The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-02
Can NOW REVISE
St. PAUL'S CHARTER.
Ordinance to Be introduced in Council Asking
for Appointment of Commission.
esh
Mr.. sHEEHAN's BILL PAvEs The WAY.
Text of the Constitutional Amendment and
the Law Which Makes It
Operative.

the CudItGT Ut any ducuuuoQIS tnor6tO
The legislature may provide general laws
relating to affairs Of cities. the application of
which may be limited to cities of over fifty
thousand inhabitants, or to cities of fifty
and not less than fifteen thousand inhabitants,
or to cities of fifteen thousand inhabitants
or less. which shall apply equally to all cities
of either class, and which shall be para
mount, while in force, to the provisions re-
local charter herein provided for. But no
local charter. provision or ordinance passed
hereunder shall supersede any general law
of the state defining or Furnishing crimes or
misdemeanors.
THE ENACrING. LAW.
Following is copy of the Official pub!ica-
ton of the bill providing way for the APP
plication of the foregoing:
CHAPTER 255-S. r. NO. 525.
AN ACT authorizing any city or village in
this state to frame its own charter for its
government as city, consistent with and
subject to the laws of this state.
Be it enacted by the legislature of the state
of Minnesota:
Section 1. Any city or village in this state
may frame charter for its own government
as city consistent with and subject to the
laws of the state.
Sec. 2. Whenever requested by an ordi-
nance passed by the common council of any
such city or village so to do or by pc
tition signed by at leastseight per cent e per
cent? of the legal voters thereof according
to the next preceding election returns, the
judge or judges of the judicial district in
which such city or village is situated shall
shall be and for thesspast five years shall
have been qualified Yetefs thereof. When
ever said judge or iud gessSso majority Of
same deem the publtcihterests so require,
he or they may appoint such commission on
his or their motion. fs.
Said board shall within six months after
it's appointment return the chief magis-
trate of said city or Village draft of such
E.f &c
said board or majority thereof. Said char
ter shall be submitted to the qualified voters
of such city or village at the next election
thereafter, or at a specialization, called for
the purpose, and If four-sevenths 40 of the
qualified voters voting upon its adoption at
such election shall ratify, the same it shall
at the end of thirty days thereafter become
the charter of such city or village as a city
amendments thereof; provided that in cities
having patrol limits now established such
charter shall require a sthree-fourths % ma
jority vote of the qualified voters voting at
said election to change the patrol limits now
established. Duplicate certificates shall be
made setting forth thes- charter and ratifica-
ton, which shall be signed by the chief
magistrate of said icity or1Yillage and au-
thenticated by. it's eorporatess seal.
/ One Of said certificates be deposited
in the Office of, the secretary of state, and
the other, after being: srecordedotin the Of
flee of the register of, deeds for the, county
in which said city or village is situated, shall
be deposited among the archives Ct said city
or village, and all courts shall take judicial
notice thereof. Said charter so deposited may
be amended by proposal, therefor made by
a board of fifteen freeholders as aforesaid,
published for at least thirty days in three
newspapers of general circulation in such
city or village and accepted by three-ffths
(3-5) of the qualified voters of such city or
village voting at the next ELECTION and not
otherwise Such charter shall always be in
harmony with and subject to the constitution
QnH n ia ~ q
board of freeholders above provided for shall
hold their Office for a term as provided
for in the constitution and laws Of this state,
and all vacancies by death, disability to per-
form duties, resignation or removal from the
corporate limits shall be filled by appoint
ment in the same manner as the original
board was created, and said board shall al
ways contain its full complement Of members.
Sec. 3. 1t shall be a feature of all such
charters that there shall be provided among
other things for mayor, or chief magistrate,
legislative body Of either one or two houses,
and. If two, at least one of them shall be
elected by general vote OF the citizens of
such municipality In submitting any such
charter or amendment thereto to the qualified
voters Of such city or village any alternate
section or article may be presented for the
choice of the voters and may be voted on
separately without prejudice to other articles
or sections of the charter or any amend
ment thereof. ''s
Sec. 4. Upon the draft of such charter
being returned to such chief magis rate as
aforesaid. the law makig authorities of such
city or village,as the case may be- shall forth
with fix the time fer holding an election at
which such proposed charter shall be sub
mitted to the qualified voters of such city or
village, as the case may be, which may be at
general or special election called for that
purpose, and cause notice of such election to
be published for at least twenty (20) days in
two CT more newspapers of circulation in
such city or village. At such city election
the form of the ballots may be "for the char
ter, followed by sufficient space to the right
tn on which may 4bes written or printed
the choice of the person voting such ballot.
In the event of any alternate section or ar
t:cle being presented for the choice of the
voters any form of ballot may be used which
will clearly indicate the choice of the person
voting such ballot between such alternate
sections or articles = "a,
Sec. 5. Such charter In superseding any
previous charter and amendments thereof
shall not affect any right, lien or liability
accrued. established or subsisting previous to
the time when such charter takes effect nor
aHect any action or proceeding pending when
such right, lien or liability shall be in force,
and such action or proceeding shall be carried
on in all respects as il such9 charter had no.
taken effect, nor shall such charter be in any
wise construed as to affect ANY right or liza
bility acquired or accrued under the previous
charter and amendments superseded thereby
on the part OF any city or any person or
body corporate. 81
Sec. g.. All ordinances, resolutions reoula-
lions in force at the time such charter takes
effect and not Inconsistent with the provisions
thereof shall remain and be in force until
altered modified or repealed by the law
making authorities of such cities.
Sec. Z. All rights Of action, penalties and
forfeitures accrued to- such city before such
charter takes effect shall remain unaffected
thereby, and may be prosecuted. recovered
and received as fully in every respect as
though such charter had not taken effect.
Sec. 8. Any lien on reaI property existing
In the state Of Minnesota or such city at or
before the taking effect of such charter for
taxes and special assessment levied by such
city, and all right title or estate acquired
by or vested in the state Of Minnesota or
any such city by reason Of the forfeiture or
sale to the state or city of any tract OF land,
town or city lots offered I'm a public sale for
taxes sor special assessment levied by such
city, interest and costs due thereon, and not
sold to others for want of bidders, are hereby
assigned and transferred to and continued In
such city, and all lands, town or city lots
forfeited or sold to the state or such city
shall from the taking effect Of such charter
be deemed and taken to be forfeited and sold
to such city. In all cases where certificates
of purchase have at any time of such charter
takes effect been made out in the name of
purchasers at any sale for such delinquent
taxes or special assessments the right to re-
deem from any such sale shall not be i'm
paired by anything in this ilact or any such
charter contained.
Sec. 9. It shall be aAwfal for any such
city In such charter or BY amendment thereof
to provide for regulating and controlling
the exercise by any person or corporation Of
the streets or public places In such city.
whether such franchises Of privileges have
been granted by said city or by or under
the state OF Minnesota or anH other authority:
but no perpetual franchise or privilege shall
ever be granted; orJteha3& any exclusive
franchise or privilege be granted unless the
question Of granting the same shall have been
Arst submitted to the qualified voters Of such