WITH THE AMENDMENTS AND OTHER ACTS RELATING PRESS OF THE FOWLER & MILLER Co., 341 MAIN STREET. PREFACE. May 23, 1881, a committee, consisting of His Honor the Mayor (Hon. Morgan G. Bulkeley), the City Attorney (S. C. Dunham, Esq.), Messrs. Henry E. Taintor and George W. Fowler from the Board of Aldermen, and Messrs. John H. Brocklesby and Nelson G. Hinckley from the Council Board, were duly appointed to prepare for publication a new edition of the Charter and Ordinances, and to take into consideration that portion of the Mayor's message having reference to consolidation of town and city governments, and report what proceedings were necessary for the completion of the project. Acting under subsequent instructions, said committee prepared and submitted to the General Assembly a draft of a new Charter containing provisions for the consolidation of town and city governments. This Charter, with some amendments and alterations, was passed by the General Assembly at its January session, 1882, but was not adopted when submitted to the people for approval in June, 1882. After this result was reached, the committee, through a sub-committee, Messrs. Taintor and Brocklesby, and the then City Attorney, Samuel O. Prentice, Esq., directed their attention to the publication of the new edition of the Charter and Ordinances. In doing this, it has been their endeavor to collect and arrange in form for convenient reference all amendments to the Charter, and all general and special laws having reference to the powers and duties of cities and their officers; also, to revise the ordinances, incorporating in the proper place those passed since last revision, and omitting such as have been repealed; and they have also prepared a new index to the volume. The decisions of our Supreme Court have been extensively consulted, and very many cases bearing upon municipal rights and responsibilities will be found in the foot-notes, under their appropriate heads. Believing it was not their province to legislate, they have carefully refrained from changing or modifying existing ordinances, seeking rather to give, in compact form, the law as it has been enacted by the present and previous councils. They have aimed to prepare a book that shall be accurate, convenient for use, and with an index furnishing ready means of reference to the topics included in the volume. 296188 |