Chap. 579.—An ACT to amend and re-enact section 40 of an act entitled “ an
act to amend the charter of the city of Alexandria, approved February 20,
1871, as amended by an act approved March 22, 1871, and by an act approved
the 17th day of March, 1876. and by an act approved March 20, 1877, and by
an act approved January 25, 1879, and by an act approved March 1, 1888, and
by an act approved February 25, 1892, and by an act approved March 8, 1894.”

Approved March 8, 1896.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That sec-
section forty of an act entitled “an act to amend the charter of the
city of Alexandria, approved February twentieth, eighteen hundred
and seventy-one, as amended by an act approved March twenty-two,
eighteen hundred and seventy-one, and by act approved the seven-
teenth day of March, eighteen hundred and seventy-six, and by an
act approved March twentieth, eighteen hundred and seventy-seven,
and by an act approved January twenty-fifth, eighteen hundred and
seventy-nine, and by an act approved March first, eighteen hundred
and eighty-eight, and by an act approved February twenty-fifth,
eighteen hundred and ninety-two, and by an act approved March
eighth, eighteen hundred and ninety-four,” be amended and re-
enacted so as to read as follows:

§ 40. If any ground in the city of Alexandria shall be subject to
be covered by stagnant water, orif the owner or owners thereof shall
permit an offensive or unwholesome substance to remain or accumu-
late thereon, the city council shall have power to require the owner
or owners of such ground to have the same filled up, raised or
drained, and any such substance covered or removed; and if such
owner or owners of any such ground fail to have the same filled up,
raised or drained, or any such substance covered or removed, after
thirty days’ notice so to do, given in the manner prescribed by sec-
tion thirty-three of the charter, the said city council may cause such
ground to be filled up, raised or drained, or such substance to be
covered or removed therefrom; and the expense thereof shall con-
stitute a lien upon the said ground, which shall be a prior lien to all
other liens except state taxes; and the city council shall have the
same rights and remedies for the enforcement of the said lien as are
given by section thirty-three of the charter for the collection of the
assessments therein named; but before proceeding to enforce the
said lien, the said city council shall have commissioners appointed
to assess the costs and expenses of the said work in the manner
provided by section thirty-three of the charter, and the same pro-
ceedings shall be had in such cases as in the cases provided for in
said section of the charter; and the lien shall take effect in the
same manner as provided for in said section in reference to the
assessments therein named.

2. All acts or parts of acts inconsistent with this act are hereby
repealed.

3. This act shall be in force from and after its passage.