AN ACT entitled "An act incorporating metropolitan cities, and defining, regulating, and prescribing their duties, powers, and gov ernment." Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of SECTION 1. That all cities in the state of Ne- Number of inhabitants to constitute politan class. braska, now having a population of sixty thousand cities of metroinhabitants, or more, as shown by the state census of 1885, and all cities which shall hereafter have attained a population of sixty thousand inhabi How cities may take advantage of the provis tants, or upwards, shall be considered and known SEC. 2. Whenever any city shall hereafter have fons of this act, attained a population of sixty thousand inhabitants, or upwards, and such fact shall have been ascertained by any national or state census, and shall be so certified to the governor by the mayor of such city, it shall thereupon be the duty of the governor, by public proclamation, to declare such city to be of the metropolitan class, and thereupon such city shall be subject to the provisions of this Corporate limits, how defined. Extension of same. act. SEC. 3. The corporate limits of any city of the metropolitan class shall be fixed and determined by the mayor and council of such city, by ordinance, within one year after the passage of this act, or within one year after being proclaimed by the governor a city of such class, the said corporate limits to include an area not to exceed twentyfive square miles, including any township or village organization within such limits, which organization shall thereupon cease and terminate, and after said corporate limits have been so fixed and determined, the same shall not be changed until the population of such city shall have increased at least twenty thousand, as shown by a state or national census, whereupon the mayor and council of any such city may extend said corporate limits such distance as may be deemed proper in any direction not exceeding one mile. name and ser SEC. 4. The corporate name of each city organ- Corporate ganized under or governed by this act, shall be vice of process. "The city of " and all and every pro cess or notice whatever affecting any such city shall be served upon the mayor, or acting mayor, or in the absence of both of said officers from the city, then upon the city clerk. Property affected. SEC. 5. No right of property accrued to any rights not city, corporation, or person under any law heretofore in force shall be affected by this act, and all city ordinances now in force, and not repugnant to the provisions of this act, shall remain and continue in force until altered or repealed by the mayor and council. SEC. 6. Each city governed by the provisions of Powers of met this act shall be a body corporate and politic, and shall have powers— First. To sue and be sued. Second. To purchase and hold real and personal property for the use of the city, and real estate sold for taxes. Third. To sell and convey any real or personal estate owned by the city, and make such order respecting the same as may be conducive to the interests of the city. Fourth. To make all contracts and do all other acts in relation to the property and concerns of the city necessary to the exercise of its corporative or administrative powers. ropolitan cities defined. Fifth. To exercise such other and further pow-Powers shall ers as may be conferred by law. The powers here- by mayor and by granted shall be exercised by the mayor and council. Wards. Division of wards for election pur poses. Precinct and ward lines shall be coextensive. Elections shall be governed by general state council of such city as hereinafter set forth, except when otherwise specially provided. SEC. 7. Each city governed by this act shall be divided into wards, not less than six or exceeding ten in number, the boundaries of which shall be defined by ordinance. Said wards shall be equal in population, as near as may be. SEC. 8. Whenever fifty or more legal voters of any ward in such city shall petition the mayor and city council thereof to divide such ward into two or more polling or voting districts, and it shall be made to appear that said ward contains more than four hundred legal voters, the said mayor and city council, on presentation of said petition, shall by ordinance divide such ward into two or more election districts, and appoint judges and clerks of election for such polling or voting districts, as now appointed for the elections held in the wards. SEC. 9. Precinct lines in that part of the county embraced within the corporate limits of a city of the metropolitan class shall correspond with the ward lines in such city, and such precincts shall correspond in number with the wards of the city, and be co-extensive with the same; Provided, That when a ward is divided into two or more election districts, the precinct corresponding with such ward shall be divided so as to correspond with the election districts. SEC. 10. At all elections authorized by this act, election laws. the polls shall be opened at such place in each election district as may be designated by the mayor, or as fixed by ordinance, and they shall be kept open between the hours specified by law for general state and county elections, and shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of such law. elections, when elected. SEC. 11. The general city election in all cities General city governed by this act shall be held on the first held. Tuesday in May, 1877, and on the first Tuesday in December, 1889, and every two years thereafter, for the election of the following named officers, towit: Mayor, police judge, and treasurer, and comp-officers troller. At the general city election held in 1887, the said officers shall be elected by a plurality of votes for a term commencing on the first Tuesday succeeding their election and ending the Tuesday in January, 1890, and at the general city election. held in 1839, and at all subsequent elections, said officers shall be elected by a plurality of votes for the term of two years, commencing on the first!ength of Tuesday in January succeeding their election, and they shall hold their respective offices until their successors are elected and qualified. term. qualifications and bond of. SEC. 12. The council of each city governed by Councilmen this act shall consist of one member for each ward and an equal number for the city at large, who shall be qualified electers of said city. Each councilman, before entering upon the duties of his office, shall be required to give a bond to the city, with two or more good and sufficient sureties who shall each justify that he is worth at least two thousand dollars over and above all debts and exemptions. Such bond shall be in the sum of two thousand dollars and shall be conditioned for the faithful |