The Washington times., 1901-07-25
COST OF ABATING NUIsANCEs.
Legislation Proposed to Reach Nom
Resident Owners.

The Attorney for the District, A. b.
Duvall, has prepared the draft of the bill
to be submitted to Congress at the next
| session in order 70 enable the Commits
sioners to make the cost of abatement OF
nuisan&es a charge by way of assessment
upon the property owned by non-resi-
dents. He states that he is Of the opinion
! that the Commissioners are without au-
thority to make such a charge lien upon
the property under the existing law. The
following draft Of proposed health regu-
lation has accordingly been prepared:
That in addition prescribed in and by
section 26 of the ordinance of the late
Board of Health, legalized by the joint
resolution Of Congress- approved April "A,
1850. entitled Joint resolution legalizing
the health ordinances and regulations for
the District of Columbia, upon receiving
information of the existence of any nui-
sance upon or about any private prem
ises in the said District, or of the unsan-
itary condition thereof, or If any condi-
ton in or about such premises in viola
ton of any of the existing regulations of
the said District relating to public health,
or of such regulations as may be here
after made, to cause such premises to be
inspected; and all inspectors or other en-
ployes or officers acting under the direc-
tion of the Health Officer shall have the
right, and ii shall be their duty, to enter
any premises for the purpose of such
inspection.
IF, upon such inspection, the Health
Officer shall find that the abatement OF
such nuisance or condition be necessary
TO the public comfort or health, he shall
cause a written or printed notice, to be
served upon the person or persons by
whose act or default such nuisance Or
condition was created or suffered, requir-
ing him or them to abate the same within
twenty-four hours. or such further time
as may be reasonable, under the circum-
stances, provided that If a similar notice
shall have been served upon such a person
under existing regulation no further no.
tice shall be required.
IF such person is unknown, or cannot
be found, such notice shall be served upon
the occupant of such premises, and If
there be no occupant thereof then upon
the owner, provided that in all cases
where the nuisance or unsanitary condi-
ton aforesaid Is caused by any structural
condition or defect in, or appertaining to,
such premises. then the notice shall be
served upon the owner thereof. II shall
be the duty OF any person notified as
aforesaid under this or other regulations
to abate such nuisance or condition within
the time and in the manner required by
such notice, and If such person fail, re-
fuse. or neglect to do SO It shall be the
duty of the Health Officer to abate the
same; and he shall keep correct ac-
count of the expenses thereof, the amount
whereof shall be collected from the per-
son or persons whose duty Ii was to have
complied with said notice.
In such cases as the said notice is re-
quired, by this or other regulations, to
Ue served upon tue owner OF any premises
and such owner is a nonresident of. and
cannot be found within, the District of
Columbia, the Health Officer Is authorized
and it shall be his duty to abate such
nuisance or condition without previous no.
tice, and he shall keep, as aforesaid, an
account of the expenses thereof, which
shall be collected from such owner when
ascertained, and jurisdiction of him, or
OF his property, can be had: Provided fur
ther, That no proceedings under this regu-
lation shall be deemed to relieve any per-
son or persons of any penal liability in
lation or ordinance