The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1912-01-18
OLD BUILDINGS MUST GO
New Ordinance Ready for Considera-
tion of the Council Gives Officials
Power to Force Rebuilding or De-
struction of Unsafe Buildings.

which has for it's purpose the seonferr-
ing of authority upon the city council
to get rid of old buildings and built
ings the continuation Of which may
prove a menace to the other property
in the neighborhood. The ordinance
as prepared will be submitted to the
common council at its meeting on next
Monday evening. Some of the most
important provisions Of the ordinance
follow:
Any building or part thereof, or
any structure of like nature, in con-
dition dangerous to the occupants, or
those passing, or to any adjacent
buildings by reason of bad condition
of wall, overloaded floors, defective
heating apparatus, vibrations from
machinery, defective fues, confined or
cramped stairways, insufficient exits,
narrow or dark passageways, or which
is unsafe or dangerous for the purpose
for which it is used or intended to be
used, or is in danger of being set on
fire from any defect in its construc-
ton, or is especially dangerous in case
of fire by reason of its dilapidated
condition or defective construction, or
from other causes, or which may be
prejudicial to the public health or the
health of the inhabitants of tile neigh
borhood, shall be deemed and is here
by declared to be public nuisance.
Whenever it shall come to the
knowledge of the committee on build
ings and water works or chief Of the
fire department, or complaint shall be
made to them or either of them in
writing by any two reputable citizens,
that any building, wall or structure
within said city is in such dangerous
condition as described in the preced-
ing section, said committee on build
ings and water works, or the chief of
the fire department., as the case may
be, shall forthwith report the same to
the city council. If it shall appear to
the council, after due investigation Of
such report, that such building, wall
or structure is in such dangerous con-
dition as aforesaid, and the owner or
owners or his or their agent, or the
lessee or occupant thereof if within
his power or duty so to do shall fail
within a reasonable time, to be fixed
by the council, and after notice there
of in writing served on such owner or
owners or his or their agent, or upon
such lessee or occupant, by such of
ficer of the city as the council shall
direct specifying wherein such build
inc is unsafe, defective or unlawful,
to make the same safe, in such way
as the council may direct, said build
ing, wall or structure shall, upon the
order of said council, be torn down
and removed by the chief of the fire
department or the chief of police, as
the council may instruct, or made safe
as said council may order"
can itemized account of the expense
Of tearing down and removing such
structure, or of putting the same into
safe condition shall be. kept by the
person or persons authorized to tear
down and remove said building, or to
make the same safe as the case may
be, and shall be presented to the own
er or owners Of said structure, or his
or their agent, or to such lessee or
occupants for payment, and IN case
such owner or owners, lessee or occu-
pant, as the case may be, shall fail
or refuse, upon demand, to pay the
same, then the same may be recover
ed from such owner or owners, lessee
or occupant in an action at law in the
name Of the city,
whenever any owner or owners,
agent, lessee or other person in con-
troll Of such building or structure and
having the power or being under the
duty SO to do, shall fail, neglect or
refuse after notice as aforesaid to COM
ply with any order of said city council
with reference to the removal or re-
pair of such building or structure,
within the time specified in such
order and notice, he shall be subject
to fine of not less than ten dollars
nor more than one hundred dollars
for each and every day such violation
of any such order shall continue, af-
ter the expiration of the time speci-
fed in such order and notice.
ssIn all cases where the public safety
requires immediate action, the chief
of the fire department, may enter up.
on the premises, without the prelimi-
nary direction of the city council, and
cause such building or structure 70 be
made safe, or taken down, Without
delay
ssIt shall not be lawful to repair
or reconstruct or remove any build
| ing within the fire limits Of said city
which has been injured more than fifty
sper cent e ito original value, sxcIs