In the references, in side and foot notes, the General Statutes of Connecticut have been indicated by the letters R. S.; public laws by the letters P. A.; and private laws by the letters S. A. Except when otherwise noted, the reference to the General Statutes has been to the revision of 1875. An extract from the preface to the Revision of Charter and Ordinances of 1873, containing facts of historical interest, has been reproduced. In a work involving a compilation from so many different sources, some errors and omissions have been unavoidable, but the committee submit the result of their labors in the hope that reasonable completeness and accuracy have been attained. For the committee, MORGAN G. BULKELEY, Chairman. EXTRACT FROM PREFACE OF REVISION OF 1873. The territory now contained within the limits of the City of Hartford was first settled in the year 1635 by a party of English settlers from Massachusetts, which, forming a nucleus at Hartford and passing through the various stages of growth, in the seventeenth century had become the Town of Hartford. In the year 1784, by a vote of the town, a committee was appointed to draft a memorial to the General Assembly asking for incorporate powers, and on the 29th of May, 1784, a charter was granted, incorporating as the City of Hartford, the territory which is now the center of the city. The original bounds were determined chiefly by the residences of citizens, now changed or lost from sight in the progress of the last century. In the year 1810, the earliest available record of the population of the city, it is stated to be 3,955. Later, in the year 1821, a new charter, combining the various powers added up to this time, was granted by the General Assembly, preserving nearly the former limits. In 1853 the city limits were enlarged, and in 1859 the present city charter was granted, embodying in substance all powers before possessed, and later, in 1871, the city limits were extended on the south so as to be co-extensive with the southern limits of the Town of Hartford. The powers granted in the original charter were few and exceedingly guarded, and all ordinances permitted to be passed were, as late as the charter of 1859, made repealable by the Superior Court, if, upon a hearing, the same should be found unreasonable. By the charter of 1784 the present City Court was created, and the mayor and the two senior aldermen were constituted its judges, and so remained until the year 1836, when the office of recorder was created. By the charter of 1821, equity jurisdiction was first conferred upon the City Court, and has since been extended so as to embrace (except relief from judgments of the Superior Court) all causes in equity arising within the limits of the city. The state constitution adopted in 1818 preserved the rights before vested in corporations, thus leaving the ancient rights vested in this tribunal at least, until a new amendment beyond the reach of legislative enactment. The mayor was originally chosen by the freemen of the city, and held his office during the pleasure of the General Assembly, until 1825, when the office of mayor was fixed for the term of two years, and has since so remained. The criminal jurisdiction of the city remained in justices of the peace in the town until the year 1851, when the present Police Court was established, taking to itself exclusive jurisdiction within the limits of the city. Before the adoption of the charter of 1859, certain water debts and other obligations of the city had been created, and were by the charter confirmed and left obligatory on the city, some of which are now outstanding. CHARTER OF THE CITY OF HARTFORD, ACCEPTED SEPTEMBER 3D, 1859. AN ACT TO ALTER THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF HARTFORD, AND ΤΟ COMBINE SUNDRY PUBLIC SECTION I. Territorial limits. Property exempt from full taxation. Corporate name. Jurisdiction and Powers. SECTION 1. The territorial limits of the body politic and Territorial limits. corporate heretofore existing under the name of "The Mayor, Aldermen and Common Council, and Freemen, of the City of Hartford," shall hereafter be the following:' the north line of said city shall commence at a point on the east bank of the north fork of Park river, seven hundred feet due north of the north line of Albany turnpike road; thence run due east to Connecticut river; the west line of said city shall commence at the first named point, and run thence southward along said bank of said north fork, inclosing a small island formed by a division of said fork, to the westerly line of the Hartford and New Haven railroad; 1 Amended, 1871. See page 39; 1873, page 40; 1881, page 41. Property exempt from full taxation. sons and estates are hot liable to taxa other debts. thence continuing due south, across said Park river, to the east bank of the south fork thereof; thence along said east bank and the east bank of the east branch of said south fork to a point two hundred and fifty feet due south of the south line of the New Britain road (so called); the south line of the said city shall run from the point last described, east to Connecticut river; and said river shall be the east boundary of said city: provided always, that no city tax exceeding two cents on a dollar of the grand list, shall be assessed or levied upon any land or lands within the territory added to said city by virtue of this act, so long as said land is or shall be used exclusively for farming purposes, or is vacant and unoccupied land; and that all farming produce, and all stock used in farming, and all implements of husbandry, belonging to persons residing on said territory so annexed, shall be exempt in the same manner and to the same extent from such city To what extent per taxation: and, provided also, that the persons now and heretion for bonded and after residing on said territory so added to said city, and the estate of such persons, both real and personal, shall not be liable by taxation or in any other mode, for any bonded debt of said city, or for interest on the same, or for any part of the present indebtedness of said city on account of the city park, provided that this act shall not be so construed as to exempt from liability any property invested in business in said city and now liable to taxation for said city debt. All the inhabitants of the State of Connecticut, being electors thereof, dwelling within said limits, shall continue forever hereafter, to be a body politic and corporate, in fact and in name, by the name of "THE CITY OF HARTFORD;" and that by that name they and their successors shall and may have perpetual succession, and be persons in law, capable of suing and being sued, pleading and being impleaded, in all suits of what nature soever; and also to purchase, hold, and convey any estate, real and personal; and may have a common seal, and may change and alter the same at pleasure; and shall be electors of said city; and by virtue of this act, shall become Corporate name. Powers. 2 Amended, 1860. See page 166; 1867, page 167; 1871, page 39; 1873, page 40; 1881, page 41. |