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Volume 060-2 - April 2006 (8 pages)
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Page: of 8
NCHS Bulletin April 2006
MIRST ELECTION
Qneriliier~
D, 1851. A
Marysville Herald published numerous letters, news stories
and advertisements about the camp, invariably identified as
“Nevada City.”
Although the number of signatures fell far short of the
necessary 1,001 required by law, this appears not to have
been unusual. According to Quebedeaux, “the minimum
number required was interpreted with much flexibility.”
Oakland’s petition for a city charter in 1854 contained
fewer than 300 signatures, for example. The petition read:
The undersigned, your petitioners, would respectfully report that they are Citizens of the Village of Nevada City in
your said County, and that from the present number of Inhabitants, and the daily increase by immigration, it has become
absolutely necessary that we should have definite police regulations for the proper maintenance of our internal affairs. We
need streets defined by some authority; we need the like
authority to abate nuisances of diverse kinds and the Power
within ourselves to regulate our Police and enforce our own
laws. We therefore Pray your Honors to grant and extend to,
and over us, a City Charter, according to the lot and bounds
annexed hereto, and as in duty bound will every Pray.
Instead of acting on the petition, the county court handed
it over to Yuba County’s newly-elected assemblyman,
Stephen J. Field, who introduced “An Act to Incorporate
the City of Nevada” at San Jose, where the legislature met
on January 6, 1851. Probably it was given to Field because
he also planned to ask that same legislature to create the
new County of Nevada, and Yuba County would lose jurisdiction. On March 13 (two days after the village of Nevada
burned to the ground) the legislature approved its incorporation as a city. On April 14 about 2000 voters chose a
mayor and ten alderman for the City of Nevada. Two weeks
later the County of Nevada was created, with Nevada City
as its county seat.
UNDER THR CHARTER.
This may certify that at the election for Mayor and — men,
of the Crry of Nevapa,on Monday, April 14, A.D. 1851, Oo, &
was clected Alderman of said City, for the year
ensuing, according to the provisions of said C harter.
Given under our hands at Nevada, this 17th day of April, A,
botter (I?207
Justices of the Peace.
The first City Charter contained six articles that defined
what the city might and might not do. One explained the
boundaries, the government’s general powers, and how the
city was to be divided for purposes of representation.
Another stated how officers could be elected and for how “™
long. Voters had to be white male U.S. citizens, California
residents for six months and residents of the city for 30 ™
days. Powers and duties of the Common Council included:
To make bye-laws and ordinances, not repugnant to the
constitution and laws of this state; to levy and collect taxes on
all property, real and personal, not exceeding 1% per annum
upon the assessed value.
To provide for the draining, grading, paving, improvement,
repair and lighting of the streets, and the construction of sidewalks, drains and sewers, and keeping the same in repair, and
the cleaning of the drains and sewers, and the prevention and
removal of obstructions on the sidewalks.
To provide for the prevention and “extinguishment” of
fires, and to establish and organize fire companies; to regulate
the storage of gun powder, tar, pitch, rosin, and other extremely combustible materials; to establish and regulate a city
police; to prevent and remove nuisances.
To remove from the immediate vicinity of the inhabited
parts of the city, all slaughter houses, haystacks, forges, and
blacksmith shops; to license and regulate auctioneers and
taverns, bar rooms, billiard tables, bowling alleys, theatrical
and other exhibitions, shows and amusements; to license, tax,
regulate, prohibit and suppress tippling houses, dram shops,
gaming and gambling houses, and hawkers, pedlers, and pawn
brokers, and to suppress disorderly houses and houses of ill
fame.
To provide for the erection of all public buildings for the
use of the city; to open, alter and widen streets and alleys; to
establish a City Hospital, and provide for the support of the
indigent sick.
To borrow money, but no loan shall be made for a sum