HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 658 (COPY)
ORDINANCE NO. 6 5 8
AN ORDINANCE PROHIBITING BATHING OR SWIMMING IN
THE WATERS OF LAKE WORTH; ABOVE WHAT IS KNOWN AS
THE NINE MILE BRIDGE AND THE MUNICIPAI BATHING*
BEACH, UP STREAM TO A. POINT OR LINE RUNNING
PARALLEL WITH AND BEING AN EXTENSION OF THE NORTH
LINE OF THE J. WILCOX SURVEY NO. 34 IN TARRANT
COUNTY, TEXAS, ACROSS THE WATERS OF SAID LAKE
TO A POINT IN THE EAST SHORE LINE OF SAID LAKE,
EXCEPT UPON WRITTEN PERMITS FROM THE MAYOR OF THE
CITY OF FORT WORTH, AND PROVIDING A PENALTY.
WHEREAS, the City of Fort Worth, has at a great expense, constructed a
a dam across the Trinity River and purchased a large amount of necessary lands
therefor, for the purpose of impounding a large volume of water for the Water
Works purposes and incidental public purposes, and
WHE$EAS, said reservoir of water known as Lake Worth, is located wholly
within the territorial limits of the City of Fort Worth, and subject to the
Police power of the City as defined in its City Charter, and
WHEREAS, there has heretofore been indiscriminate bathing or swimming in
the waters of said reservoir above what is known as the nine mile bridge, upstream,
and at beaches or places where there has been no adequate life saving guards,
special police protection, equipment or apparat+xs, and
WHEREAS, such indiscriminate bathing, without life guards and special police
to protect human life, is dangerous to thepublic health, morale and lives of those
bathing or swimming in said waters, and
1VHREAS, the City of Fort Worth, in the Exercise of its police powers, has,
at a great expense, erected, constructed and provided a bathing beach at and near
what is known as the nine mile bridge where it crosses the waters of said reservoir,
and has provided adequate guard and special police to protect persons and property,
and to save human lives at said beach, and has further provided for immediate use
and aid, all necessary equipment and remedies to save life, as recommended and used
by the life saving department of the National Red Cross, under the direction and
control of said department, and further, constantly keeps strict sanitary regulations
to prevent the pollution of the waste of said reservoir, at said point, which
sanitary and life saving regulations have not heretofore been provided for or car.
ried out where indiscriminate bathing or swimming has been done, and,
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Copy Ordinance No. 658.
WHEREAS, certain persons :have:.; been advertising and using the watesg of
Lake Worth for free bathing purposes from camp sites held or leased on the shore
of said reservoir, in violation of the spirit of purpose for which said camp sites
were leased or occupied, and further making a commercial proposition or purpose
cut of camp sites by the advertisement of and the permitting of free indisciminate
bathing at such camp sites, and,
WHEREAS, such camp sites are leased or rented by the Park Board of the City
of Fort Worth for the purpose of providing for the health, comfort and pleasure
of the citizens of the City of Fort Worth, and not for the free and indisciminate
bathing or commercial purposes,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF CO:.`MISSIONERS OF THE CITY OF
FORT WORTH;
SECTION 1.
It shall hereafter he unlawful for any person, or parsons to bathe or swim
in the waters of the reservoir known as Lake Worth in the City of Fort Worth, except
upon a special written permit, as hereinafter provided for, at any point or place
on the shores or in the waters of said Lake Worth reservoir between the nine mile
bridge and what is known as the Municipal Bathing Beach, located in the west end
of the nine mile bridge, upstream, to a point running with, and parallel to, the
north line of the J. Wilcox Survey, No. 34, in Tarrant County, Texas, and extending
from the west to the east shore line of said reservoir of Lake Worth.
SECTION 2.
The Mayor of the City of Fort Worth is hereby authorized and empowered to
£rant special written permits for bathing or swimming in the waters of Lake Worth,
above, and upstream, from what is known as the Municipal Bathing Beach and nine
mile bridge; provided that when such special permits are issued or given any person,
or persons to whom such permits are issed, shall make the necessary Drovisions to
safe guard the lives of persons enjoying the benefits of such permit and to prevent
the pollution of the waters of the said Lake Worth or reservoir as may .be designated
in such permit.
SECTION 3.
Any person or persons, firm or corporation violating the provisions of this
ordinance shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof
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Copy Ordinance Nom. 658
shall be fined in any sum not less than $10.00 or more than $100000 and each vio-
lation of the terms of this ordinance shall be and is hereby declared to be a dis-
tinct and separate offense and punishable as such.
SECTION 4.
This ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage
and publication as required by law.
I hereby certify that the above and foregoing ordinance was duly presented
and unanimously passed and adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the City of Fort
Worth, Texas, at a regular session of said board held Tuesday, May 20, A.D., 1919.
(Signed) James A Liston, Jr.
CITY SECRETARY.
Ordinance Book # H - Page # 19,