pense incurred for each local improvement, which is chargeable to neighboring property owners and collectible by local assess ment, if advanced by the city in anticipation of the collection of a local assessment, shall be payable from the general city fund. § 56. Audit of claims by the common council and payment thereof. All claims and accounts against said city of whatever nature, except such as may be lawfully made, incurred and paid by the board of police commissioners, sewer commissioners and fire commissioners, and board of education, shall be presented to the common council for audit and the same shall be referred to a standing committee thereof, composed of three aldermen, to be appointed by the mayor, to be called the committee on auditing accounts. It shall be the duty of said committee to inquire into such claims or accounts, and they may take proof on oath in relation thereto, and shall report thereon to the common council with their reasons, and the common council shall then hear, examine and determine the same. The common council may prescribe the form of affidavit to be sworn to and annexed to bills against the city. The accounts and claims so audited shall be paid by the city treasurer on the warrant of the mayor, counter signed by the city clerk, specifying the amount so audited and the fund from which it is payable. The city clerk shall keep a record of every such warrant. The common council may authorize the committee on auditing accounts to employ a clerk. Such clerk shall perform such clerical work in verifying claims and accounts presented against the city, and such other clerical work as may be assigned him, but shall not have power to audit any claim or aocount against said city. The compensation of said clerk shall be fixed by the common council at an amount not exceeding five hundred dollars per annum.

§ 57. Improvements and removal of nuisances at expense of owner. The common council shall have power to direct the digging down, draining or filling up of lots whenever deemed necessary to prevent injury to the streets, side or crosswalks, at the expense of the owner of such lots; to direct the sweeping and cleaning of the streets by persons owning or occupying the premises fronting thereon; to order and regulate the planting, removing, rearing, trimming and preserving of ornamental and shade trees in the streets of the city at the expense of the owners of the property fronting thereon; to regulate and provide for the erection of a railing or guard along the streets and side

walks in exposed and dangerous places, and to compel payment of the expenses thereof by the abutting owners; to require any building, fence or other erection within the lines of any street to be removed therefrom by the owner or occupant of the abutting property and in case of his neglect so to remove the same, to cause its removal at the expense of such owner or occupant; to compel the owner or occupant of any building or wall which may be dangerous or in unsafe condition on account of fire or otherwise to render the same safe, or to take down and remove the same, and in case of his neglect so to do, to cause it to be taken down or removed at the expense of the owner or occupant; to direct the owner or owners of any building used for public entertainments or other public purposes to provide the same with suitable and sufficient fre-escapes and means of exit in case of fire, in the manner provided by the common council, and in case of the failure or neglect of such owner so to do, to do such work at the expense of the owner; to authorize any city officers, or any person designated by the common council, to inspect any place or places to ascertain whether the same are in safe condition and, if not, to require the came to be made safe, and if the owner thereof shall neglect or refuse so to do, to cause the same to be made safe at the expense of the owner. The common council shall also have power to prevent any encumbrance, encroachment or obstruction in or upon any street, alley, sidewalk, crosswalk, highway or public ground of maid city; to regulate or prevent the deposit of building materials in or upon such streets, alleys, sidewalks, crosswalks, highways er public grounds; and in case of neglect or refusal of any person who shall have caused such encroachment, encumbrance, obstruction or deposit contrary to any rule or ordinance, or the owner

occupant of any premises upon which shall be any building, fence or other obstruction or thing encroaching upon, incumbering or obstructing any such street, alley, sidewalk, crosswalk, highway or public ground, to remove the same after being notified o to do, to have power to do so at the expense of such person or such owner or occupant. To compel the owner or occupant of any premises in said city to remove all dirt, snow and ice from the sidewalks and gutters, including the culverts, adjoining such premises and in case of neglect or refusal of the owner or occupant of said premises to remove the same after being notified so to do, to cause the same to be done at the expense of the ●wner or occupant. To require any turnpike, plankroad, street

railway, electric railway, railroad or other corporation or company to keep each street, alley and highway through which its road may pass at grade in said city, and the gutters, drains, culverts of said road in good condition and repair, to lay or relay such road, or any portion thereof, in accordance with the established grade of said street, alley or highway, so far as the performance of such acts is now required by law and to remove, without any unnecessary delay, all incumbrances and obstructions which such corporation or company shall have placed or caused to be placed upon such street, alley or highway; and if such corporation or company shall refuse or neglect to do any of the acts so required of it, after being notified to do the same, to cause the same to be done at the expense of such company or corporation. Nothing in this section or in this act shall be construed to require any street or electric railway company to repair or keep in condition any street, alley, or highway, through which its road may pass, except that portion thereof covered by its road and a space two feet in width cutside of and adjoining its track on either side. If it becomes necessary to remove snow or ice from any such street, alley or highway, said street railway company is to remove the snow and ice thrown out by it from its track and said space and also the snow and ice which shall be upon the space upon which said snow or ice is thrown or placed, which snow and ice shall be removed at such times and in such manner as une common council shall prescribe. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to deprive any railroad company or corporaon of any of the rights or privileges now granted or which may be hereafter granted by the general railroad laws of the state. To regulate and superintend the laying of all gas and ther pipes, to fix the grade at which such pipes shall be laid and to compel the laying or relaying of the same in accordance with such established grade; to require any individual, company or corporation, after laying, relaying or repairing such pipes in any street, alley or highway in said city; to put such street, alley or highway in good condition or repair; to remove without unnecessary delay all incumbrances and obstructions which such individual, corporation or company may have placed or caused to be placed in such street, alley or highway; to require such individual, corporation or company to keep proper signal lights burning at night at all holes, ditches and places which shall have been rendered dangerous to persons traveling such streets,

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alleys or highways: and in case such individual, corporation or company shall neglect or refuse to do any of the acts required of him or it by this section, after being notified to do the same, to cause the same to be done at the expense of such individual, corporation or company. To prevent or regulate the construction and erection of any building, awning or other structure which shall project into or over any street or sidewalk in said city, and the hanging or suspending of any goods, signs or other thing in or upon any such street or sidewalk; and in case the owner or occupant of such premises shall neglect or refuse to remove the same, after being notified to do so, to remove the same at the expense of the owner or occupant. To designate such portions of said city as it may deem proper within which no building, in whole or in part, of wood or other combustible material shall be erected or removed; to remove or provide for the removal thereof if so erected or removed; to prevent or regulate the construction, erection or use in any manner dangerous with regard to fire of any building, chimney or fireplace, heater, stove, stovepipe, repository of ashes or charcoal, boiler, furnace or other apparatus or thing; to compel the owner or occupant of any premises pon which shall be found anything so constructed, erected or used, to put the same in safe condition or remove the same, and in case the owner or occupant shall neglect to put in safe condition or remove the same after being notified so to do, to cause the same to be done at the expense of the said owner or occupant, and for the purpose aforesaid the common council shall have power to enter into or upon or authorize the entry into or upon any building or premises in the city. To prevent and abate nuisances and determine what are such, either upon view or upon the testimony of witnesses who may be examined under oath before it; and for these purposes to enter into or upon any building or premises in said city; and in case the owner or occupant of any building or premises in or upon which such nuisance may be found, shall neglect or refuse to abate the same, after being directed so to do, to cause the same to be removed or abated at the expense of the owner or occupant. To prohibit the erection, in an unsafe manner of any wall or other building in said city, and to compel the owner or occupant of any building or wall therein, which may be in an unsafe condition, to render the same safe, or to remove the same and in case of neglect or refusal of such owner or occupant to render such building or wall

safe or to remove the same, after being notified so to do, to cause the same to be done at the expense of such owner or occupant. To prescribe the length of notice to be given under any of the provisions of this section, and the manner of service thereof, and to make the costs and expenses of the carrying out of any of said provisions, by the city or any of its officers, a lien upon the premises or lots mentioned or referred to in any such provision by assessing the same thereon, and to issue warrants against the owners or occupants thereof respectively, to collect such costs and expenses in the same manner as assessments and taxes are collected under the provisions of this act.

§ 55. Control of finances and property; ordinances, rules and regulations of the common council.-The common council shall exercise all the corporate powers conferred by this act, and except as otherwise provided by law or this act, shall have the management and control of the finances and of all the property, real and personal, belonging to said corporation, and shall have power, within said city to make, establish, publish and modify, annul and repeal ordinances, rules, regulations and by-laws for any of the purposes specified in section fifty-seven of this act and for the following additional purposes:

1. To prevent vice and immorality, to preserve peace and good order, to prevent and quell riots and disorderly assemblages.

2. To provide for the care, custody and preservation of the property, books, records and papers belonging to the city, and to regu late the use and management thereof; to prevent and provide for the punishment of any unlawful interference with or injury to the water-works system or sewer system, cemeteries and property of the city.

3. To regulate the use of the streets and public places by foot passengers, vehicles, street cars, railways and locomotives; to regulate the speed of railway engines, cars and street cars through the city and prevent the obstruction of streets thereby; to regulate the length of time they may be allowed to stand upon and impede travel upon street crossings; to require and compel the railroad .companies to provide and keep flagmen or watchmen, and to erect and maintain proper hoisting gates or other gates and bars at dangerous street crossings as the common council may deem necessary for the public safety and convenience; to regulate traffic and sales in the streets and public places; to regulate the setting of poles and stringing of wires by telegraph, telephone and electric