The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-10-20
That Is What Mayor Robertson
Says About the HurfOrd
House Matters.
HOTEL MUST COME DOWN
Is In An Unsafe Condition According
To the Board
THAT MADE THE EXAMINATION,
The Statute Provides That the Board May
Order 1t Taken Down at the Ex-
pense.of the Owners -rhe
News-Democrat's Big
News Item.

pense.of the Owners - The
News-Democrat's Big
News Item.
The action of the board of examiners
of unsafe and insecure buildings, which
condemned the Hurford house building
at the corner of West Tuscarawas street
and Court street, Monday afternoon, as
exclusively printed in an extra edition
of the News-Democrat, caused general
comment, most of 1t favorable to the
board The board took action several
weeks ago and had removed the Green
building in North Walnut street, a
structure which was in dangerous and
insecure condition and about which
complaint had been made. The old
school house on the Jerry Lind property
was also condemned by them, and that
structure razed. The old Ball mill
smoke stack in East Seventh street was
examined and it was decided dangerous
and a menace to the neighbors and this
was ordered torn down, which command
of the board has already been complied
with. The board is not a new body
but it was organized under a law passed
March %, 1881, by the Ohio legislature.
In the law there are provisions desig-
mating as to the members who shall
form the board, their duties and re-
sponsibilities. There are sectionsrpro-
viding for the demolishing of the struc-
lures condemned by the board and who
shall pay the cost thereof. The follow
ing are the sections applicable to the
present action of the board as cited by
the Revised Statutes:
Section 2451. In cities of the first and
second class there shall be a board Of
examiners of insecure and unsafe build
ings, which board shall consist of the
mayor, fire marshal, and assistant fire
marshals; and if in any city there be
no fire marshal or assistant, thea the
city council shall appoint three suitable
persons, who, with the mayor, shall con-
stitute such board.
Section 2452. Whenever such board
is informed that any building or struct-
ure, erected or in process of erection, is
unsafe, or in a condition or situation to
endanger the lives of persons passing
by or residing in the vicinity thereof, or
to endanger property, 1t shall forthwith
proceed to have made a survey or eX~
animation of such building or structure
and if it appear that the same is un-
safe, or in a condition or situation
to endanger the lives of persons or to
owner thereof, or his agent, to be no.
titled to have the same removed, taken
down, or otherwise properly secured,
within a certain specified time, in the
discretion of the board after such no.
tice is served or left at the last place
of residence of such person; and should
such person fail to comply with such
notice, he shall be deemed guilty of a
misdemeanof, and upon conviction
| thereof in the police or other court hav-
ing jurisdiction, be fined in any sum
not more than five hundred or less than
twenty-five dollars, at the discretion of
the court: and if such person, after a
second notice is so served, fail or neg
lect to comply Herewith, said board of
examiners shall proceed forthwith to
have such building or structure demol-
ished, or so much thereof as may be
necessary for the safety of persons OF
property, as the case may be.
Section 245S provides that "when a
building or structure is demolished by
the board of examiners, the cost shall
in the first instance be paid by the city
out of the general fund, upon a proper
voucher for the amount signed by the
mayor and fire marshal; and the auditor
upon the certificate of the fire marshal
approved by the mayor, shall make ou'
bills for the cost of demolishing such
building; and if such bills are not paif
upon presentation by the auditor, OF
within ten days thereafter the city so
licitor shall institute suit for the sam,
as in the case of other debts due tn,
city, and the amount Of such bills shall
be a first lien on the property until tn
same Is paid and the amount when pai'
shall be credited to the general fund.
Mayor Robertson, as chairman of tn
board, made the following statemen
Tuesday morning to a News Democra
reporter:
Heretofore there has been som
ICoiuPlaill SouSSiliH5 tHS Sohuitioh u
; the building examined by our board o.
: Monday afternoon. / decided that w
ought to investigate 1t, and the othe
, members of the board were of the sam
opinion, SO we went over and examine
. the building. We conducted the inspec
. ton in an impartial manner. We eS
amined 1t thoroughly. We found tn
floors and walls In a dangerous cond
q tion, in fact so dangerous and insecuI
that I would not want to remain In
, over night. The board consisted Of tn
: fire chief, city engineer, plumbing II
. spector and city clerk. the latter actin
a las our secretary. They were men VIII
y Iwere experienced in such matters an
when they witnessed the manner