Seattle Ordinances

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Early Seattle Ordnances
Shortly after forming itself, the Seattle City Council began 'civilizing' the place...

New concept in the West: You can't be drunk!

ORDINANCE No. 1.
December 22, 1869

For the Prevention of Drunkenness; Indecent or Disorderly Conduct in the City of Seattle. The City of Seattle ordains as follows: That any person who may hereafter be guilty of drunkenness, indecent or disorderly conduct in any street, road, lane, alley or any public place within the limits of the City of Seattle, shall be arrested by the City Marshal, or upon the complaint of any citizen, and taken before the City Recorder of the said City of Seattle for examination, and if deemed guilty of violating this Ordinance, said City Recorder may fine the person so arrested in any sum not exceeding one hundred dollars and costs, and in default of payment of said fine, the person so offending shall be committed to the custody of the said City Marshal under whose supervision he may be put at work on any road or street and work out said fine and costs, being allowed for said work at the rate of one dollar per day until paid.

Lock up your Hogs!

ORDINANCE No 2.
December 22, 1869

The City of Seattle does ordain as follows:
That from and after the fifteenth day of January, A.D. 1870, no hogs shall be permitted to run at large within the City of Seattle at any time, and if found running at large it is made the duty of the City Marshal to impound each and every such swine, in a common pound prepared by said Marshal for such purpose; whence they shall not be released until the owner or some other person shall pay to the City Marshal the sum of one dollar for his fee in receiving and discharging or selling each and every swine so impounded, and the sum of fifty cents for the proper sustenance of every such animal for every twenty-four hours the same shall be kept, and such owner shall be subject to a penalty of two dollars for every such animal found running at large; and it shall be the duty of said Marshal, when he shall have impounded any such animal, to give forty-eight hours notice of the sale of said swine, by posing notices in two public places; and if the owner fails to redeem said swine, the same shall be sold at Public Vendue, and the proceeds used to defray the expenses of said sale, and the overplus, if any, to be paid into the City Treasury.

The Marshal must have been busy!

ORDINANCE No 3.
December 22, 1869

The City of Seattle does ordain as follows:
Section 1. That no stove pipe of any stove shall be put up unless it be conducted into a chimney made of brick or stone; except when the Marshall shall deem it equally safe if otherwise put up to be certified under his hand. And any person putting up the pipe of any stove contrary to the provisions of this Ordinance, shall for every such offence forfeit two dollars, and the further sum of one dollar for every twenty four hours the same shall remain up, after the notice given by the City Marshal.

Section 2. No chimney shall hereafter be commenced in any loft, unless there are stairs or a fixed ladder leading to the same, and is easy of access at all times, under a penalty of ten dollars for every week either shall remain, after notice shall be given by the Marshall to alter the same.

Section 3. Stove pipes shall not be less than four inches from any wood or other combustible material, unless there is a double circle of tin connected together, and air holes through the connecting tin between said pipe and the combustible substance, under a penalty of five dollars, and the sum of one dollar for every day it shall remain after notice from the Marshal to alter the same; and all fines or penalties collected under this Ordinance to be paid into the City Treasury.