The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1915-05-01
CITY ATTEMPTS
OBSERVANCE OF
- HOUSING LAWS
Mayor Outlines Practical
Policy of Enforcement to
Improve General Health
Conditions.

n IdlT anu pIdCllCdl enforcement vi
the state housing law in Richmond is
to be undertaken in cooperation with
the movement to improve health and
sanitary conditions. This announce
ment was made by Mayor Robbins to-
day.
Eve have found during the cam
paign we have been making the last
few days for q strict observance of
the garbage ordinance. that quite
number of tenement houses are in
very unsanitary condition." the mayor
said today. "To correct such condi-
tions the city intends to act under the
provisions Of Section 3 Of the state
housing law. which reads:
1.-The owner of every tenement
house shall provide for said building
proper and suitable conveniences or
recepticles for ashes, rubbish. gar
bage, refuse and other matter Gar
bage chutes are prohibited
1--WE have found that quite a few
tenement houses are equipped with
these garbage chutes, Tenants Of such
houses have not been prosecuted for
using these chutes, which dump into
alleys, because it has been difficult to
ascertain the people responsible for
using them. but the state law gives US
authority to proceed against the prop
erty owners. These owners will be or
dered to remove such chutes and to
provide sanitary arrangements. and be
given a reasonable length of time to
make such improvements.
ITO avoid any doubt as to the mean
ing of tenement house. will cite the
definition contained in the state hous-
ing law: 1t is building which houses
two or more families
Expects Health Survey.
Mayor Robbins expressed confidence
that the United States public health
service would detail one Of its experts
in the near future to make health
survey Of the city.
After this survey has been made
the city health department will be pre-
pared to proceed at once to eliminate
all building which are found to be, by
the government expert, a menace to
the health of the community. The
health board will act under the au
thority given it by Section 70 Of the
housing law, but this authority will
not be used arbitrarily nor with I'M
necessary severity. Buildings, how
ever, which are disease breeders will
have to be improved to eliminate such
conditions or be removed
whenever it shall be found by the
board of health that a tenement house
or any part thereof, is infected with
contagious disease or that it is unfit
Cor human habitation or dangerous to
49, or health by reason OF want of
airs. or Of defects in the drainage,
- "rhin c. ventilation, or in the con
""ticn IF tho same, or by reason Of
existence CT the premises of
o0cN likely to cause sickness
- tho occupants OF the house, the
'.' may issue an order requiring
nc:cIs ti2ere in to vacate such
~" r. rort thereof within not less
-, tr-entv-fcur hours nor more than
-, avs. fcr the reasons to be men
tened IN such order.
May Order Vacation.
In case such order is not complied
with within the time specified the
board Of health may cause such tene-
ment house or part thereof to be va
Gated The board, whenever it is sat
!sfied that the danger from such house
or part thereof has ceased to exist,
Or that il has become TT for human
aabitation, may allow such house to be
occupied. An appeal is hereby grant
I'd from any decision or order OF said
board of health declaring any such
.enemen: house unfit or unsafe for hui
man occupation or habitation, which
appeal may be taken by any owner,
M4Aoe or agent of said tenement house,
or by any holder of any lien thereon,
or any person interested therein, which
appeal may be perfected without any
bond, by the filing with the said board,
a petition giving notice of the intention
of such petitioner to appeal from said
decision or order. and thereupon the
said board of health shall cause to be
transmitted to the clerk of the circuit
court of the county in which said tene-
ment house is located, copy of all pa
pers, orders and entries on file or en-
tered in such court suit wherein the
state Of Indiana shall be plaintiff. and
tn said person SO taking such appeal
shall be named the defendant, ard
such proceedings shall be conducted to
final termination in the same manner
as a civil action, and it shall be the
duty of the prosecuting attorney OF
such county to represent the plaintiff
in such proceedings