
 ments, stating the name and vote of each member of said board of trustees 
 on any matter relating thereto. An itemized report of the condition of said 
 relief fund and of all receipts and disbursements in connection therewith 
 shall be submitted by said board of trustees to the Court of Common Coun- 
 cil in the month of March in each year. 
 
 Sec. 5. Any person who shall neglect or refuse to pay whatever as- 
 sessments may be laid shall not be entitled to any benefits from this fund. 
 
 Sec. 6. The board of trustees shall have power to make all rules and 
 regulations necessary to carry the foregoing into effect. 
 
 HEALTH DEPARTMENT. 
 
 The Commissioner of Public Safety shall appoint, with the written ap- 
 proval of the Mayor, a Health Officer for the city of Hartford, who shall 
 have and exercise under the direction of the Commissioner of Public Safety, 
 throughout the city of Hartford and over the Connecticut river adjacent 
 thereto, all the jurisdiction, powers, privileges and duties now by law 
 vested in and imposed upon town health officers in this State in their re- 
 spective towns and all the powers now vested in the Board of Health of said 
 city. Said Health Officer may from time to time make such by-laws, rules, 
 regulations and orders as in his judgment the preservation of the public 
 health shall require, provided the same be not inconsistent with the constitu- 
 tion or laws of this State or the United States or with the charter or ordi- 
 nances of said city, and shall cause to be executed and enforced the health 
 ordinances of said city and generally shall do and cause to be done whatever 
 now is or may hereafter be prescribed by the ordinances of «aid city or by 
 the Court of Common Council to preserve the health of said city, and said 
 Health Officer shall have, under the direction of the Commissioner of Public 
 Safety and subject to the ordinances of said city, and the orders of the Court 
 of Common Council, jurisdiction over the matter of the removal and disposi- 
 tion of garbage, the establishment and management of garbage plants and 
 the establishment and management of any agencies for the production of 
 remedies tending to the preservation of the public health of said city. 
 
 CHARITY DEPARTMENT. 
 
 Section i. There shall be a Department of Charity, which shall be 
 under the care and control of a Commissioner to be appointed by the Mayor, 
 by and with the advice and consent of the Board of Aldermen. Said Com- 
 missioner shall hold office during good behavior or until removed for cause 
 as hereinbefore provided for other appointees of the ]\Iayor. He shall have 
 all the powers and duties heretofore vested in the Board of Selectmen of the 
 
 30 
 
town of Hartford and now vested in the Board of Charity Commissioners of 
 the city of Hartford, or which shall hereafter be vested by law in the Se- 
 lectmen of the several towns of this State, in relation to soldiers' orphans, 
 the support of paupers, licenses for the sale of spirituous and intoxicating 
 liquors, the care of the insane and indigent, the adoption of children, the 
 commitment of imbecile children to proper institutions, the indenture of ap- 
 prentices, the appointment of overseers and conservators, and duties relative 
 to the deaf, dumb and blind, and concerning all other matters aiTecting the 
 defective and dependent classes. He shall devote his entire time to the ser- 
 vice of the city, and shall have no other occupation during his term of office, 
 and he shall keep his office open during such hours of each business day as 
 the ordinances of the city shall direct. 
 
 Sec. 2. Said^ Commissioner shall appoint a clerk, and a superintendent 
 of charities, and such assistants or other employes as may be authorized by 
 the Common Council, whose compensation shall be limited by city ordinance 
 or by vote of the Common Council. Notices to the Commissioner of Chari- 
 ties, in the manner provided by law, concerning any pauper claimed to be 
 chargeable to said city, shall be valid and sufficient notice to bind said city 
 as towns are bound by a notice to a Selectman thereof, and notice to the Se- 
 lectmen of the town of Hartford shall also be sufficient notice to said city, 
 and it shall be the duty of said Selectmen to forthwith transmit to the said 
 Commissioner of Charities all such notices received by them, and the said 
 Commissioner shall act in connection with the Justices of the Peace upon 
 all questions concerning which Selectmen of towns with such Justices now 
 have authority. 
 
 Sec. 3. All powers relating to the establishment of workhouses which 
 would at any time except for this resolution belong to said town shall con- 
 tinue to be conferred upon said city. All workhouses of said city, and their 
 inmates, shall be maintained and controlled by said Commissioner of Char- 
 ities, and said city shall have the use and benefit of the labor of all inmates 
 of its workhouses. All g-eneral laws concerning town workhouses, so far 
 as they are consistent with this resolution, shall apply to said city. 
 
 COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL. 
 
 There shall be a Court of Common Council in said city, consisting of a 
 Board of Aldermen, which shall include all of the Aldermen, and a Board of 
 Councilmen, which shall include all of the Councilmen, which boards shall 
 meet separately, except in the cases hereinafter specified, and in whom shall 
 be vested the govenment, control and management of said city, its property 
 and its affairs, subject to the exceptions hereinafter set forth. Each branch 
 of said court shall he final judge of the election returns, and validity of elec- 
 tions and qualifications of its own members. 
 
 At the beginning of each municipal year, each of said boards of the 
 Court of Common Council shall elect, from among its own members, a presi- 
 dent, who shall preside at the meetings of said boards respectively, and a 
 president pro tempore, who shall act in the absence of the president. 
 
 Regular meetings of said boards shall be held at such times as may be 
 fixed by the city ordinances ; and said boards may be speciall\- convened at 
 any time by the Mayor, and, upon a petition of four Aldermen and eight 
 Councilmen, in writing, filed with the Mayor, a meeting of such boards shall 
 be called. Each board may determine the rules of its proceedings, in con- 
 formity with the general principles of parliamentary law, punish its mem- 
 
 31 
 
bers for disorderly behavior, and, by vote of three-fourths of its members, 
 expel a member for due cause. A majority of all of the members of each of 
 said boards shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and the 
 vote upon any question shall be taken by yeas and nays at the request of one- 
 fifth of the members present. 
 
 Whenever any meeting of either of said boards shall have been regularly 
 called and no quorum shall be present, those members present may, by vote, 
 request the Mayor of said city, or the presiding officer of said board to is- 
 sue, and upon said request, the said Mayor or presiding officer shall issue a 
 warrant signed by him, directed to the City Sheriff of said city, or to the 
 Sheriff of Hartford county, or some one of his deputies, to arrest and bring 
 into such meeting such members of said board as will, together with those 
 present, constitute a quorum ; and, at any meeting of said board, those mem- 
 bers present shall have the power to make any orders to compel the attend- 
 ance of other members, and any one of the officers above mentioned shall 
 obey such orders, upon request, and summon such assistance as may be nec- 
 essary to carry such orders into effect. 
 
 No by-law or ordinance shall be put upon its passage until it shall have 
 been printed for examination, and no by-law or ordinance shall be put upon 
 its passage until it shall have been referred to a suitable committee and re- 
 ported by said committee after opportunity for a public hearing has been 
 given. 
 
 No vote or resolution of said Court of Common Council ordering a pub- 
 lic work or improvement which shall require an expenditure of more than 
 $10,000 shall be obligatory on said city, unless approved by a majority vote 
 of a city meeting, duly warned and holden for that purpose, which vote shall 
 be by ballot, or by voting machine authorized by law to be used for voting at 
 city meetings. 
 
 All elections to any office or position within the gift of said court or 
 either of said boards shall be made by viva voce vote, except as herein other- 
 wise provided. 
 
 The presiding officers of the Board of Aldermen, Board of Councilmen 
 and of the several committees of said boards, shall respectively have power 
 to compel the attendance and testimony of witnesses before their respective 
 boards and committees over which they preside, by the issue of subpoenas 
 for that purpose, and shall have power to administer oaths in the manner and 
 according to the rules governing the same in courts of justice ; and when it 
 shall be necessary to secure the attendance or testimony of witnesses before 
 said boards or committees, such presiding officers shall have the right to 
 apply to the Court of Common Pleas, or to the Superior Court for Hartford 
 county, for an order compelling any witness so summoned before them to tes- 
 tify, which courts shall have the power to issue subpoenas and to enforce the 
 presence and testimony of all witnesses summoned, in the same way and to 
 the same extent as they now have power to enforce and compel the presence 
 and testimony of witnesses in each of said courts. 
 
 The Court of Common Council of the city of Hartford shall have exclu- 
 sive power to lay out, make and establish, within said city, new highways, 
 streets, public parks and walks, whenever they deem it for the public good 
 to do so, or to alter the lines and location of those already laid out, and dis- 
 continue the same and exchange highways for highways, or sell highways 
 for the purpose of purchasing other highways, to establish street, building, 
 veranda and step lines on the land of proprietors adjoining any street, high- 
 way, alley, park or walk, within said city, between which and such street, 
 
 33 
 
highway, alley, park or walk, no building or part of a building, or appur- 
 tenance thereof, shall be set up or erected. Also, to order and establish 
 openings between buildings for the purpose of free circulation of air for the 
 benefit of the public health ; to cause low grounds where water at any time 
 becomes stagnant, to be raised, filled up, or drained. Also to lay out, con- 
 struct and alter public sewers through the highways, streets (including turn- 
 pike roads), alleys and public grounds within said city, and also through the 
 private enclosures within the same ; to order and construct and alter side- 
 walks, curbs, gutters and crosswalks, in and upon all highways, streets (in- 
 cluding turnpike roads), alleys and public grounds within said city, accord- 
 ing to the grade and plan and of such materials as shall be designated by said 
 court. Also to establish and designate districts of said city, within which it 
 shall not be lawful to erect, enlarge or elevate, or into or within which it shall 
 not be lawful to remove any wooden building, except by license of said court. 
 Also, to cause to be made, and repaired, and altered, highways, streets, 
 parks and public grounds within said city, and sidewalks, and crosswalks 
 upon said highways, streets or public grounds ; to assume for said city the 
 duty of making and repairing any part of any turnpike company's road with- 
 in said city. Also to lay taxes on the polls and ratable estate within said city, 
 sufficient to defray all lawful expenses incurred by said city, according to the 
 corporate powers hereby granted or recognized. But no street, highway or 
 alley in the city of Hartford shall hereafter be opened to the public by dedi- 
 cation or otherwise by any person or private corporation unless such street, 
 highway or alley be at least 40 feet in width and so laid as to connect to ex- 
 isting highways. 
 
 The Court of Common Council shall have power, by a majority of the 
 members present and absent, subject to the approval or disapproval of the 
 Mayor as aforesaid, to make, alter and repeal ordinances for the following 
 purposes : 
 
 To provide for the choice of such officers of the Court of Common 
 Council as by the charter of the city are to be chosen by that body : to pre- 
 scribe their duties and the method and manner of choosing them, subject to 
 the provisions of this act. To provide for additional voting districts in any of 
 the wards in said city in which there are more than 2,500 electors, bv divid- 
 ing each of such wards into two or more such districts, provided, that no dis- 
 trict so established shall contain less than one thousand electors. 
 
 To provide for the method and manner of warning city and town meet- 
 ings, and meetings of the Court of Common Council, and the times and 
 places of holding the same. 
 
 To regulate the conduct of elections, and provide for, the canvass of votes 
 cast and the declaration of the result, subject to the provisions of the statute 
 laws of the State relating to elections pursuant to which all city elections 
 shall be held. 
 
 To provide forms of oaths for officers or agents of said city. 
 
 To prescribe the salaries and compensation of all officers and employes 
 of said city, and their duties, except as herein otherwise provided. 
 
 To provide for the removal or expulsion of any city officer on account 
 of corruption, incompetence, inability, refusal to obey anv lawful order, or 
 misfeasance or malfeasance in any office. 
 
 To provide for the filling of vacancies which may occur in any office 
 appertaining to said city, or may be existing in consequence of a tie 
 at any city election, for the unexpired term of such office ; to pro- 
 vide for bonds and sureties of any officer elected by said Court of Common 
 
 2>Z 
 
Council, and penalties for the refusal of any such officer to serve ; to pre- 
 scribe the duties of a Sealer of Weights and Measures ; to provide for the 
 election and prescribe the duties of Port Wardens, Public Weighers and In- 
 spectors of any kind of produce brought to said city for sale or exhibition, 
 and such other functionaries, including the duties heretofore performed by 
 Selectmen and not by this resolution or the Constitution of the State other- 
 wise provided for as may be deemed by the Court of Common Council nec- 
 essary, convenient or proper for the administration of the affairs of said 
 city, and the proper regulation of the finances, health, police, trade and 
 commerce thereof. 
 
 To regulate the mode of taxation for city purposes and to appoint a 
 rate maker. 
 
 To provide for the publication of such matters and things, including or- 
 dinances as are required by law to be published, and prescribe the method 
 and manner and the duration of such publication. 
 
 Te regulate trade, markets and commerce, and regulate weights and 
 measures in conforrnity with the lawful standard thereof within the limits 
 of said city. 
 
 To manage, regulate and control the finances and property, real and per- 
 sonal, of the city, and regulate the borrowing of money by' the city for any 
 purposes for which said Court of Common Council is authorized to lay taxes 
 under the restrictions of law ; to provide for the due authentication, execu- 
 tion and delivery of deeds, grants, releases of city property, and evidences 
 of debt issued by said city. 
 
 To provide for the issuing of bonds of said city from time to time, to 
 take up and pay bonds of said city already outstanding, and liquidate and 
 discharge all debts, payments and obligations that may be incurred from time 
 to time for any and all public works and improvements of every character, 
 name and nature, and to pay for any and all property to which the city may 
 acquire title. 
 
 To provide for the appropriation, at its discretion, from time to time, 
 of sums of money for the purpose of defraying the expenses of public cele- 
 brations and receptions within said city ; said sums of money so appropriated 
 not to exceed the amount of $500.00 for any one public celebration or re- 
 ception. 
 
 To prescribe the time and places of holding the courts of said city. 
 
 To provide for the laying out, altering, establishing and making high- 
 ways and streets, public grounds and walks, openings for the circulation of 
 air, street, building, veranda atid step lines, drains and sewers ; to regulate the 
 width of streets, highways and alleys and public places within said city ; to 
 drain and raise low lands ; to make, repair, purify, light and keep open and 
 safe for public use and travel, and free from encroachment and obstruction, 
 the streets, highways, passways, and public grounds and places in said city, 
 which is hereby constituted a highway district by itself ; to appraise damages 
 and assess betterments for public works and improvements upon any and all 
 real estate in said city in the judgment of the Bureau of Assessments spec- 
 ially damaged or benefited thereby; to offset benefits against damages in 
 such cases, and generally to prescribe the method and manner of making all 
 such appraisals and assessments subject to such right of appeal as is pro- 
 vided by law. 
 
 To provide that assessments of benefits for any public work shall be a 
 lien upon the land or real estate on account of which such assessments are 
 made ; which lien may be foreclosed at the suit of the city in the same man- 
 
 34 
 
ner as a mortgage incumbrance. Also to extend, not beyond a period of five 
 years, the time for collection of such liens and for the rate of interest such 
 liens shall bear. 
 
 To regulate the planting, protection and removal of trees and the set- 
 ting and protection of other ornaments in public places, streets and pleasure 
 grounds ; to regulate the excavation or opening of streets, highways, and pub- 
 lic grounds for public or private purposes, and the location of any work or 
 thing therein, whether temporary or permanent, upon or under the surface 
 thereof, and the removal of buildings upon or through the same ; to keep the 
 same quiet and orderly and free from undue noise upon the Lord's day ; and to 
 protect the City Hall square in said city, and any and all things appertain- 
 ing thereto. 
 
 To prohibit or regulate the building of fires in the streets or highways 
 of said city and fix a penalty for the violation of such ordinances. 
 
 To provide for watering the streets of said city, and prescribe the mode 
 in which the expense of the same shall be assessed upon the persons or the 
 land specially benefited thereby, and also the mode in which the said ex- 
 pense shall be collected or secured by lien upon the land specially benefited. 
 
 To provide whenever it shall be necessary for the proper construction 
 of any public work or improvement, for causing any stream or water-course 
 not navigable, to be changed and diverted from its natural or present chan- 
 nel into a new or^if erent channel, and for the taking, occupying and appro- 
 priating in the interest of public health or the proper sewerage of the 
 city, any stream or part thereof, natural or artificial, running in or through 
 said city, and to straighten, deepen or lower the same, or lower, alter, or re- 
 move any or all walls, dams, flumes or other obstructions to the free and 
 healthy flow of such stream or part thereof, or raise any such dams, or build 
 and maintain other dams where public health or convenience may require, 
 or to cover any such stream or part thereof by arches, culverts or other 
 structures, to divert the water from such stream or part thereof and cause 
 it to flow through a sewer or other aqueduct built in and upon the bed of 
 such stream, or laid in the earth in or near either bank thereof; or to re- 
 move or cause to be removed or altered any or all structures which at any 
 season of the year cause the accumulation of stagnant water, or interrupt 
 in any manner the free and healthy flow of any part of such stream, but the 
 proceedings for any such diverting, taking, occupation or appropriation 
 shall be in accordance with the provisions of law relating to this subject 
 otherwise set forth in this act. 
 
 To provide for pfacing underground electrical wires and conduits of 
 every character whatsoever ; to provide that the whole or any part of the ex- 
 pense of building conduits shall be borne by the parties in interest, or by the 
 city ; to establish and regulate, in case the city shall own such underground 
 conduits, suitable rentals and' regulations for the same, and to govern the 
 issuing of permits for occupying the same. 
 
 The Court of Common Council may, whenever in their opinion the 
 proper sewerage or drainage of any portion of said city shall require such 
 action, construct any structure, mechanical appliance or apparatus to arti- 
 ficially or mechanically sewer or drain the same^ and may maintain and 
 operate such means of drainage, and for said purposes said Court of Com- 
 mon Council may take any land which may be needed therefor. 
 
 The proceedings under any resolution to construct such means of sewer- 
 age or drainage shall be the same as those provided by the charter and or- 
 dinances of said city for the layout and construction of sewers by said city, 
 
 35 • 
 
and the cost of constructing the same, including the damages by reason of 
 any property taken therefor, may be assessed upon the persons or property 
 specially benefited thereby, in the same manner as is provided by said char- 
 ter and ordinances for the assessments of benefits for other public improve- 
 ments. 
 
 The cost of maintaining such means of sewerage or drainage shall be 
 the same as those provided by the charter and ordinances of said city for the 
 layout and construction of sewers by said city, and the cost of constructing 
 the same, including the damages by reason of any property taken therefor, 
 may be assessed upon the persons or property specially benefited thereby, in 
 the same manner as is provided by said charter and ordinances for the as- 
 sessments of benefits for other public improvements. 
 
 The cost of maintaining such means of sewerage or drainage may at 
 any time after the same is incurred, and whenever said Court of Common 
 Council shall judge proper, be assessed upon the persons or property specially 
 benefited thereby upon a resolution directing such assessment, which shall 
 be referred to the Bureau of Assessments of said city for said assessment, 
 which shall be made in the same manner as is provided by the charter and 
 ordinances of said city for the assessment of benefits by reason of public im- 
 provements. 
 
 Any assessment for the cost of constructing or maintaining such means 
 of sewerage or drainage shall be collectible* and shall be a lien upon the land 
 on account of which it was assessed, and may be continued and enforced as 
 such lien, in the same manner as assessments for benefits by reason of other 
 public works. 
 
 Said Court of Common Council shall h^ve power in the manner afore- 
 said : 
 
 To provide annually for improving the navigation of the Connecticut 
 river by the appropriation of a sum not exceeding five thousand dollars in 
 each year therefor. 
 
 To provide for the support of a free public library ; and the city of Hart- 
 ford is authorized and empowered to appropriate by vote of the Court of 
 Common Council of said city, and to pay over to the Wadsworth Athenaeum 
 annually a sum not exceeding one-half of one mill upon the grand list of said 
 city last made and perfected, for the purpose of supporting and maintaining 
 a free public library and art gallery, with their appurtenances, and of furnish- 
 ing needed accommodations therefor. 
 
 To regulate building, rebuilding and the mode of building, and the ma- 
 terial used for building or altering buildings within said city or any part 
 thereof, and. the mode of using any buildings therein whenever such regula- 
 tion shall seem expedient for the purpose of preserving said city from the 
 dangers of fire, and for conserving the safety, health and well-being of the 
 inhabitants thereof. 
 
 To prevent the erection of unsafe buildings and the unsafe alteration or 
 extension of any buildmg within the limits of said city ; to provide for the 
 examination of all plans and specifications of proposed buildings and of pro- 
 posed alterations and extensions of existing buildings ; to provide for the 
 inspection of all buildings in process of erection, and of all buildings under- 
 going alterations or extensions : to make general rules and provide for par- 
 ticular directions regarding the materials to be used in building, and the 
 strength and manner of using the same ; to prohibit the erection and the al- 
 teration and extension of any building not in conformity with such rules and 
 directions, or the plans and specifications of which have not been examined 
 
 36 
 
or approved, in accordance with such ordinances ; and to compel such 
 changes in the location of and in the plans and specifications for proposed 
 buildings and for proposed alterations and extensions of buildings, and in 
 the manner of construction and in the matter of materials used therefor, as 
 may be necessary to secure safety from the dangers of fire, collapse, explo- 
 sion or disease ; to provide for the safe and sanitary construction of build- 
 ings, for the prevention of the construction of dark or otherwise unwhole- 
 some living and sleeping rooms and for the reasonable limitation of the pro- 
 portion of a building lot which may be covered by a tenement building. 
 
 To prescribe the powers and duties of the Building Inspector and 
 Deputy Building Inspector, and provide for the punishment of any viola- 
 tion of such ordinance by fine or imprisonment, or both. 
 
 To provide such ordinances as it may deem expedient respecting the 
 removal and treatment of garbage within said city. 
 
 To provide for prohibiting and regulating the keeping, storing, selling 
 or using of fireworks, torpedoes, fire-crackers, gunpowder, petroleum, nitro- 
 glycerine, or any other explosive or inflammable substance or substances or 
 materials in said city, or the conveyance of the same into, through or out 
 of said city; for regulating the use of firearms and building of bonfires 
 within said city; for preventing injuries to the fire alarm or telegraph or 
 police telegraph or police telephone apparatus or property, and the unlaw- 
 ful making, using or possession of keys to the alarm boxes of said telegraph 
 or telephone. 
 
 To regulate fireworks, shows, parades, and rendezvous, processions and 
 music, the exhibition and speed of animals, the speed of vehicles and cars, 
 the running at large of animals through or in any part of said city, and the 
 impounding of the same ; to license and regulate public hacks, carriages, 
 automobiles, express wagons, drays, trucks, and the charges of hackmen, 
 expressmen, chaufifeurs, public drivers, cartmen and truckmen. 
 
 To regulate the burial of the dead and provide for the registration and 
 return of the deaths and burials in said city; and provide and establish a 
 registry of births and marriages within the city limits. 
 
 To prevent and secure the removal of all nuisances injurious to health 
 or offensive to the public, at the expense of the owner of the premises 
 where such nuisance exists, or otherwise ; to regulate and prohibit the ring- 
 ing of bells and crying of goods in said city ; to restrain cruelty to animals 
 and inhuman sports'. 
 
 To provide rules and regulations covering all practices with dead 
 bodies in medical institutes or elsewhere in said city, and, generally, to regu- 
 late the conduct of citizens in relation to persons and premises with regard 
 to matters of sanitation and decency. 
 
 To regulate the location of stationary steam boilers, barns and out- 
 houses, sinks and drains in said city, and to confer all necessary and con- 
 venient powers upon the Commissioner of Public Safety or other sanitary 
 officer or otBcers, and to regulate the exercise of such powers within said 
 city. 
 
 To prevent vice and immorality ; to preserve public peace and good or- 
 der ; to prevent and quell riots and disorderly assemblages, suppress gam- 
 bling houses and houses of ill-fame and disorderly houses, and to confer 
 upon the Mayor and police officers of the city all powers necessary for such 
 purposes; to prohibit, restrain, license and regulate all sports, exhibitions, 
 public amusements and performances, and billiard and bowling saloons 
 within said city. 
 
 37 
 
To prohibit all gambling of every description, betting on horse races ; 
 selling of pools, and any and all contracts, written or oral, or both, to be de- 
 termined by the speed of horses or other animals, and of any game, hazard 
 or risk wherein the speed of animals or the results of races or contests of any 
 character are factors. 
 
 To regulate or prohibit swimming or bathing in public or exposed places 
 within said city, and .within any territory over which said municipality is by 
 law granted jurisdiction or control ; to prevent and punish trespasses in gar- 
 dens, cemeteries, enclosures, parks and public buildings and places. 
 
 To confer upon the city policemen the powers of constables of towns, 
 and such other prerogatives as the Court of Common Council may deem 
 necessary or convenient for the public protection within the limits of said 
 city ; and to punish the resistance or obstruction of police officers in the dis- 
 charge of their duties. 
 
 To provide for suppressing immoral, vicious and pernicious publica- 
 tions and advertisements ; to regulate the distribution of hand-bills or other 
 public advertising matter ; to prohibit and regulate the posting of bills or 
 other advertising matter upon telegraph, telephone and other poles: to pro- 
 vide for making a misdemeanor any violation of any rule or regulation of 
 the Water Commissioner, the Street Commissioner, the Charity Commis- 
 sioner, the Commissioner of Public Safety and the Board of Park Commis- 
 sioners and such other commissioners and departments as may be created 
 from time to time, duly established and published, and the prosecution of 
 such offense before the City Police Court. The penalties to be inflicted by 
 ordinance for such offenses shall, however, not exceed the jurisdiction of 
 the City Police Court. 
 
 To do all things necessary to make effectual the powers herein and by 
 law conferred upon such city. 
 
 Said Court of Common Council may by ordinance declare the violation 
 of any ordinance enacted in conformity to this act to be a misdemeanor, and 
 may impose a penalty or penalties of fine or imprisonment, or both, for .uch 
 misdemeanors within the jurisdiction of said Police Court, and may also 
 impose and inflict penalties and forfeitures of goods and chattels for the vio- 
 lation of such ordinance, which penalties and forfeitures shall be recover- 
 able by the City Attorney before the Court of Common Pleas or the Superior 
 Court in an action of debt brought in the name of the city of Hartford for 
 the use of the City Treasury. 
 
 In addition to such penalties said Court of Common Council may by 
 ordinance subject to four-fold taxation any building erected or added to, 
 or removed, or located, or occupied in violation of any ordinance or by-law 
 designed to preserve the health, safety, or morals of the inhabitants of said 
 city, or to save said city from perils of fire, or to keep the streets or public 
 places free from encroachment and obstructions. 
 
 In all cases the ordinances, resolutions and legislation of said Court of 
 Common Council. shall conform and be subject to the provisions of this char- 
 ter relative to the powers and duties of the several commissioners, the Board 
 of Public Works, the Board of Finance, and city officers, and to the other 
 limitations of this act. 
 
 PAVING. 
 
 Section i. The Common Council shall have power to cause the streets 
 of said city to be paved and repaved with paving material other than the 
 macadam in general use ; and whenever the owners or proprietors of one- 
 
 38 
 
half of the land abutting upon any street or portion of a street shall peti- 
 tion for such paving or repaying thereof, specifying in said petition the 
 street or ])ortion of a street to be paved or repaved, and the Common Council 
 shall have before it the action of the Street Commissioner approving and 
 ordering a pavement of the kind and style it may deem proper, said Com- 
 mon Council shall have power to assess the whole cost of said paving 
 or repaving, including that portion contiguous to lateral and intersecting 
 streets, and excluding that portion of the street which, by law or contract, 
 a street railway is under obligation to pave, one-third of such cost upon the 
 said city of Hartford, which shall be paid out of the treasury of said city 
 upon the order of the Common Council, and two-thirds of such cost upon the 
 owmers of the property abutting on the line of such improvement, and shall 
 have power to enforce the collection of such assessments in the manner pro- 
 vided by the charter or ordinances of said city for the collection of assess- 
 ments. On the completion of the work and assessment for the cost of the 
 same, such assessment shall be final and conclusive on all parties in interest ; 
 and said assessment shall be a lien upon the land on account of which it was 
 assessed, in the same manner and to the same extent as is provided in the 
 charter of said city in the case of assessment for benefits arising from other 
 public works and improvements. 
 
 Sec. 2. The city of Hartford may cause to be paved with granite, as- 
 phalt, or other substantial pavement, other than the macadam in general use, 
 not exceeding one-half mile of highway in each year, without petition there- 
 for, in addition to the amount petitioned for by the property owners, and the 
 Street Commissioner shall select the streets to be paved, and after due notice 
 to the property owners interested, by publication in the daily newspapers of 
 the city, and, so far as is practicable, by written or printed notice addressed 
 to the property owners interested, at their last known place of abode, and 
 deposited in the post office, postage paid, at least ten days before taking the 
 action herein contemplated, he shall submit for its approval by the Common 
 Council an order for such pavement and an assessment made as aforesaid of 
 their share of the expense upon the abutting property owners. 
 
 Sec. 3. The Street Commissioner may make reasonable regulations 
 relative to pipes and conduits of all kinds which are in the streets to be paved 
 with permanent pavement, and as a preliminary to such paving may order all 
 such pipes and conduits to be relaid, renewed, repaired, placed, and located 
 in such manner and to such extent as in his judgment w411 best protect such 
 pavement, when laid, from being disturbed in the future, and will best se- 
 cure the uninterrupted use of such streets as public highways. It shall be 
 the duty of all persons, comrnissioners and corporations to obey and comply 
 strictly with all such orders of the Street Commissioner within such time as 
 the orders shall specify. Such orders shall be in writing, signed by the 
 Street Commissioner, or by the clerk of such Commissioner under his au- 
 thority, and attested copies of such orders shall be served upon such person 
 or persons, commissioners or corporations at least forty-eight hours before 
 the work specified therein shall be required to be begun. Should any per- 
 son, commissioner or corporation neglect or refuse to obey and comply with 
 any such order o^ said Commissioner, the Commissioner may apply in his 
 own name to the Superior Court of Hartford county or to any Judge of the 
 Superior Court in vacation, for a mandamus to enforce compliance with any 
 such order or regulation provided for in this section. 
 
 Sec. 4. The Common Council of said city is also further authorized 
 and directed to provide by ordinance for the extension of time for and the 
 
 39 
 
manner of payment of all assessments made for any public improvement 
 not including taxes, and may issue and dispose of assessment certificates 
 covering the amounts of any extended assessments, under such rules, regula- 
 tions, and in such form as the Court of Common Council may by ordinance 
 prescribe. 
 
 Sec. 5. The foregoing sections shall not in any manner affect or apply 
 to any work already ordered, or any proceeding, detail, or assessment relat- 
 ing thereto, but all work heretofore ordered shall be proceeded with, as- 
 sessed and paid for under the provisions of the law relating thereto as it 
 existed before the passage of the foregoing amendments. 
 
 Sec. 6. In making assessments of benefits and appraisals of damages 
 for any public improvement, the city of Hartford is hereby authorized and 
 empowered to assess such benefits or appraise such damages as it may deem 
 just upon or in favor of the real estate belonging to the State of Connecti- 
 cut, or to any school district situated within the limits of the city of Hart- 
 ford and especially benefited or damaged by such public improvement, sub- 
 ject to appeal by either party as provided by law in such cases, and in the 
 case of assessments of benefits against or appraisals of damages in favor of 
 the State it shall be the duty of the State Treasurer to pay any and all as- 
 sessments of benefits upon the certificate of the Clerk of said city that the 
 same are due and payable, and he shall receive any damages assessed in 
 favor of the State and give a receipt for the same upon a like certificate. 
 
 Sec. 7. All assessments made for public improvements and street 
 watering within the city of Hartford shall bear interest from the date when 
 the same become due and payable, at such rate as the Court of Common 
 Council of said city shall by ordinance prescribe. 
 
 Sec. 8. Said city of Hartford is hereby authorized to order, construct, 
 maintain and keep free from defects and obstructions all sidewalks, curbs 
 and gutters in the town of West Hartford on the east side of Prospect Ave- 
 nue between Farmington Avenue and New Park Avenue, and to assess the 
 expense of such construction, maintenance and care upon adjoining lands 
 and proprietors in the city of Hartford in the same manner and to the same 
 extent as if said sidewalks, curbs and gutters were situated in the city of 
 Hartford ; provided, that any order for the construction of such sidewalks, 
 curbs and gutters shall be approved by the Selectmen of the town of West 
 Hartford. 
 
 CITY POLICE COURT. 
 
 Section i. There shall continue to be a City Police Court established 
 and holden within and for said city, which shall have and exercise within the 
 town and city of Hartford, and upon the eastern bank of the Connecticut 
 river opposite said city, all the jurisdiction, authority and powers which 
 Justices of the Peace in the several towns in said State now have and exer- 
 cise, or shall hereafter by law have and exercise, also all jurisdiction and 
 authority conferred by the General Statutes of this State upon said court, 
 in all matters of a criminal nature, including criminal prosecutions for 
 breach of city ordinances and the rules and regulations of any of the de- 
 partments of the said city, the punishment whereof, inflicted by said court, 
 shall not exceed a fine of two hundred dollars or imprisonment in a common 
 jail or workhouse for six months, or both, notwithstanding any general 
 statute to the contrary. 
 
 Said court and the judges thereof shall have and exercise exclusive ju- 
 risdiction within said city in all proceedings brought under Chapter 159 of 
 
 40 
 
the General Statutes, or any amendments thereto, regarding the seizure of 
 spirituous and intoxicating liquors, and shall have the power conferred by 
 said chapter upon Justices of the Peace. 
 
 No grand juror or prosecuting agent shall make complaint either to 
 said court or to a Justice of the Peace of any criminal matter arising within 
 the limits of the city of Hartford ; nor shall any Justice of the Peace take 
 cognizance of any action or proceedings brought under Chapter 159 of the 
 General Statutes regarding the seizure of spirituous or intoxicating liquors ; 
 and the Prosecuting Attorney or the Assistant Prosecuting Attorney of the 
 city of Hartford shall have within the jurisdiction of said court the powers 
 conferred by Chapter 159 of the General Statutes upon prosecuting agents. 
 
 Said court shall also have jurisdiction over all crimes and misdemeanors 
 that shall be committed in that part of the town of West Hartford, in Hart- 
 ford county, known as Charter Oak Park ; and of all crimes committed on 
 the grounds of the Cedar Hill cemetery, and the breach of the reasonable 
 rules and regulations of said Cedar Hill cemetery shall be held to be a breach 
 of the public peace. 
 
 All warrants on account of any offenses within the jurisdiction of said 
 City Police Court shall require the offender to be brought before the said 
 City Police Court, there to be dealt with according to law. 
 
 Sec. 2. In all cases the person may appeal from the judgment of said 
 court to the next criminal term of the Superior Court to be holden in the 
 county of Hartford within and for said county, provided that he shall give 
 such bond on appeal as such court shall order, payable to the Treasurer of 
 Hartford county, conditioned for the appearance of the person convicted 
 before the next criminal term of the Superior Court to answer concerning 
 the offense of which he stands charged, and to abide the judgment that may 
 be rendered by the court last aforesaid ; and on his failure to give such bond 
 such court shall, order him to be committed to the jail in said county until 
 the next session of said Superior Court, there to answer to said complaint 
 and abide the order of the court thereon, or admitted to bail in the same 
 manner as arc persons bound over to the Superior Court for trial. 
 
 Sec. 3. There shall be appointed by the General Assembly of the State 
 a Judge and an Assistant Judge of said City PoHce Court, who shall hold of- 
 fice for the term of two years and until their successors are chosen and quali- 
 fied. They shall, before entering upon their duties, take the oath pre- 
 scribed by law for judicial officers, and shall receive such compensation as 
 the ordinances may prescribe. 
 
 In case of the absence of said Judge and Assistant Judge, or of the 
 inability or disability of both to discharge the duties of said office, either may 
 designate any Justice of the Peace resident within the city of Hartford to 
 act as his substitute, and such justice while so acting shall have and exercise 
 all the powers conferred upon the Judge and Assistant Judge of said court. 
 Such justice shall receive a suitable compensation, to be prescribed by ordi- 
 nance. 
 
 Sec. 4. Said Judge shall appoint a Prosecuting Attorney and an As- 
 sistant Prosecuting Attorney, who shall hold office during the pleasure of 
 said Judge, and when the Prosecuting Attorney or Assistant Prosecuting 
 Attorney shall be for any reason disqualified or unable to act, a special Pros- 
 ecuting Attorney shall be appointed by said Judge, to act until such dis- 
 qualification or inability is removed., Said Judge shall also appoint a Clerk 
 of said Court. Said Prosecuting Attorney, Assistant and special Prosecuting 
 Attorney, and Clerk, shall receive such compensation as the ordinances may 
 determine. 
 
 41 
 
The Prosecuting Attorney or the person acting as such shall have all 
 the powers of a grand juror and all the powers of a prosecuting agent in 
 presenting and prosecuting complaints and informations before the Police 
 Court of said city, including powers conferred by Section i88 of the Gen- 
 eral Statutes ; and it shall be his duty to prosecute before said court all 
 crimes and misdemeanors, and violations of city ordinances, of which said 
 court has jurisdiction. 
 
 Sec. 5. The Prosecuting Attorney, Assistant and special Prosecuting 
 Attorney shall each take the oath of office prescribed by law for grand 
 jurors, and the clerk shall take the oath prescribed for clerks of courts in 
 this State. 
 
 Sec. 6. Said court shall proceed in all criminal cases without jury and 
 may issue subpoenas and capias for witnesses in matters brought before it, 
 warrants of arrest for criminal offenses, to be served in any part of this 
 State and such process shall be signed by the court or clerk. Said court 
 may adjourn any case to a future day for trial, and take bonds for the ap- 
 pearance of the accused, and when said court has or may have final juris- 
 diction thereof, the bonds shall be taken to said city, otherwise to the State. 
 
 Sec. 7. Said court may suspend the rendition of judgment in the case 
 of any person arraigned before it for drunkenness, vagrancy, assault and 
 battery, breach of the peace or other petty offense, and in case of juvenile 
 offenders who might otherwise be committed to the Connecticut School for 
 Boys or the Connecticut Industrial School for Girls, whenever such court 
 may deem such forbearance to be advisable by reason of the age of the ac- 
 cused or the circumstances under which the offense was committed. 
 
 Sec. 8. In all cases and proceedings of a criminal nature the following 
 costs shall be taxed in said court : A court fee of three dollars, the officer's 
 and witnesses' fees, and any reasonable and necessary expense incurred in 
 securing an offender and in bringing him before said court and in enabling 
 said court to intelligently dispose of the charge against him, may in the dis- 
 cretion of said court be taxed, allowed and collected as a part of the costs. 
 All copies in cases coming to the Superior Court by appeal, binding over 
 or otherwise, shall be taxed the same as in similar cases coming in like man- 
 ner from Justices of the Peace in case of conviction and judgment against 
 the accused, the costs shall be paid by him and payment enforced, as in 
 cases before the Superior Court, and all fees taxed as such costs by said 
 court, but due to any individual, shall be paid by the clerk of the court, ex- 
 cept as otherwise provided. 
 
 Sec. 9. Criminal process issued by said City Police Court, or by the 
 Judge or Clerk, or Prosecuting Attorney, or other person acting in the place 
 of the Prosecuting Attorney thereof, may be served by any member of the 
 police force of said city, or by any proper officer or indifferent person, when 
 so directed, and may be served in any part of this State ; but before any 
 member of the police force shall leave said city to serve such process, he 
 shall be commissioned so to do by the acting chief of police of said city. 
 Any officer or indifferent person, other than members of said police force, 
 shall receive the same fees for such service allowed by law to constables in 
 similar cases : and any extra expenses, necessarily or reasonably incurred in 
 securing an offender and bringing him before said City Police Court. 
 
 Sec. 10. It shall be the duty of the chief of police of said city, for the 
 time being, to designate a suitable officer or officers of said force, who shall 
 attend the sessions of said court and shall bring before it any person or per- 
 sons in custody, for trial therein, take custody of any persons convicted or 
 
 43 
 
bound over therein and deliver them over to the officer or other person 
 proper to receive the same, and in general execute the orders of said court. 
 
 Sec. II. The keepers of the county jail and workhouse of Hartford 
 county, and of the Hartford workhouse, and of the Connecticut School for 
 Boys, and of the Connecticut Industrial School for Girls, shall severally re- 
 ceive any person committed by said court, and shall have and keep the cus- 
 tody of such person as in other cases, according to law, until duly discharged. 
 It shall be the duty of the keepers of said jail or workhouse respectively to 
 render to the clerk of said court, at least once in each month, an account of 
 all persons committedJ:o his custody by order of said court. 
 
 Sec. 12. Said clerk shall keep the files and records of said City Police 
 Court, and shall, within ten days after an appeal, or binding over in crim- 
 inal cases in said court, deliver to the clerk of the court to which the appeal 
 is taken or the person is bound over, a copy of the files and records of the 
 case. He shall receive all fines and costs imposed by said court which are 
 paid before commitment ; and all fines and costs paid for commitment. Said 
 clerk shall also receive all sums taxed in the higher courts for costs before 
 said City Police Court and for copies in cases coming from said City Police 
 Court to said Superior Court by appeal, binding over, or otherwise. 
 
 All moneys collected by the clerk of the City Police Court shall be paid 
 to the Treasurer, and an account thereof rendered to the Controller monthly ; 
 all fines paid after commitment shall be received by the keeper of the jail, 
 workhouse or penitentiary where the offender shall be confined, and by such 
 keeper paid to the City Treasurer within thirty days after the receipt thereof. 
 
 The clerk of said court is hereby authorized to pay out of the money in 
 his hands, to the persons entitled to receive them, the witness fees after they 
 have been taxed and allowed by said court, and shall be allowed for such 
 payments in the settlement of his accounts with the city. Said clerk shall 
 give bonds in such sum as the ordinances shall provide. 
 
 Sec. 13. Nothing contained in this act shall afifect the jurisdiction of 
 said court over ofifenses committed or causes pending prior to and at the time 
 this act shall take effect. 
 
 MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS. 
 
 Section i. All officers and commissioners of said city, unless pre- 
 vented by death, inability, suspension or removal, shall hold their respec- 
 tive offices until their successors shall be chosen and shall have duly qualified. 
 
 Sec. 2. Every officer of said city, chosen by the electors or appointed 
 by the Mayor or by the Court of Common Council, shall be a resident elector 
 of said city. / 
 
 Sec. 3. Whenever any office in said city filled by appointment shall be- 
 come vacant by reason of the death, resignation, inability or removal of the 
 person appointed to fill the same, said vacancy may be filled by the authority 
 which made the former appointment. If the said last incumbent was ap- 
 pointed for a definite term, his successor shall be appointed for the unex- 
 pired portion of said term. 
 
 Sec. 4. No public improvement of any kind shall be ordered by the 
 Court of Common Council or other authority having power to authorize the 
 same imtil an appropriation for said improvements has been duly made, and 
 no department shall expend or contract for any amount in excess of the 
 appropriation for such department. 
 
 Sec. 5. The bonds of all city officers shall be given to the city of Hart- 
 ford, and shall be conditioned for the faithful performance of the duties of 
 
 43 
 
the office according to law, and the Mayor shall be the custodian of said 
 bonds. The form and sureties of each bond shall be to the satisfaction of 
 the Mayor, and the form of each bond and the sufficiency of the sureties shall 
 be annually examined and approved by the Mayor. 
 
 Sec. 6. It shall be the duty of every officer of said city, upon the expi- 
 ration of his term or upon his removal from office, to deliver over to his suc- 
 cessor in office all books, papers, vouchers and memoranda under his con- 
 trol affecting the business of said city. 
 
 Sec. 7. The city shall have power to accept gifts and trusts for all 
 purposes for which said city is authorized or required to expend money, and 
 for no others, except as hereinbefore provided. 
 
 Sec. 8. All certificates of liens for city taxes shall be signed and filed 
 for record in the land records by the Collector; all certificates for liens for 
 assessments for streets, sewers and other claims within the jurisdiction of 
 the Street Department shall be signed and filed by the Street Commissioner ; 
 all certificates for liens for water bills and other claims within the jvirisdiction 
 of the Water Commissioner shall be signed and filed by the Water Commis- 
 sioner or his secretary, and said liens shall include and cover interest upon 
 the claims for which said liens may be filed. Releases of all the above liens 
 shall be signed and filed with the Town and City Clerk by the Collector. 
 
 Sec. 9. No ordinance of said city shall be of force or effect until it 
 shall have been published at least once in two or more daily papers published 
 in said city, nor until one week after it is enacted. 
 
 Sec. 10. All property which has been in any manner acquired or shall 
 hereafter be acquired by any department of the city shall be deemed to be the 
 property of the city, and all property hereafter acquired or purchased by 
 any department shall be taken in the name of the city of Hartford and all 
 property of the city shall be free from taxation. 
 
 Sec. II. The Court of Common Council shall prescribe or limit the 
 compensation of all officials and employes of the city except as specifically 
 provided in this act. No fees shall be collected for the personal use of any 
 officer of the city or town of Hartford, but all fees heretofore required to be 
 paid to any town or city officer shall hereafter be collected by such officer or 
 the person herein designated to receive the same and paid over to said city 
 at such times and with such reports as the City Controller shall prescribe. 
 
 Sec. 12. Where the interests of the city and economy demand it, any 
 duties devolving on one department may be transferred to another depart- 
 ment by the affirmative action of the Board of Public Works. 
 
 Sec. 13. No person or corporation shall disturb the surface of any 
 street or highway in the city of Hartford by digging or making excavation, 
 or cause the same to be^so disturbed, without first giving notice to and ob- 
 taining permission from* the Street Commissioner of said city, and said 
 Street Commissioner shall have the power to supervise and direct any such 
 digging or excavating, and may prescribe the manner in which the same 
 shall be done and the condition to which said street or highway shall be re- 
 stored ; provided, however, that no such person or corporation shall be com- 
 pelled to do more than to restore said street or highway to its usual condi- 
 tion. 
 
 Sec. 14. If any person or corporation so disturbing or causing to be 
 disturbed the surface of any street or highway as aforesaid, shall fail to com- 
 ply -with the directions of said Street Commissioner in restoring the same to 
 its usual condition, said Commissioner may, after reasonable notice to such 
 person or corporation, if known, otherwise without notice, restore the same, 
 
 44 
 
and collect and recover from such person or corporation double the cost of 
 such restoration. 
 
 Sec. 15. Any person or corporation who shall neglect to comply with 
 the provisions of Section thirteen as to notice shall forfeit and pay to the city 
 of Hartford, for the use of the City Treasury, a penalty of not less than five 
 and not more than twenty-five dollars, the same to be recovered in an action 
 brought in the name of said city in the manner provided in the charter of 
 said city for the recovery of fines and penalties. 
 
 Sec. 16. There shall continue to be elected five Selectmen, of whom 
 no person shall vote for more than three. The Selectmen chosen in April, 
 1905, and in each year thereafter, shall hold office for one year from the 
 first Monday of June next following their election. The powers and duties 
 of said Selectmen shall continue to be limited to those powers vested in and 
 those duties imposed upon them by the constitution and laws of the State in 
 relation to the admission of persons to the privileges of electors in said town, 
 and to the erasure from the registry list of the names of those who have 
 forfeited the privileges of electors. No elector shall vote for more than 
 three Selectmen in any election. The Selectmen shall be paid by the city for 
 the time actually spent in the discharge of said duties, and their necessary ex- 
 penses, and their compensation shall be fixed by ordinance. 
 
 Sec. 17. Hereafter no town meeting shall be held in the town of Hart- 
 ford except for the election of town officers, which shall continue to be held 
 on the first Monday of April in each year when the town of Hartford shall 
 elect no officers except its Selectmen, Town Clerk, Assessors, Registrars of 
 Voters, High School Committee, Board of School Visitors and Constables ; 
 and except also such officers as are by law voted for at the biennial electors' 
 meeting in November. 
 
 Sec. 18. Annual meetings of said town for the choice of town officers 
 shall be held on the first Monday in April in each year at the same place pro- 
 vided for holding the city meetings, which meeting of said town shall be 
 warned and held in the same manner as is now provided for warning and 
 holding meetings in the city of Hartford. At such meeting in 1905, and 
 annually thereafter, there shall be chosen five Selectmen as hereinbefore pro- 
 vided : five persons to constitute the High School Committee, of whom no 
 person shall vote for more than three : three members of the Board of School 
 Visitors, of whom no person shall vote for more than two ; seven Constables, 
 of whom no person shall vote for more than four. At such meeting in 1906. 
 and biennially thereafter, there shall be chosen a Town Clerk, who shall also 
 be City Clerk as heretofore provided, and two Registrars of Voters, of whom 
 no person shall vote for more than one. At such meeting, held in 1907, and 
 triennially thereafter, there shall be chosen three Assessors, of whom no per- 
 son shall vote for more than two. All said officers shall hold their several 
 offices for terms of the same length as their respective terms would have been 
 had this resolution not been passed, and each of said terms, except that of 
 Town and City Clerk, shall begin on the first Monday of June next follow- 
 ing their respective elections. All expenses of said town election shall be 
 paid by said city. 
 
 Sec. 19. There shall continue to be a Board of Relief of said city, with 
 the same powers and duties which are conferred upon boards of relief of 
 towns by the provisions of the General Statutes. Before the first day of 
 June, 1905, the Mayor shall appoint, by and with the advice and consent of 
 the Board of Aldermen, four members of the Board of Relief, only two of 
 whom shall belong to the same political party, who shall hold office for two 
 
 45 
 
years from the first day of June of the year of their appointment and until 
 their successors are chosen and quaHfied. 
 
 The clerk of the Board of Assessors shall be the clerk of said Board 
 of Relief. 
 
 The compensation of said Board of Relief shall be fixed by ordinance. 
 
 Sec. 20. All other officers of said town of Hartford shall continue to be 
 chosen by the Common Council of said city, in so far as said officers are nec- 
 essary under the laws, and they shall have the same powers and be charged 
 with the same duties that would otherwise devolve by law upon such officers 
 in said town. 
 
 Sec. 21. All the property and rights of action and all securities and 
 liens therefor, including liens for taxes of the town of Hartford, shall con- 
 tinue to be vested in said city of Hartford, and said city shall continue to be 
 liable for all debts, dues, and obligations of every kind of said town of Hart- 
 ford, now due or hereafter to become due, and shall perform all the duties 
 and have and exercise all the rights of said town, and any person having 
 any claim or right of action against the said town of Hartford may 
 enforce the. claim against the said city of Hartford in the same man- 
 ner as if said claim or right of action had originally accrued against said 
 city of Hartford, and all sums of money, by whomsoever payable, which 
 would otherwise be paid to the Town Treasurer, shall continue to be pay- 
 able to and receivable by the Treasurer of the city of Hartford. 
 
 Sec. 22. It shall hereafter be the duty of the Mayor and Common 
 Council of the city of Hartford to cause the amount of any tax granted by 
 the General Assembly and due from the town of Hartford to be paid into 
 the treasury of the State ; and if the same shall not be paid within the time 
 fixed by law, the Treasurer of the State shall issue execution against the 
 estate of said Mayor and members of the Common Council for the amount 
 due upon said tax, and they shall have the same remedies against the city of 
 Hartford that the Selectmen of towns now have against their respective 
 towns. Whenever a county tax is imposed in Hartford county, the clerk of 
 the Superior Court in said county shall draw his order upon the city of Hart- 
 ford for the part thereof which, but for the provisions of this resolution, 
 would be assessed upon the town of Hartford, and all proceedings in relation 
 to said tax shall be had against the said city, and the inhabitants thereof, in- 
 stead of against the town of Hartford. 
 
 Sec. 23. All the powers and duties relating to schools by any law of 
 this State vested in towns and exercised in town meeting, shall, so f^r as the 
 town of Hartford is concerned, continue to be vested in the city of Hartford, 
 and shall be exercised by said city in a city meeting duly warned and held 
 for that purpose. 
 
 Sec. 24. All sums due or to become due to the town of Hartford for 
 taxes, and all liens to secure the same, shall continue to belong to said city, 
 and shall be payable to the City Collector, and liens for the security of said 
 taxes may be filed and enforced, and every suit or proceeding for the col- 
 lection or security of said taxes instituted in the name of said city. One 
 ratebill shall hereafter continue to be made by the rate-maker of said city, 
 and shall be delivered annually on or before the tenth day of June to the City 
 Collector. The office of rate-maker of the town of Hartford is hereby abol- 
 ished. The City Collector shall perform all other duties which but for the 
 passage of this resolution the Town Collector would have' been required to 
 perform. 
 
 Sec. 2^. No tax exceeding six mills on a dollar of the grand list shall 
 
 46 
 
be laid or levied by said city of Hartford upon any land used exclusively for 
 farming purposes within its limits, unless said land has an assessed value of 
 at least six hundred dollars per acre ; no tax exceeding said rate shall be laid or 
 levied upon any land or the buildings thereon which was added to the limits 
 of the city of Hartford by resolutions of the General Assembly, approved 
 July ninth, 1873, and April fourteenth, 1881, so long as said land has an as- 
 sessed value not exceeding six hundred dollars per acre exclusive of the 
 buildings thereon, and all farming produce, and all stock used in farming, 
 and all implements of husbandry belonging to persons residing on said ter- 
 ritory so added, so long as they shall continue to reside thereon, shall be ex- 
 empt in the same manner and to the same extent ; provided, that this resolu- 
 tion shall not be so construed as to exempt from liability any property in- 
 vested in business outside of said added territory ; no tax exceeding six mills 
 on a dollar of the grand list shall be laid or levied by s'aid'city upon those 
 meadow lands included in the addition made to said city by the Act of the 
 General Assembly, approved July twenty-sixth, 1871, lying on the east side 
 of Wethersfield Avenue and not protected by a dyke ; or upon that tract of 
 land known as Hartford north meadows, the boundaries of which were es- 
 tablished by a decree of the Superior Court for Hartford county, passed at its 
 March term, 1868, upon the petition of Henry Drake and Samuel Mather, 
 so long as the same shall remain a common field, and the roads thereon shall 
 be kept and maintained by the proprietors of said meadows. All other lands 
 within the limits of said city subject to taxation shall be liable to pay such 
 tax as shall be levied thereon upon the grand list of said city. 
 
 Sec. 26. This act shall in no manner impair or qualify the obligation 
 of any bond, liability, note, contract or debt of said city or town, or evidences 
 thereof, and said city shall continue to be liable thereon ; and nothing herein 
 shall be construed to rescind any authority heretofore granted to issue bonds 
 for any purpose for which they have been authorized. 
 
 Sec. 27. Nothing herein contained shall in any way, affect any public 
 or private acts relating to the Park Board of the city of Hartford or to the 
 Connecticut river bridge and highway district. 
 
 Sec. 28. Except as herein otherwise provided this resolution shall take 
 efifect from and after the first day of April, 1905, ajid all of the officers of 
 said city in office on the first day of April, 1905, aforesaid, are hereby in- 
 vested with the powers conferred by this act so far as may be consistent here- 
 with. All acts or part of acts, public or private, plainly inconsistent herewith 
 are hereby repealed from and after said first day of April, 1905, but no acts 
 hitherto repealed shall be revived by said repeal. 
 
 No rights, privileges, or immunities, vested in said city or in any person 
 against said city shall be deemed to be impaired by such repeal, and all ac- 
 tions by or against said city, prosecutions for the breach of any law, ordi- 
 nance or by-law, shall be proceeded with as though this resolution had not 
 been passed. All offenses committed or penalties incurred, prior to said 
 first day of April, 1905, shall be prosecuted as though this resolution had not 
 been passed. 
 
 Said repeal shall not affect any act done or right allowed unless by law 
 otherwise provided. 
 
 All lawful city ordinances and all regulations and by-laws of any citv 
 department, in force on said first day of April, 1905. and not inconsistent 
 herewith, are hereby continued in effect until the same shall be duly amended 
 by competent authority; provided, that all such ordinances, regulations and 
 by-laws shall be deemed to be and hereby are amended, so as to confer upon 
 
 47 
 
the proper officers and boards, the power, authority and duties hereby con- 
 ferred or imposed upon them. 
 
 Sec. 29. On and after May i, 1905, the City Court of the city of Hart- 
 ford is hereby discontinued and aboHshed and all actions pending therein at 
 that time where the matter in demand exceeds five hundred dollars, may be 
 transferred and entered on the docket of the Superior Court for Hartford 
 county ; and all other causes then pending may be transferred to and entered 
 on the docket of the Court of Common Pleas for Hartford county ; and said 
 courts respectively shall proceed to hear and dispose of said cases in the same 
 manner as if the same were originally brought to said court. 
 
 Sec. 30. All the officers of said city elected pursuant to the terms of its 
 former charter shall after the time of the taking effect of this act continue 
 in the performance of their duties imposed by said former charter and the 
 ordinances of said city, for the terms for which they were severally ap- 
 pointed or elected, except the several members of the Boards of Street Com- 
 missioners, Fire Commissioners, Police Commissioners, Water Commission- 
 ers, Health Commissioners and Charity Commissioners, who. shall continue 
 in the performance of their duties only until the first day of May, 1905, and 
 until the successors of said boards of commissioners provided for by this 
 resolution shall be chosen and qualified, at which time the terms of said 
 boards of commissioners shall expire and said several boards shall deliver 
 over to their successors all books, papers and property in their charge belong- 
 ing to the city of Hartford. 
 
 48 
 
14 DAY USE 
 
 RETUKN TO DESK FROM WHICH BORROWED 
 
 LOAN DEPT. 
 
 This book is due on the last date stamped below, or 
 
 on the date to which renewed. 
 
 Renewed books are subject to immediate recall 
 
 ^ 2ihr66a« 
 
 
 
 REC'D LD 
 
 
 
 FRBlyJEidlM. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 LD 21A-60m-4,'64 
 (E4555sl0)476B 
 
 General Library 
 University of California 
 
 
 Berkeley 
 
.As 
 
 /S05 
 228392 
 
Mm