Grayson County TXGenWeb

First Laws
Denison, Texas

At high noon, March 13, 1873, the first official council meeting was held. The new council immediately began the process of lawmaking and setting up ordinances.

"That any person who shall ride or drive a horse, mule or other animal on the streets, roads or alleys within this city, at
an unnecessarily rapid manner or gait, shall be fined, on conviction, not less than five nor more than twenty-five dollars."

Another ordinance require that "circuses or shows coming to town secure a licenses costing $5 to $50 with the mayor to set the tab according to each show's size."

Prohibited were: "Discharging of firearms, gambling, rowdy assembles, disturbing the peace, fighting, disturbing a
worship service or other lawful assembly, being drunk, nudity and indecent exposure, selling alcoholic beverages to drunks, saloon keepers permitting disturbances; playing ball on streets or alleys."

Prohibited: "swimming or bathing nude in public water spots from 'one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset.'"

Illegal to; "post notices on a person's property without consent."

Special Section - Vagrants: included prostitutes, pimps, persons carrying burglary tools.

March 29, 1873: An Ordinance was established which prohibited carrying of deadly weapons.

July 1873: An Ordinance required building of sidewalks where deemed necessary.

In regards to the dog problems, a $2 annual animal license fee was required plus a $24 fine for each time a dog bit somebody.

Swine on the streets: an ordinance prohibited them from running at large with provisions for the marshal constructing a pound and selling off those not claimed.

The city council voted to allow the marshal, his deputy and policemen $1 for each arrest and conviction.

A 12 o'clock closing hour was set on "disorderly houses, dance houses, drinking saloons and other places of public resorts with a $20 to $100 fine for violations.

Oct. 11, 1873: City Council banned dance houses and houses of prostitution from Main Street. It was decreed that prostitutes on the street after 9 p.m. would be put in the calaboose until morning and then pay a $10 fine.

Sept. 8, 1873: An ordinances was established that set up a fire zone, declaring that all future constructions on Main Street from Houston to Burnett must be non-combustible and of brick or stone. Also an ant-noise ordinance started which prohibited bell ringing on the streets under a fine of $18 to $25.

"An ordinance for the governing and regulating the social evil in the City of Denison"

It directed the marshal to make a record of all bawdy houses, houses of ill fame and of assignation, all bawds, courtesans and prostitutes and furnish such record to the City Council. The records were to be kept by the city clerk and could be opened by the mayor and members of the City Council. Provision was made for the keeper of such houses to pay $20 per month and each prostitute $10 a month. Failure to pay would result in a $25 to $99 fine. The income from this ordinance was earmarked to pay the city policemen's salaries.

source: Denison, The Way It Was in 1873, by John H. Crawford