Question of change submitted to a vote. Conflicting acts repealed, (15,) in township number thirty-three (33,) north of range number one (1) east of the third principal meridian, in the county of La Salle, also all that portion of the south half of section number fourteen (14,) in same township and range which lies north of the south bank or tow path of the Illinois and Michigan canal; also all those portions of the northwest quarter of said section fourteen (14,) and of the southwest quarter of section number eleven (11,) in same township and range which lie west of the bed of the Little Vermilion river, also the south half of section number ten (10,) in the same township and range, and the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter of the northeast quarter of said section number ten (10). 2. The question of a change of the boundaries of said. city of La Salle, shall be submitted to a vote of the qualified electors of said city, at the next municipal election in said city for the mayor thereof; the ballots cast at said election to have written or printed thereon the words "for change of boundaries" or the words "against change of boundaries" and if a majority of the ballots cast at said election shall have written or printed thereon, the words "against change of boundaries," then the boundaries of said city shall remain unchanged; otherwise, said boundaries shall be changed and established in accordance with the provisions of this act. § 3. All acts or parts of acts in conflict with the provisions of this act, are hereby repealed. 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage. APPROVED March 5, 1867. In force March AN ACT supplemental to an act entitled "An act to reduce the charter of 5, 1867. the city of Cairo, and the several acts amendatory thereof, into one act and to revise the same." act. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That nothConstruction of ing in the act to which this is a supplement contained, shall be so construed as to invalidate any notice heretofore given by the city of Cairo, to the owners of property situated therein, reguiring the construction of sidewalks, or the filling and grading of streets, fronting or bounding upon said property. $ 2. That the interest on the aggregate of all sums borrowed and outstanding shall never exceed the interest fund created by said act: Provided, this restriction shall Interest on sums borrowed not apply to nor invalidate the issue of bonds to railroad companies under the general laws of this state. 3. This act shall be deemed a public act, and be in force from and after its passage. APPROVED March 5, 1867. AN ACT to amend the charter of the city of Sterling. In force when adopty the legal voters. February 16, 1857, amended. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That the Act approved act entitled, "An act to charter the city of Sterling," approved February 16, 1857, and the several acts amendatory thereof, be and the same are hereby amended and reduced into one act, so as to read as follows: ARTICLE I. OF BOUNDARIES AND GENERAL POWERS. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That the inhabitants of that part of the town of Sterling, hereinafter described, in the county of Whiteside, in the state of Illinois, be and they are hereby constituted a body politic and corporate, by the name and style of the "City of Sterling," and Name and style by that name shall have perpetual succession, and may have and use a common seal, which they may change and alter Seal. at pleasure. 2. All that district of country embraced in the platted Boundaries. town of Sterling, in said county, including the several additions thereto, as now platted and recorded in the office of the recorder of said county, and also including all that part of the southwest quarter of section twenty-two, in township twenty-one, range seven east of the fourth principal meridian, lying west of Broadway, in said town of Sterling, and north of the track as at present located, of the Chicago and Northwestern Railway company, and their right of way is hereby declared to be within the boundaries of the said city of Sterling. 3. Whenever any tract of land adjoining the said city Additions. of Sterling, shall be laid off into town lots, platted and duly recorded, as now required by law, the same shall be thereby annexed to and form a part of said city of Sterling. 4. The inhabitants of said city, by the name and Corporate powstyle aforesaid, shall have power to sue and be sued, to plead and to be impleaded, defend and be defended, in all courts of law or equity, and in all actions whatever; to purchase receive and hold property, real and personal, in said city; ers. to purchase, receive and hold property, both real and personal, beyond the city, for burial grounds or for other public pur lease or the use of the inhabitants of said city; to sell, convey or dispose of property, real and personal, for the benefit of the city, and to improve and protect such property, and to do all other things in relation thereto, as natural persons. Council. Aldermen. Qualified members. ARTICLE II. OF THE CITY COUNCIL. 1. There shall be a city council, to consist of a mayor and board of aldermen. § 2. The board of aldermen shall consist of two members from each ward, to be chosen by the qualified voters thereof, for two years and until others shall be duly elected and qualified. § 3. No person shall be alderman unless at the time of his election he shall have resided six months within the city limits, and shall be at the time of his election, a resident of the ward for which he may be elected, and of the age of twenty-one years, and a citizen of the United States. Vacation of of- § 4. If any alderman shall, after his election, remove from the ward for which he was elected, his office shall thereby be vacated. fice. Division and classification of. Election returns. Quorum. Absentees. Rules of proceedings. Journal of. Not to be ap § 5. At the first meeting of the city council, the aldermen shall be divided, by lot, into two classes, the seats of those of the first class, shall be vacated at the expiration of the first year, and of the second class, at the expiration of the second year, so that one alderman shall be elected from each ward annually. § 6. The city council shall judge of the qualifications, elections and returns of their own members, and shall determine all contested elections. 7. A majority of the board of aldermen shall constitute a quorum to do business, but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day and compel the attendance of absent members, under such penalties as may be prescribed by ordinance. § 8. The city council shall have power to determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly conduct, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds of the members elected, expel a member. § 9. The city council shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and, from time to time, publish the same in some newspaper published in said city, to be designated by resolution of the city council as the corporation newspaper; and the yeas and nays, when demanded by any member present, shall be entered on the journal of proceedings. § 10. No alderman shall be appointed to any office unpointed to oth- der the authority of the city which shall have been created er offices. or the emoluments of which shall have been increased during the time for which he shall have been elected. § 11. All vacancies that shall occur in the board of al- Vacancies. dermen shall be filled by election. § 12. The mayor and each alderman, before entering Oath of office. upon the duties of their respective offices, shall take and subscribe an oath or make affirmation that they will support the constitution of the United States and of this state, and that they will well and truly perform the duties of their office to the best of their skill and abilities. § 13. Whenever there shall be a tie in the election of Ties. aldermen the judges of the election shall certify the same to the common council, who shall determine the same, by lot, in such manner as shall be provided by ordinances. 8 14. There shall be twelve stated meetings of the city Stated meetings. council in each year at such times and places as may be prescribed by ordinance. ARTICLE III. OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICE. 81. The chief executive officer of the city shall be a Mayor. mayor, who shall be elected by the qualified voters of the city, and shall hold his office for one year and until his successor shall be elected and qualified. 82. No person shall be eligible to the office of mayor Eligibility. who shall not have been a resident of the city for one year next preceding his election, or who shall be under twentyone years of age, or who shall not at the time of his election be a citizen of the United States. fice. §3. If any mayor shall, during the time for which he Vacation of of shall have been elected, remove from the city or shall be absent from the city for the space of six months, his office shall thereby be vacated. 84. When two or more persons shall have an equal number of votes for mayor, the city council shall proceed to choose the mayor, by lot, in such manner as may be provided by ordinance. Ties. § 5. Whenever any vacancy shall happen in the office Vacancy. of mayor it shall be filled by election. ARTICLE IV. OF ELECTIONS. cers. § 1. On the first Monday of April, a. D. 1857, an elec- Election of offition shall be held in each ward of said city for one mayor of said city, one marshal, one police justice, one treasurer, one street commissioner, for said city, and two aldermen for each ward; and forever thereafter, on the first Monday of April in each year, there shall be an election held in each ward of said city for one mayor of said city, one marshal, Vol. I-62 Manner of conducting. Returns of. vote. one treasurer, and one alderman of each ward, and, on the first Monday of April of every fourth year, there shall be an election for one police justice for said city; and the several persons so elected shall hold their several offices until their successors are elected and qualified, as herein provided. 2. The time and manner of opening, conducting and closing said elections, and the several liabilities appertaining to the judges and clerks, and to the voters, separately and collectively, shall be the same as prescribed by the general election laws of this state, so far as applicable, subject to the provisions of this act. 3. As soon as practicable after the said election shall have been closed the said clerks of the election shall return their respective poll books, under seal, to the office of the clerk of said city, whereupon the said common council shall Canvassing the proceed to canvass said votes and certify the election of the several persons receiving the highest number of votes for the respective offices herein before named and provided for. The clerk of said city shall, immediately thereafter, certify to the county clerk of the said county of Whiteside the election of mayor and police justice. The county clerk of said county shall, thereupon, certify the election of the said mayor and of the said police justice to the governor of this state, in the same manner as now directed to be done for other justices of the peace elected for the county. Taxes. Appointment of officers. ARTICLE V. OF THE LEGISLATIVE POWERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. § 1. The city council shall have power and authority to levy and collect taxes for city purposes upon all property, real and personal, within the limits of the city, not exceeding one per cent. per annum upon the assessed value thereof, and may enforce the payment of the same in any manner to be prescribed by ordinance, not repugnant to the constitution of the United States or of this state. Said city council may, however, levy and collect a tax for city purposes greater than one per cent.: Provided, that the same be done with the consent of a majority of the legal voters of said city voting at a general or special election ordered for such purpose. 2. The city council shall have power to appoint a clerk, attorney, one street commissioner, and all such other officers as may be necessary, and for the election of which no provision is made by this act, who shall hold their offices for such time and upon such conditions as said city council shall designate by ordinance: Provided, that no such appointment shall be good for longer period than one year: And, provided further, that the term of office of any person so appointed shall in all cases cease on the first day of |