The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1944-10-13

paid In the case of business
! buildings leased with a clause in
the lease specifying that the les
see is responsible for mainten-
ance and repairs the lessee will
be considered in such cases as
the owner" for the purposes of
this ordinance.
(F9 The term occupant as
used herein shall mean the irdi-
vidual, partnership, or corpora
ton that has the use of or occu-
pies any business building or a
part or fraction thereof whether
the actual owner or tenant In
the case of vacant business build
ings or any vacant portion of a
business building the owner,
agent or other person having Gus
tody of the building shall have
the responsibilities of an occu-
pant of a building.
Sec. (2) That it is hereby pro-
vided and required that all bus
mess buildings in the City of
Pascagoula shall be rat-proof-
ed. freed of rats. and main
tanned in a rat-proof and rat
free condition under the direc-
ton and supervision of the
Health Officer:
Sec. (3) That upon receipt of
written notice andIor order from
the Health Officer the owner of
any business building specified
therein shall take immediate
measures for rat-proofing the
building, and that unless said
work and improvements have
been completed by the owner in
the time specified in the written
notice. in no event to be less than
fifteen Q5) days, or within the
time to which a written extern
sion may have been granted by
the Health Officer. then The own
er shall be deemed guilty of an
offense under the provisions of
this ordinance:
Sec. "a That whenever the
Health Officer notifies the occu-
pant or occupants of a business
building that there is evidence
of rat infestation of the building
said occupant or occupants shall
Immediately institute appropri-
ate measures for freeing the pre-
misses each occupies of all rats,
and that unless suitable measures
for freeing the building of rats
are instituted within three (3)
days after receipt of notice and
unless continuously maintained
in a satisfactory manner until the
building is free of rats the Health
Officer is hereby authorized and
directed to free the building of
rats and to levy monthly charge
against the occupant or occupants
to cover the costs for labor, ma
terials, and equipment necessary
for eradication measures carried
out each month:
Sec (5) That the occupants of
all rat-proofed business buildings
are required to maintain the pre-
misses in rat-proof condition and
to repair all breaks or leaks
that may. occur in the rat-proof-
ing unless such breaks or leaks
develop as the result of natural
deterioration of the building.
Sec. (6) That from and after
passage of this ordinance the
Health Officer is empowered to
make unannounced inspections of
the interior and exterior of busi-
ness buildings, as in his opinion,
may be necessary to determine
full compliance with this ordi-
nance, and the Health Officer
shall make periodic inspections
at intervals of not more than
forty-five (45) days of all rat.
stopped buildings to determine
evidence of rat infestation and
the existence of new breaks or
leaks in their rat-proofing and
when any evidence is found indi-
eating the presence of rats OF
openings through which rats may
again enter business buildings
the Health Officer shall serve the
owners or occupants with notices
and/or orders to abate the con-
ditions found.
Sec. CD That whenever condi-
tions inside or under business
buildings provide such extensive
hafborage for rats that the Health
Officer deems it necessary to
eliminate such harborage he may
require the owner to install suit
able cement floors in easements
or to replace wooden first or
ground floors or require the own
er to correct such other interior
rat harborage as may be neces-
sary in order to facilitate the
eradication of rats in a reasona-
bic time and thereby to reduce
the cost thereof.
Sec (8) That it shall be un-
lawful under the provisions of
this ordinance for the occupant,
owner, contractor, public utility
company, plumber or any other
person to remove the rat-proof-
ing from any business building
for any purpose and fail to re-