The Portland daily press., 1863-04-02
NEW CITY CHARTER.
STATE OF MAINE.

- AN ACT to confer certain powers ON the CITY of
Portland =
tires in Legislature aSstsabied as foiio,cs
SECTION /. The inhabitants of Portland shall con-
tnue TO be body polite and corporate by the name
OF the City OF Portland, and such shall have exer-
| cise and enjoy all the rights immunities DIVERS
privileges. and franchises and shall be subject TO ali
Ihe duties ana obligations now apPer aiming to, or
Incumbent upon said city, or the inhabitants or mu-
nicpal authorities thereof; and may ordan reasopa
bic BY laws and regulations for municipal purposes
and impose penalties for the breach thereof not ex
.ceedng one hundred dollars, to be recovered for
such uses "a the municipal authorities may appoint
SECTION Z, The administration OF all the fiscal
prudential and municipal affairs said CITY, with the
government thereof shall be vested In one PRINCIPAL
magistrate to be styled the mayor and one council of
seven 10 be denominaisd the board of aldermen and
one council of tweuty-one to be denominated the
board of common council all of whom shall be in
habtants of said city; which board shall constitute
and be called the city council: and shall be- sworn ar
affirmed in the form prescribed by the constitution
of the state for state officers.
SECTION 3. The mayor of said CITY shall no tha
chief executive ocer thereof 1t shall be his duty to
te yigiant and active in causing the OF the
ana ofdinances and regulations of the city, to be
ion over the conduct of all subordinate officers and
TO cause violations neglect ofduty their part 10
De punished lie shall from time TO time communi-
cate to the city council either board such infor-
nation and recommend such measures as the inter-
ests of the city may require He shall preside at ar
meetings of the mayor and aldermen and In Joint
meetings of the two boards, but shah have only
casting vote. lie shall be compensated for his ser.
:
payable at stated periods and shall receive therefor
no other compensation, which salary, however shall
not be increased diminished during his year of
Office.
sEcroS4 Every law. act, ordinance, resolve or
order recurring the consent of both branches of tho
city council excepting rules and orders of a para-
mentary character shall be presented to the mayor
for approval ifnot approved by him he shall return
H. With his objections. at the stated session of
the city couucil TO that branch in which ii riginaed
which shall enter the objections large on rs Jour
nal and proceed to reconsider the same IN gna,
such reconsideration IL shall ha hv a ,
two thirds of all the members of that branch il shall
be sent together with the objections, TO the other
branch by which shall be reconsidered aud IL pass
ed by two thirds of that branch. il shall have the
same effect as u signed By the mayor. In case of
vacancy IN the Office OF mayor when said law act or
dinancc resolve or order be finally passed the same
shall be .alid without approval.
sEcrIoS5. The executive powers of said city gen.
eraily and the administration of police aud health
departments. with all the power. Of selectmen ex-
cept as modified by this act shall be vested in the
mayor and aldermen. All the powers of establishing
watch and ward now vested BY the laws of the State
IN the Justices of the peace and ncipa officers or
inhabitants of towns are vested ia the mavor and nj
dermen, so far relates TO said city and they are
authorized to unite the watch aud apartments
into one department and eVabish suitable regula-
OF police shall be one chief to be styled the city
marshal. so many depuy marshaIs the CITY council
and policemen as the mayor aud aldermen NAV from
time 20 time appoint All other powers now or here
after vested IN the inhabitants Of said city. and all
powers granted by this act well all powers rsla
ting to the fire department. shall be vest d in the
mayor and aldermen, and common council of said
city, 10 be exercised BY concurrent vote. each board
10 have negative upon the other Each board shall
Keep record or its proceedings. and Judge of the
election of its own IN .mbers: aud la case of yaean
ces new elections shall be ordered by the mayor and
aldermen
SECTION 6. The compensation Of all subordinate
city officers whatsoever, shall be fixed by the city
council. All teers of the poi ice aud health depart
ments shall be appointed By the mayor aud Al ier-
msn, aud may be removed BY them for good cause
All other subordinate officers. now elected by the
MAYOR aad aldermen or the city council shall hereaf
ter be elected by joint convention of the city council
and such officers may be removed for good cause by
concurrent vote passed in each branch by the assent
oftwo thirds of all the members thereof EXCEPT as
Otherwise specially provided in this act all sabord
nate officers shall be elected annually on the second
Monday of March. or as soon thereafter as may be-
aud their term OF oiee shall be for oae year aud until
others are quihhed in their places All vacancies
may be hed by the board having authority to elect
-sgcrioS No money shall Be paid out Of the
city treasury except on order drawn and signed by
the mayor. designating the fund or Approximation
from which said orders to be paid nor uaIess the
same shall be hrst granted appropriated therefor
by the city council; aud the city council shall secure
prompt and just accountability by requiring bonds
with sufficient penalty and surety or sureties from
all persons intrns,ed with the receipt custody or dis
bursement of money they shall have the care and
superintendeDce of The city buildings Gust dy
and mana cement OF all city property WITH power
let or sell what may be leg ally let sold and TO
purchase aud take in the of the city real aud
personal property for municipal purposes to au
amount not exceeding two hundred thousand dollars
IN addition to that now held by the city And shalt
as often as once year. canse to be Published for the
fuiufhatOu oi tue INHABITANTS, particular
OF receipts ana expenditures aud schedule OF city
property.
SECTION s. The assessors shall continue to be
elected ON the second Monday in March. At the first
election thereof under this act three persons shall be
elected assessors, one of whom shall be elected for
year, for two years. aud one for three years
and at each subsequent election assessor shall be
elected for three years. each of whom shall continue
in oce until some other person shall have been
ed aud qualified in his place. The city council shall
elect an assistant assessor in each ward whose duty
ii shall be to furnish the with all the neces
sary Information relative 20 persons and property
taxable his ward he shall be or affirmed TO
the faithful performance of his duty. All taxes shall
be assessed apporoned and collected ia the manner
prescribed by the laws of this state relative town
taxes, except as herein modified and the city coun
ell may establish further additional provisions for
the collection thereof aud of interest thereon There
shall be elected at the rst election of subordinate OF
hccrs. under this act, In March. twelve persons for
oyerseers of the poor and workhouse four of whom
shall be elected for one year. four for two wears and
four for three years and all subsequent annual eec
uons, shall be for the term of three years.
SECTION y. The city council shall have exclusive
authority TO lay out widen otherwise alter dis
continue, any and all streets public ways in the
city of Portland without petition therefor and as
lar as ext erne low water mark and TO estimate all
damages sustained by the owners of land taken for
thatparpose; but all locations below high mark
shall be subject to the provisions of the laws relating
TO the commissioners of Portland harbor. A Joint
standing committee of the two boards shall be ap-
pointed, whose duty it shall be lay out alter wi
den or discontinue any street or way in said city
first giving notice of the time aud place their pro-
ceedings TO all parties interested by advertisement
IN TWO daily papers printed in Portland for week
at least previous TO the time appointed The commit
tee shall first hear all parties interested and then
determine and adjudge whether the public conyen-
ence require such street be laid out altered
or discontinued; and shall make a written return of
their proceedings, signed by majority them con-
tanning the bounds and descriptions of the street or
way If aidout or altered aud the names of the own
ers OF the land taken, when known aud the damages
allowed therefor; the return shall be filed in the CITY
clerks Office at least days previous to its accen
tance by the city council. The street or way shall
not be altered established until the report is ac
cepted by the city council and the report shall not
be altered amended before its acceptance street
or shall not be discontinued by the city council
mitee shall estimate and report the damages sustain
ed by the owners of the lands adjoining that portion
oil the street way which is distcon tnued; their
report shall be filed with the city clerk seven days at
least before its acceptance ANY person aggrieved
by the decision or Judgment of the city council in
tablising. altering or disseminating Streets may, so
far as relates 10 damages, appeal therefrom 10 the
next court having jurisdiction thereof in the county
ottumberland, which court shall determine the same
Dy committee OF reference under rule of court il
me parties agree or by verdict of its jury and
shall render Judgment and issue execution for the
damages recovered with costs the party prevailing
IN the appeal such appeal shall be the term
of the supreme Judicial Court which shall first be
holden In the county of Cumberland more than thirty
days from and after the street ia finally established
altered or discontinued, excluding the day of com.
mencement of the session of said court The appel.
ants shall serve written notice of such appeal upon
the mayor or city clerk fourteen days at least before
the session OF the court, and shall at the first term
he complaint setting forth substantially the facts of
the case On the trial, exceptions NAV be taken 10
the ruling of the court, in other cases Gotten.
ants who are appellants shall join in their appeal or
snail not recover their costs If a street or way is
discontinued before the damages paid or recov-
cred for the land taken the land owner shall not be
1at huftb