THEODORE K. MCKELDIN, GOVERNOR 1483

titles and in such places as may be deemed proper; to pre-
vent firing of guns, cannons, pistols, rifles, slingshots, fire-
crackers or other fireworks, or other explosives within the
city.

(I) Fire. To suppress fires and prevent the dangers
thereof and to establish and maintain a fire department;
to inspect buildings for the purpose of reducing fire haz-
ards, to issue regulations concerning fire hazards, and to
forbid and prohibit the use of fire hazardous buildings and
structures permanently or until the conditions of city fire
hazard regulations are met; and to take all other meas-
ures necessary to control and prevent fires in the city.

(m) Food. To inspect and require the condemnation, if
unwholesome, and to regulate the sale of meats, poultry,
fish, butter, oleomargarine, cheese, lard, vegetables, and
all other food products.

(n) Franchises. To grant franchises to electric, gas_t
telephone, telegraph, street railway, taxicab, bus, water,
heating, sewer, or drain companies, and to any others
which may be deemed advantageous and beneficial to the
city, and the city, notwithstanding anything that may be
set out in any such franchise, shall not have the power to
divest itself of its police power to regulate and control the
use of the streets, alleys, highways, and other public places
of the city under any franchise that may be so granted by
it; all franchises so granted by the city under this Char-
ter power shall be for a definite term of years, not exceed-
ing twenty-five, and shall be renewable at the discretion
of the city, and such franchises shall specifically set out
the nature, right and duration of the same, and no power
or right not expressed in such franchises shall pass there-
under; and for any franchises hereafter granted by the
city under this Charter power the city may make an origi-
nal, and thereafter an annual, charge for using the streets,
alleys, highways, and other public places of the city; pro-
vided, however, that none of the terms and provisions of
this paragraph (n) shall be applicable or affect any fran-
chises, rights and privileges heretofore or hereafter origi-
nating under any public general or public local law of this
State, or to any franchises, rights and privileges hereto-
fore granted by the City or otherwise existing on the date
of enactment hereof, for the use of the streets, highways,
alleys and other public places of the city.

(o) Gambling. To prevent gambling and games of
chance.

(p) Garbage. To provide for the collection and re-
moval of filth, garbage, or any matter or thing that is or