ORDINANCES
OF THE TOWN: OF
ROANOKE RAPIDS, NORTH CAROLINA
The Following Ordinances Shall Be in Effect From July 1, 1919
The following ordinances shall be in
effect from July 1st. 1919.
Be it ordained by the Board of Com
missioner of the Town of Roanoke
Rapids:
POLICE REGULATIONS
Article I
Section 1. That all persons found
guilty of any indecent conduct, drunk
enness, fighting, the use of profane or
obscene language within the corporate
limits of the town, and the territory
over which the town has criminal
jurisdiction, and of disturbing the
peace and quiet of the town, and the
territory over which the town has
criminal jurisdiction, in any manner
whatever, shall be fined Twenty-Five
Dollars.
Sec. 2. No person shall ride or .
drive across any granolithic, wood or
gravel sidewalks unless it is necessary
for him to do so as an entrance to his
property, in which case he will be re
quired to keep the sidewalk and ditch
in repair. Anyone violating this sec
tion shall, upon conviction, be fined
Five Dollars.
Sec. 3. Any person who stall. in
jure a bridge or sny other property"
belonging to the town, or place ob
struction in any culvert, drain or sew
er, public or private, or injure any of
the street pumps, shall be fined, upon
conviction, Twenty-Five Dollars.
Sec, 4. Any person who shall ex
hibit any stallion or jack on any pub
lic street of the town, or let the same
to any mare within the corporate lim
its of the town, unless the same be
done in a place not exposed to public
view, shall be deemed guilty of a mis
demeanor, and, upon conviction, shall
be fined Twenty-Five Dollars.
Sec. 5. Any person owning and
Crmitting a vicious dog to run at
ge without being muzzled, shall be
guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon
conviction, shall be fined Fifty Dol
lars. Sec. 6. Any person who shal'
shoot a gun or other firearms or shoot
any rockets, popcrackers or other fire
works, except in cases of necessity,
shall, upon conviction, be fined Fifty
Dollars. Provided, that nothing here
in contained shall prohibit the shoot
ing of fireworks between 6 A. M. and
10 P. at. on Christmas Day, and, if
Christmas Day should fall on Sunday,
on the day set aside by the Mayor for
the shooting of fireworks.
Sec. 7. Any person who shall keep
a disorderly house, or house of ill-fame
shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and,
upon conviction, shall be fined Fifty
Dollars; females of doubtful virtue
who shall be found on the streets or
alleys plying their vocation as prosti
tutes) shall oe guilty of a misdemean
or and, upon conviction, shall be fined
Fifty Dollars.
Sec. 8. Any persons found using
an air rifle, bean shooter, or throwing
rocks, or other missiles upon the
streets of town, shall be guilty of a
misdemeanor and, upon conviction,
shall be fined Ten Dollars.
Sec. 9. That all unlicensed dogs
running at large or whenever found
in the town, shall be subject to be
taken up by -the police and impound
ed. The owners of all such dogs
whenever known, shall be notified,
and the dog shall be kept for two days
in the pound. If the owner does not
redeem them by paying the tax, costs
and fifty cents penalty, then any other
person may pay the same and become
owner of any dog in the pound. All
dogs not redeemed shall be killed un
der the direction of the Chief of
Police with as little suffering as pos
sible. The word dog includes bitches.
Sec. 10. That any person or per
sons owning any fowl or fowls of any
description whatsoever and allowing
the same to run st large in the town
and off the premises of such person
or persons shall be deemed guilty of a
misdemeanor and, upon conviction,
shall be fined Five Dollars.
Sec.1L The running at large of
horses, mules, goats, or any stock of
any kind, is forbidden. No one shall
lead, ride, or drive any horse or other
animal upon the sidewalks, or feed
any stock upon the sidewalks, or
streets or halter any animals w here
they ran cross the sidewalks or streets.
No one shall ride"' a bicycle or other
vehicle upon the sidewalks. Any per
son or itersons violating this section,
shall, upon conviction, pay a fine of
Three IXillars: Provided, nothing
herein shall prohibit a carrige, gocart
or wheelchair, containing an infant or
invalid from being on the sidewalks.
Sec. 12. No person shall place on
any street,' sidewalk, or in any alley,
boxes, barrels or other obstructions:
Provided, however, that building ma
terial, earth, and other obstructions
of like character, may be, by permis
sion of the Mayor, allowed under such
restrictions as he may prescribe.
Every person offending against these
provisions shall, upon conviction, be
lined Two Ikillars and Fifty cents for
each and every day that such obstruct
ion or obstructions are permitted to
remain.
Sec. 13, All awnings attached to
buildings and extending over the side
walks of the town shall, at their low
est point be not less than six feet
eight inches above the sidewalks. No
awning of unapproved type, wooden
shed or unapproved structure of any.
kind whatsoever shall be erected over
the sidewalks of the town, and any
and all persons owning or renting
stores or other buildings in the town
in front of which there are awnings
of unapproved type, wooden sheds or
unapproved structures of any kind
whatsoever, shall remove the same or
cause the same to be removed. Pro
vided, that this ordinance shall not
apply to awnings of approved type.
Any person or persons violating this
ordinance shall be guilty of a misde
meanor, and upon conviction, shall pay
a fine of Twenty-Five Dollars.
TRArFIC LAWS
Article II
Sec. 1. No person shall ride or
drive a horse or other animal on any
street faster than the rate permitted
motor vehicles, and at the intersection
of Roanoke Avenue and second Street,
horses and other animals must not be
driven faster than a walk. No one
shall break any horse or other animal
on any streets, hitch any horse or
other animal to any of the street trees,
telephone or electric light poles. For
a violation of this section, persons, up
on conviction, shall be fined Twenty
five Dollars.
Sec. 2. No person shall stop any
vehicle on a footway or common cross
ing for foot passengers, unnecessarily.
Anyone violating this section, upon
conviction, shall be fined One Dollar.
Sec. 3. It shall be unlawful for
any person to make or cause to be
made, any holes, excavations, and leave
them uncovered so that they may be
come dangerous to pedestrians on the
streets and sidewalks. Any person or
persons violating this section shall up
on conviction, be fined Five Dollars.
Ordinance Regulating the Opera
tion of Motor Vehicles in the
Town of Roanoke Rapids,
North Carolina
Whereas, the increase in the num
ber of motor vehicles and the conges
tion of traffic in the town of Roanoke
Rapids has made it necessary, in the
interest of the public safety, to pre
scribe and provide rules, regulations
and restrictions governing and con
trolling the operation thereof upon the
streets and thoroughfares of said
town: Now, therefore,
Be it ordained by the Board of Com
missioners of the town of Roanoke
Rapids:
Section 1. That it shall be unlaw
ful for any person to drive an automo
bile, motor car, motorcycle, or any
other vehicle propelled by steam, gas
oline, or electricity, within the corpor
ate limits of the town of Roanoke
Rapids at a greater rate of speed than
15 miles an hour, except as otherwise
specified in sections 3 & 4 of ordinan
ces regulating the operation of motor
vehicles in the town of Roanoke
Rapids and it shall be unlawful for
any person to drive any such vehicle
in a careless or reckless manner, or
while under the influence of alcohol,
morphine, or cocaine, or to leave any
such vehicle standing unattended
upon any street in the town of Roanoke
Rapids without first stopping the en
gine or motor thereof.
Sec. 2. That it shall be unlawful
for the owner, or agent of the owner,
of any motor vehicle, automobile,
motor car or motorcycle, or any other
vehicle propelled by steam, gasoline,
or electricity, to ptrniit the same to be
driven upon the streets of the town of
Roanoke Rapids by a person under the
age of sixteen years. Every such ve
hicle shall be provided with adequate
brakes in good working order and suf
ficient to control such vehicle at all
times when the same is in use, and a
suitable and adequate bell, horn or
other device for signaling, and shall
during the period from one-half hour
after sunset to one-half hour before
sunrise display at least two lighted
lamps on the front and one on the
rear of such vehicle, which shall also
display a red light visible from the
rear.
The rays of the rear lamp shall shine
upon the number plate carried on the
rear of such vehicle in such manner
as to render the numerals thereon vis
ible at least fifty feet in the direction
in which the motor vehicle is proceed
ing: Provided, that the lamps on such
vehicle need not be lighted when the
vehicle is standing under the rays of
a light and can be plainly seen, and
one light displayed on the front
of a motorcycle shall be deemed a
compliance with this section.
Sec. 3. Every person driving an
automobile, motor car, motorcycle, or
horse-drawn vehicle, and every person
riding a bicycle in the town of Roa
noke Rapids, shall, upon meeting an
other vehicle, pass to the right, and
upon coming up from the rear of an
other vehicle, pass to the left, observ
ing the general rule of the road : and all
such vehicles shall be driven on the
right of the center of the street along
which they may be going: It shall be
unlawful for any person to turn any
vehicle upon the streets of said town,
whether horse-drawn or motor-driven
except at the intersection or corner of
a street, when it shall be the duty of
such person to drive to the center of
such intersection before commencing
to make the turn, to turn and to signal
with the hand in which direction the
turn is to be made; and it shall be un
lawful to drive any vehicle through
the line of a funeral processsion.
It shall be the duty of every person
driving or operating a vehicle, horse
drawn or motor driven, to obey in
stantly any directions that may be
given by a traffic officer or policeman;
to slow down upon approaching each
street intersection so as to pass such
intersection with the vehicle so oper
ated under complete control, and, in
the case of a motor-driven vehicle to
sound the horn or bell of such vehicle
in warning upon approaching each
street intersection, and, upon ap
proaching the intersection of Roanoke
Avenue and Second Street to slow
such motor-driven vehicle to ten
miles an hour and sound horn or bell.
Sec. 4. It shall be the duty of
every person driving or operating any
vehicle in the town of Roanoke Rapids,
upon approaching a public school dur
ing school term, to cause said vehicle
to be slowed down to five miles an
hour, and it shall be unlawful for any
such person to drive any vehicle by a
public school during the school term
at a greater rate of speed than ten
miles an hour. The governing body of
the town of Roanoke Rapids shall
erect and maintain street signs upon
each block whereon a public school
may be situated, the inscription upon
which shall be substantially as follows:
"Public school on this Block. Slow to
Five Miles."
Sec. 5. Every person parking any
vehicle described herein in the town
of Roanoke Rapids shall park the said
vehicle on the right side of the street
in the direction in which the said ve
hicle is going; and said vehicle shall
be parked at such an angle as to not
obstruct other vehicles from so park
ing and leaving at will; and said ve
hicle shall be so parked that its front
end will be within 12 inches of the
curb.
Sec. fi. It shall be unlawful for
any person to park an automobile or
other vehicle on any street in front of
a fire hydrant, or in suph proximity
to a fire hydrant as to hinder the
proper use of such hydrant by the
Fire Department in case of fire; or to
park any vehicle in front of a theatre
or moving picture show while a show
or performance is in progress: and
upon the approach of the apparatus
of the fire department answering an
alarm, automobiles and other vehicles
shall draw to the curb and remain
stationary until such fire apparatus
has passed.
Sec. 7. It shall be unlawful for
any person operating an automobile,
motor vehicle, or motorcycle on the
streets of the town of Roanoke Rapids
to operate the same with the cut-out
open, to sound the horn with unneces
sary frequency, or to so operate the
some as to cause any unnecessary
smoke or noise.
Sec. 8. That all . applications for
licenses for motor vehicles shall be
made to the Town Clerk, who shall
upon receipt of the applications and
the. fees requisite for licensing such
motor .vehicles as described in such
applications, issue to the applicants
receipts for the said fees.
Sec. 9. That the term and words
' 'Motor Vehicle' ' used in this ordinance
shall be construed to mean all ve
hicles propelled by any power other
than muscular power, except traction
engines, road rollers, fire wagons, en
gines, police patrol wagons, ambulances
and such vehicles as run only upon
rails or tracks. Theterm "owner" shall
include any person, firm or association
or corporation owning a motor vehicle
or running a vehicle, or having exclus
ive use thereof under a lease or other
wise. Sec. 10. It shall be unlawful for
any person operating an automobile
to operate or use the same for the
purpose of transporting whisky, wom
en of doubtful virtue in plying their
trade, of assisting women of doubtful
virtue in plying their trade, or for
any other immoral purpose.
Sec. 11. It shall be unlawful for
any person under 21 years of age to
operate or drive a public carrying
passenger automobile upon the streets
of the town. Any person owning an
automobile and operating or driving
the same or allowing the same to be
operated or driven, in violation of this
section shall, upon conviction, forfeit
his town license for such automobile
in addition to the, fine specified in
section 12 of this ordinance.
Sec. 12. Any person violating any
of the provisions of this ordinance
shall, upon conviction, suffer a penal
ty of Fifty Dollars.
Sec. 13. That all ordinances and
sections of ordinances in conflict here
with be and the same are hereby
repealed.
Sec. 14. That this ordinance, be
ing in the interest of the public safety,
be published once a week for four
weeks in a newspaper published in
the town of Roanoke Rapids.
Adopted by the Board of Commis
sioners at their meeting held June 20th
1919.
J. T. Chase, Mayor.
Attest: A. L Clark, Town Clerk.
Article 111
License Taxes. Printed separately,
copy of same can be secured from
the Town Clerk.
HEALTH AND SANITATION
Article IV
Section 1. It shall be unlawful
for any person or persons to permit
anything that emits an offensive odor
or has a tendency to injure the public
health, to remain on his or their prem
ises, or to place any offensive matter,
or dead fowls, upon the streets or lots
of the town. Any one violating this
section shall be guilty of a misdemean
or and, upon conviction, shall be fined
Two Dollars and Fifty Cents.
Provided that nothing contained in
this section shall prohibit the piling
of boxes, barrels, etc., not emitting
an offensive odor, on open lots for a
period of one week, lut in no case
shall any boxes, Imrrels, or debris of
any nature, be allowed to remain long
er thin one week.
Sec. 2. No waste paper or other
trash shall be set fire to or burned, or
thrown, or otherwise deposited upon
the sidewalks or streets, unless under
the supervision of the policeman. No
glass of any kind or wire shall be
thrown or otherwise deposited upon
the sidewalks or streets. Any person
violating this section, shall pay a fine
of Two Dollars.
Sec. 3. It shall be unlawful to
wash meats, clothes, vegetables, etc.,
within twenty-five feet of any street,
well or pump, or dress or butcher any
cattle, sheep, hogs or goats within the
corporate limits of the town. Any
person violating this section shall be
guilty of a misdemeanor and. upon
conviction, shall pay a fine of Two
Dollars and Fifty Cents.
Sec. 4. All persons, in whose fam
ilies there are cases of typhoid fever,
are required to screen ana keep their
houses, as near as possible, free from
flies during the time such fever exists;
and to disinfect, under instructions
given by the Health Officer, all stools
and matter of whatever nature, taffen
from the sick rooms; and also clean
and disinfect their houses, under in
structions given by the Health Officer,
when the fever is over. All persons
failing to comply with this ordinance
shall be deemed guilty of a misde
meanor and, upon conviction, shall be
fined Two Dollars and Fifty Cents.
Sec. 5. No person shall use water
from any well or wells, pump or
pumps, either on or off his premises,
after the same has been tested and
found polluted and dangerous to
health, and after having received pro
per notice from the town authorities,
either in person or by posters placed
at said wells or pumps; provided, how
ever, that water from said wells and
pumps may be used for cook'ng and
bathing purposes only after having
been boiled for fifteen minutes. Every
person failing to comply with this
ordinance shall, upon conviction, be
fined Five Dollars.
Sec. 6. That any person or persons
owning a dwelling house or dwelling
houses or other property on which a
privy or privies are required or locat
ed shall construct a double-seated san
itary privy or privies on same, the
construction of which shall conform to
the specifications as set out by the
North Carolina Board of Health. Any
person or persons violating this sec
tion and keeping an open privy or
privies on his or their premises that
does not conform to said specifications
after July 1st, 1919, shall, upon con
viction, be fined Twenty-Five Dollars.
Sec. 7. That any person or persons
owning or maintaining an open well
or wells on his or their premises in
the town and the territory over which
the town has criminal jurisdiction,
shall provide a cover or covers for
same and keep the same covered from
the 1st day of April to the 1st day of
November annually. Any person or
persons violating this ordinance Bhall
be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor
and, upon conviction, shall be fined
Five Dollars.
Sec. 8. That any person spitting
upon any sidewalk of the town or up
on the floor or other woodwork or
walls of any public place in the town
shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and
upon conviction, shall be fined Five
Dollars.
Sec. 9. That any person or persons
selling fish, oysters, fresh meats,
perishable vegetables and fruits Bhall
screen the same against flies. Any
person or persons violating this or
ninance shall be guilty of a misde
meanor and, upon conviction, be fined
Five Dollars.
Sec. 10. It shall be unlawful to
display on the sidewalks of the town
fresh meats, fish, oysters, vegetables
or any other goods, wares and mer
chandise. Any person firm or corpor
ation, violating this ordinance snail
be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon
conviction, be fined Five Dollars.
Sec. 11. Any person or persons
owning a hog or hogs Bhall keep the
same not less than one hundred yards
outside of the town limits. Every
person failing to comply with this
section shall, upon conviction, be fined
Five Dollars.