Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-03-21
DEPARTMENT OF BUILDINGS.
DE 1T ENACTED BY THE MAYOR AND

DE 1T ENACTED BY THE MAYOR AND
ID City Council of Nashville
Section There shall be Department called
"The Department of Buildings" The officers
OF which the Mayor and Chief OF the Fire De-
partment shall constitute two, and the third
shall be person nominated by the Board of On
derwriters of the City of Nashville. The person
nominated by the Board of Underwriters shall
be confirmed by the Mayor, anu shall hold his
office for the term of one year. Any vacancy,
caused by the death, resignation or removal from
office Of said last mentioned officer, shall be nlled
in the same manner for the unexpired term. The
officers of the Department shall be called the
"Superintendents of Buildings"
Sec. 2. When any person shall be about to erect
a house or building within the city of Nashville,
he shall make a written application to the SUI
perintendents of Buildings, stating the number
and extent Of buildings, the estimated cost, the
exact spot of ground on which it is to be built,
and the contract time for completion; and there
upon said officers shall, after inspecting the pre-
misses, issue permit to occupy such part Of
any street or slley for the purpose Of placing
for such time as may be necessary. Any person
or persons building without having obtained
such permit, or violating the same after having
Obtained it, shall be deemed guilty Of misde-
meanor, and, on conviction thereof, be fined not
less than five nor more than fifty collars.
Sec. g. 1t shall be the duty Of said officers to
have a general supervision and inspection of all
buildings in the course of construction; to cause
to be carried into effect all ordinances provided
for the prevention of fires, and for demolishing
walls and other structures which endanger life
and property; to see that all outside, partition
and parapet walls are constructed Of marketable
materials and of sufficient strength. They shall
remove and prevent the construction of any fire.
place, hearth, chimney or stove in any building
which may be dangerous in causing or promot
ing fires; they shall direct the safe construction
for the deposit of ashes; and may, at all season.
ablertimes, enter into and examine all dwelling
houses, lots, yards and Enclosures in order to de-
. I, in Aan ctota III To
cause such as may be unsafe to be put in q safe
and secure condition.
Sec. 4. Any person who shall erect a house or
building in the city without FIRST taking out a
permit, and in other respects complying with
section of this article, or who shall fail or re-
fuse to conform to the instructions of said Off
GERS, in compliance with the requirements of
this article, shall be deemed guilty OF INSIDE
meanOr, and, on conviction thereof, shall be
fined not less than five nor more than fifty dol
lars; and not less than ten nor more than fifty
dollars for any subsequent offence; provided,
however, that such party shall be first served
with notice in writing, setting forth distinctly
some one of the dangers herein before stated,
with instructions to remedy the same without
delay.
Sec. s. 1t shall be the duty Of said officers to
keep record of all permits issued, which shall
be regularly numbered in the order of their issue,
and also a record OF the statements upon which
permits are issued, and return the same to the
City Recorder at the end of every six months.
They shall also keep a record of and report to
the City Council, full and complete register of
the number, description and size of every build
ing erected in the city during the municipal
year; of what materials constructed, with tie
aggregates of the number, kind and cost of all
buildings.
Sec. 6. The said officers shall include in all
permits for the repair or erection OF buildings to
be hereafter issued by them, the following con-
ditions: First the applicant shall agree to make
a connection with the sewer, II the sewer Is al
ready constructed; and if not constructed, he
cl,o IN axa
nections whenever such sewer shall be con-
structed; secondly, he shall agree to construct
separate privy for each and every tenement
house erected by him or under his order, discon-
meet d with the adjoining lot or property, and
subject to the first condition of this section.
Sec. Z. The requirements of section 2, in rela-
ton to the issue of permits, shall apply to per-
sons about to repair houses, provided they design
to OCCUPY any portion of the street on which to
place building material.
Sec. 8. Whenever the Superintendent of
Buildings shall be informed that any building
or structure is in a situation to endanger the
lives of persons passing by, residing therein or
in the vicinity, or endanger property, they shall
forthwith proceed to make survey of said build
facts. If, from raid survey and report, they
shall believe that said building or other struc-
ture is in situation TO endanger the lives of per-
sons, or iDjure property, they shall imme-
building OF other structure to have the
same removed, or otherwise properly Sc
cured within twenty-four hours thereafter;
and should he or they fail to comply with said
notice, it shall be the daty of the Superintend-
ents to proceed forthwith to have the same de-
molished, or so much thereof as may be neces-
sary. And il any such owner or agent shall fail
TO comply with the requirements of such notice,
he or they shall be deemed guilty of a misde-
mesnOr, and, upon conviction thereof. be fined
not less than five nor more than fifty dollars.
Sec. 9. The cost of demolishiDg walls and other
structures which endanger life and property, as
provided by this article, shall be paid in the first
place by the city out of the contingent fund.
The Recorder shall then make out bills for said
work against the owner or owners of said walls
or other structures. In case said bills are not
paid upon presentation, they shall be placed in
the hands of the City Attorney, who shall sue
for the same as in the OF other debts due the
city.
Sec. 10. The office OF Superintendent OF Build
ings, being one of honor and trust, no compen-
sation shall he allowed.
Approved March IL, 1873.
1t THOS. A. KERCHEVAL, Mayor.