1874 California Statute regarding IncoporationSTA TPTES OF CALIFORNIA
Chapter CCCXVI
An Act to amend an Act anti tIed "An Act to incorporate
the Town of Alameda n , approved March seven, eighteen
hundred and seventy-two.
(APproved March 18, 1874.
AN ACT
To amend an Act entitled "An Act to Incorporate the Town of
Alameda , n approved March 7th, 1872.
The People of the state of California, represented in Senate
and Assembly, do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.Section Two of said Act is hereby amended to
read as follows:
Section 2.The Government of said Town shall be vested in
a Board of five Trustees, andAssessor, who shall act also as
Superintendent of Streets, and a Treasurer, who shall also act
as Tax Collector of said Town.The Justices of the !1eace and
Constables elected in and for said Township, from time to time,
shall perform their respective duties in said Town, and shall
respectively give effect to all ordinances that may be enacted
by the said Board of Trustees in pursuance of the power given to
said Board; and said Constables, or such other officers, not
exceeding three, as said Board of Trustees may appoint , shall
perform all police duty in said Town , and Shall receive such
compensation as may be allowed by said Board , not exceeding
fifty dollars per month for each officer.Special officers may
be from time to time appointed by said Board, but the entire sum
to be expended for police service shall not exceed one hundred and
fifty dollars per month.
Sec. 2.Section Five of said Act is hereby amended to read
as follows:
Se c . 5 .The Board of Trustees shall have power:First.
To declare any streets now open, or such as may hereafter be opened
by any owner of land wi thin said Town, to be public streets.
Second.To establish the grade of said streets, to provide for
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the improvement or repair of the same , and for the erection of
sidewa lks in the manner hereinafter provided, and to provide for
watering such streets as shall have been graded, macadamized or
ir:.proved.Third.To provide for the prevention and summary re-
moval of all nuisances and all occupations detrimental to the
public health, comfort or safety; to supprBSS all occupations,
houses , places and exhibitions which are &gainst good morals or
contrary to public order and decency; to prevent the appearance
of any person on any highway or public place in s8id Town in
sta te of intoxication; to prevent the discharge of fire-artns , pis-
tols or cannon on any wharves or streets of said Town , or on
pri va te property therein, wi thou t the consent of the owner thereof,
and to prevent any noise , disorder or tumult to the disturbance
of the public peace; to punish the violation of all ordinances
passed by said Board pursuant to the provisions of this section
by a fine not exceeding two hundred dollars , or by imprisonment
in the jail of the County of Alameda not exceeding three months.
Fourth.To levy and collect annually a tax not to exceed sixty
cents on each one hundred dollars of the assessment valuation
of all property, both real and personal, wi thin said Town, which
said tax shall be divided as follows:For the General Fund not
exceeding twenty-five cents on each one hundred dollars; for the
street Sprinkling Fund not exceeding ten cents on each one hundred
dollars; for the School Fund not exceeding twenty-five cents on
each one hundred dollars.:ach of said funds shall be kept
separa te from any other.All fines collected in said Town shall
be paid into the School Fund.Fifth.To impose and collect a
poll tax not exceeding two dollars per annum on each male
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inhabi tant between the ages of twenty-one and sixty, which shall
be paid into the School Fund or said Town , and no other poll
tax shall be collected within said Town of Alameda.Sixth.
license, tax and regulate all lawful trades and occupations; but
no license shall be collected in said Town except by its authority
and for its use.Seventh.To establish a public pound , and
appoint a Pound-keeper and prescribe his duties, and to provide
for the proper care and disposition of all animals impounded;
provided , tha t the Pound-keeper shall receive for hi s services and
care of animals only such fees as by ordinance he may be al-
loweQ to collect froDl the owners or proceeds of said animals.
Eighth.To pass all ordinances necessary to carry into effect
the powers herein granted; but it shall require the affirmative
vote of four Trustees for the passage of any ordinaane, or for
the passage of any order or resolution directing the payment of
money, and in every case the ayes and nays shall be entered on
the minutes of said Board.The style of such ordinances shall
be:"The Trustees of the Town of Alameda do ordain as follows.
To elect a Clerk of said Board , who shall erform such duties as
may be by them required, and to pay hiln out of the General Fund
for his services to said Board and as Clerk of the Board of Edu-
cation , a cornpensation not to exceed fifty dollars per month.
Se c. Section Six of said Act is hereby amended to read
as follaws:
Se c. If at any time the owners of one-half in frontage
of any land in said Town fronting upon any street between two
gi ven points on said street , shall peti tion the Board of Trustees
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to order the street between said points to be graded , macadamized
or otherwise improved, or for the construction of sidewalks
thereon, it shall be the duty of said Board to order the said
work to be done in the manner petitioned for , and the cost
thereof , including expenses of survey and advertising, shall be
assessed upon the property fronting upon both sides of the
street , between the points to be so improved, half way to its
intersection wi th the next parallel street.rhe said Board
shall, by ordinance, designate the street on which the work
to be done and the points of the commencement and termination
of such work , the character therepf , and the material to be
employed in its performance, and shall thereupon advertise, for
a period not less than twenty days , for proposals for doing
such work and furnishing such material.The contract shall be
awarded to the lowest responsible idder, but the Board may in its
discretion re ject all bids and advertise for further proposals
until a satisfactory bid is obtained.good and sufficient bond
shall in all cases be required from contractors for the faithful
performance of the work.Whenever any street to be improved as
above provided sha 11 cross any other street , the expense of im-
proving such crossing shall be assessed pro rata on sll the
property wi thin the area of the improvement.hen the whole cost
of the work shall have been asce tained the said Board shall
direct the Assessor to Qake a diagram of the property to be
charged wi th the expense thereof , showing the number of front feet
on the improved street and the number of front feet on such
portions of the cross streets as are included therein , and when
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said diagram shall have been approved by said Board the Clerk
shall certify the fact and date thereon.The Assessor shall
then assess the whole cost of the work pro rata on each front
foot , and shall, wi thin twenty days , or wi thin such further time as
the Board may grant , make and return to said Board , and a ttached to
said diagram an Assessment Roll , showing, in different columns: 1st.
The names of the owners of each lot of land ranged alphabetically
where the same are known , and if not known the wora Unknown shall
be wri tten in place of the name.2d.A brief description of the
property to be chargod , ei ther by its official designation on the
map of said Town or by mete and bounds.3d.rhe number of front
feet in said lot to be charged.4th.The rate of assessment per
foot.5th.rhe full amount for which said lot is assessed.The
total amount of the assessment shall be added up at the foot of said
last mentioned column.When the work so ordered shall have been
completed and accepted by said Board, they shall direct their Clerk
to deliver the Assessment Roll to the Treasurer, and said Treasurer
shall thereupon give notice , by advertisemeht for a period of two
weeks , requiring payment to be made to him within thirty days from
the date of first publication of said notice , and when any payment
is made he shall write the word "paid" and the date against such amou
On the expira tion of the thirty days all asseSSffsnts then unpaid
shall become celinquent , and the Treasurer shall add five per cent.
thereto , and shall certify the facts at the foot of said roll.The
said five per cent. when collected shall be paid into the General
Fund of the Town.The said Treasurer shall then proceed to advertise
and collect the various sums delinquent , including the cost of
advertising, which shall not exceed one dollar for each lot or parcel
of land, from the sale of the property, in the same manner as is or
may be by law provided for the collection of state and County taxes
in the County of Alameda. the same powers being hereby conferred
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upon said Treasurer as is or may be given to Tax Collectors for said
county; provided, that all sales required by this Act to be made for
any purpose by said Treasurer shall be held in front of his office
in said Town , and all advertisements shall be made in a newspaper
published in said Town, if there be one so published , and if not
then in such paper published in the Oi ty and County of San Francisco
as said Board shall designate , and by posting notices in three public
places in said Town.All property sold shall be sub ject to redemp-
tion in the same manner as in sales for delinquent state and County
taxes in said County, and the Treasurer may collect for each cer-
tificate fifty cents , and for each deed one dollar; but when more
than one lot assessed to the same delinquent is sold to the same
purchaser, then only one certificate or deed shall be made therefor.
All fees collected by said Treasurer shall be paid into the General
Fund of said Town.
Se c. 4 .The said Board of Trustees shall have further power to
construct sidewalks on any street in said Town , ei ther on one side of
said street or on both sides , as is hereinafter provided.Said
Board shall, by resolution, declare its intention to construct a
sidewalk on a street , giving its name, and shall designate the point
of commencement and termination thereof , the manner in which said
work is to be done , and the material to be used.Such resolution
shall be advertised once a week for three weeks , and if at the next
regular meeting of said Board after the time for advertising shall
have expired , one half of the owners of the property intended to be
charged wi th the cost of such sidewalk shall in writing protest a-
gainst the same , then all proceedings connected therewith shall be
discontinued , and no other or further proceedings , for the same pur-
pose , shall be taken for one year , excepting on the peti tion of said
property owners , as provided in Section Three of this Act; but if the
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requiste protest is not made, then the Board shall order said
work to be done , and all proceedings in connection therewith, and
in assessing and collecting for the cost thereof, shall be had and
taken as is provided in Section Three o this Act.
Se c. Section Nine of said Act is hereby amended to read
as follows:
Sec. g.The Board of Trustees shall meet on the third Monday
in August as a Board of Equalization , and shall continue their ses-
sions from time to time , not exceeding twenty days, as they may deem
necessary.They shall hear and determine all complaints respecting
the valuation of property, and may change or modify t e same, as a
majority of the whole Board may deem just and proper, but in no case
shall the assessment of any property in said Town exceed the value
assessed by the Township or County Assessor, nor shall it be more
than its actual cash value.
Se c. Section Twelve of said Act is hereby amended to read
as follows:
Sec. 12.The Trustees of said Town shall receive no compensation
for their services.The Treasurer, for all services that may be
required of him, including his duties as Tax Collec tor, and the
Assessor, for all services that may be required of him, including
the duties of Superintendent of Streets , shall each receive such
compensation as may be fi ed by the Board of Trustees , provided that
allowed to the Treasurer shall not exceed six hundred dollars per
annum, and that to the Assessor shall not exceed five hundred dollars
per annum.
Sec. 7.Section Eighteen of said Act is hereby repealed.
Sec. 8.No Trustee or officer of the Town of Alameda shall, by
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himself, agent , or partner, be directly or indirectly interested in
any contract made by or wi th the said Town, or in any purchase or
expendi ture made by or for the said Town, nor shall any such Trustee
or officer, by himself, agent or partner, act as the attorney, agent,
or advisor of any contractor for street work or other work wi
said Town, or receive from said contractor any fee, reward or gift;
and any violation of the provisions of this section is hereby
declared to be a misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof in a court
of competent jurisdiction, the offender shall be punished by a fine
not less than two hundred and fifty dollars nor more than one
thousand dollars, and by imprisonment in the jail of the County
not less than six months nor more than two years, and shall be
also liable in a civil action to any person who may be pecuniarily
aggrieved by the malfeasance aforesaid; and the Board of Trustees
shall declare the office of such offender to be forefei ted, and
shall fill the vacancy in the manner provided in Section Four of
the Act to which this Act is amendatory, as in the case of death
or resignation.
Sec. 9.The Board of Trustees of said Town shall have au-
thori ty to employ an Attorney, and fix his compensation, not to
exceed three hundred dollars per annum.
Sec. IO.This Act shall take effect immediately.