Early Springfield Ordinances
From Directory of the City of Springfield
John W. Kees & Co., Springfield. 1852
AN ORDINANCE
For the prevention of nuisances in the city of Springfield.
Sec. 1. Be it ordained by the city council of Springfield, That if any person or persons shall cast or lay, or shall cause to be cast or laid, any shavings, ashes, mud, or filth of any kind, or any annouance whatever in any of the streets, lanes or alleys of this city, every person so offending, on conviction thereof before the mayor, shall forfeit and pay for every such offense a fine not exceeding five dollars and the costs of prosecution.
Sec. 2. That whenever any lane or alley within this city, whether public or private, shall become unclean, or filthy, or noisome or offensive from any cause, it shall be the duty of the marshal to notify the persons owning or holding lots or land abutting upon such alley or lane, or the tenants residing on the said lots or land to remove such dirt, filth, or offensive substance or matter forthwith at their own expense; and in case such owners or tenants shall refuse or neglect to comply with such notification for ten days thereafter, the marshal shall then forthwith cause such alley or lane or parts thereof to be cleaned, and the offensive substance or matter removed at the expense of the city, and assess the expense thereof proportionally on the owners or tenants who have been notified as aforesaid and have not complied with such notice; and if any of the owners or tenants who have been notified as aforesaid, shall neglect or refuse on demand to pay to the marshal the amount assessed against them as aforesaid, the marshal shall proceed forthwith to collect the same together with the costs of suit, by an action of debt before the mayor in the name of the city of Springfield.
Sec. 3. The city marshal, or either of his deputies, shall or may from time to time, after having notified the occupant, enter into and examine between sunrise and sunset, any building, cellar, lot of ground, vault, or privy which they may know or believe to be foul, damp or otherwise prejudicial to the public health, and they may direct the cleansing, altering or amending the same, or the removal of all nuisances in and about the premesis; and every person who shall resist or obstruct such officer in the discharge of said duty, or who shall neglect or refuse to remove such nuisance when so directed, shall forfeit and pay a fine for every such offense not exceeding twenty dollars and costs of prosecution, and shall moreover be liable to pay a fine of one dollar for every hour the said nuisance shall remain after a reasonable time has been given to remove the same.
JAMES M. HUNT
Mayor of the city of Springfield
SAMUEL PARSONS,
Recorder
Passed July 23, 1851.