The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1904-03-26
TIE CHARTER OF WESTMINSTER.
The Provisions of the Bill Before the Leg
islature Adding TO and Amending the
Charter of the City.

Last fall the Mayor and Common Council
of Westminster named committee to con-
slider the needs of the city. The committee
consisted of Elias o. Grimes, Charles f. Fink,
George R. Gehr. Frank c. Sharrer and John
L. Reifsnider, Jr. Mr.. Grimes was made
chairman. The committee considered many
matters, presented to them by the Mayor and
Council and its recommendations are en-
bodied in bill now before the Legislature.
The recommendations, It is understood, were
unanimous upon all matters, except upon
the qualification of voters, upon which point
there was one dissenting vote.
The bill adds six new sections to the charter,
which follow pretty closely the provisions OF
the Baltimore charter, and the other sections
are the same as the provisions of the present
charter with slight additions and alterations.
The new sections relate to buildings In the
city and the appointment of an inspector
thereof.
QUALIFICATION OF VOTERS.
The first section of the bill adds an ad-
| ditional qualification fer voters at city cleo
tons for Mayor and Common Couucilmen.
In addition to being qualified to vote for Dele
gates to the General Assembly voters must
also be taxpayers to the city. The same sec
ton also provides that the Mayor and Com
mon Councilmen must also be taxpayers 10
the city.
The second section of the bill is the same as
the present provision Of the charter, section
22o, relative to the power to pass ordinances
| to preserve the health, peace and safety OF
the inhabitants, to prevent and remove NUS
ances, TO restrain disorder and disturbances,
| to prevent the firing of cannons, guns, pistols,
| &c, &C. The addition to the section in.
creases the limit of fines for violations of or
/ dinauces pertaining to such offenses from S25
| to 500.
| REIATING TO STREETS, ALLEYS, &C.
Section 227 of the present charter, relating
to laying out, opening and extending or widen
| ing any alley in the city, and assessing oene'
| fits and damages, is made to include the
Strengthening or closing up in whole or part
any street, square, lane or alley IN the city.
| The language of the present section IS fol-
| lowed, but power is given the Mayor and
Council to levy the damages and expenses of
| changes, alterations, opening, closing, widen
/ ing or extending streets, in whole or part upon
the city, and such levy shall be IN addition to
the annual levy now authorized by law. The
revenue now realized by the authorized tax
rate, it is held, is not sufficient to pay the
fixed charges upon the city and provide for
much improvement, and the addition to the
section authorizes an increase OF the tax rate
TO pay for damages and expenses IN Laying
/ out, opening, extending, widening, stralghten-
/ ing or closing up in whole or part any street,
| square, lane or alley in the city Ii is held
that the growth of Westminster, for residences,
must be off from Main street, and there are
but few avenues to reach the streets and lots
| available for the eiiy's growth. Streets. it is
/ held, can be more cheaply opened now than
later.
! Section 2a2 of the charter, relating to assess
ment Of property and collection i taxes, IS
/ amended in the BILL The change in this sec
/ ton is the addition Of the following words
/ ''but before any assessment made as aforesaid
/ shall become valid FIVE days notice thereof,
I in writing. shall BE- given TO the owner Of the
property 10 be assessed; II such owner be not
/ found within the limits Of the City Of West
minister, then the same shall be gwen to the
/ person in possession Of the property to be
| assessed or in whose custody the same NAV be;
I or if it be land and no one is in apparent &C
I cupancy thereof. then such notice shall be
| posted u pom such land.
NV SECTIONS
The SIX new sections added 20 the charter
are as follows:
! Section 226 g. They shall have all power
and authority within said city 10 provide
/ for the entry into and examination Of All
/ dwellings, lots, yards, enclosures aud build
/ ings of every description to ascertain their
| condition for health. cleanliness and safety;
| for the taking down aud removal OF bGildings,
walls, structures or super structures that are
/ or may become dangerous, or TO require own
ers to remove them or put them into safe
I and ssund condition a. their own expense.
+ To regulate the building and maintenance Of
I party walls, partition fences. smoke nues, hre
places, hot Asr hues, smoke stacks and stove
/ pipes To provide for aud regulate the safe
/ construction, inspection, alterations aud re-
| pairs Of all private and public buildings SiIhIn
1 the city of Westminster To require the roofs
/ Of sll buildings hereafter 10 be erected 10
said city and the roof Of all haildings nos erect
4 ed ia said city aud hereafter replaced 10 be
made OF constructed of Tin, metal. slate, tile or
/ some other FIRE proof material. To regulate the
/ limits within which il shall be lawful 70 erect
/ steps, porficns, bag windows or other struc
/ tural ornaments 10 houses fronting on any OF
/ the streets, lanes or alleys Of said city. To
/ provide kJr the appointment of competent
( building inspector, prescribe bis duties and hx
/ the amount of salary or compensation to be
/ paid hir1. And they may pass all ordinances
I necessary from time TO time to carry out aad
/ enforce the sioregoing provisions and to en-
+ force the observance Of such ordnance BY
1 reasonable fines and penalties not exceeding
/ one hundred dollars 10 ANY one case, as may
/ appear to them right, and they may recover
said fine or penalty by an action Of debt. and
/ in addition thereto they mzy provide for the
I Imprisonment Of the offender for a period not
exceeding thirty days, or until the tine and
/ costs be paid.
SEC. re b. II shall not be lawful for the
owners or lessees Of any public hall, church,
[ school or place Of amusement. ia said cily OF
/ Westminster. 10 obstruci, or aliow 10 be oh
/ ssructed by others any Of the Aisles or pas
sage ways in The auditorium of said halls,
| churches, school or places Of amusement, by
placing therein any benches, chSirs or stools,
or other articles tina, may prevent free Ingress
and agrees during the hours that said places
may be opened to the public
Sue. - C. Said owners or lesseeS or their
agents are required TO keep open At all hours
during the time said halls, churches, schools
or places of amusement are open TO toe pub.
| lie, all doors giving means Of ingress and
egress. unless said doors open outward from
said places, then The same may be closed but
| no hiuderance. such as locks or catches Of any
/ kind, shall be allowed to obstruct or prevent
instant and easy egress through the same; and
| when said doors open inward, II is required
of said owners. lessees and their agents that
said doors shall be fastened securely and firm.
ly open.
SIC. 226 q. Owners or lessees Of any per,
son holding under them, or their agents, NO
lating either OF the two preceding sections
/ shall ON conviction thereof, be fined by the
| viction is had for any violation, II sum not ex-
ceeding one hundred dollars, aud in default
thereof to be confined in the county Jail Of
| Carroll county for b period Of thirty days or
until said fine and costs be paid, OF be both
fined and imprisoned 10 the discretion of the
said Justice.
SIC. 226 e. II shall be the duty of the in
spector Of buildings TO visit and inspect all
theatres, hotels. public halls, churches and
buildings used for public sssemblsge and all
manufactures employing twenty-6 five or more
persons, now erected or thai may hereafter be
erected in the city of Westminster for the pur-
pose of ascertaining if said buildings have the
proper mesns of exit in case of FIRE or panic;
and if. on an examination, the said inspector
Of buildings shall determine that said build
ings herein enumerated have not the proper
means Of exit for the purposes herein pre-.
scribed, then it shall be the duty of the said
inspector of buildings to notify, in writing, the
owners, trustees or iessees of said buildings
that the proper means of exit do not exist and
direct said owners. trustees or lessees OF said
buildings herein enumerated to so improve
the same as to provide the proper means of
exit, in cass of FIRE or panic, as, in the judg