10-40-110 Obstruction of harbor by piles or stones.

   Every pile, timber, stone, or other substance placed or laid so as to project above or below the surface of the waters of the harbor or any part thereof or beyond any dock line established by the City Council, is hereby declared a nuisance; and every person who shall place or lay any such pile, timber, stone, or substance as aforesaid, or be the owner of any premises on which the same shall be so placed or laid, shall be fined not less than $500.00 and not more than $1,000.00 for every such violation. Every day that such nuisance remains shall be a separate violation.

(Prior code § 38-15; Amend Coun. J. 12-11-91, p. 10832; Amend Coun. J. 11-24-20, p. 24619, Art. III, § 1)

10-40-120 Securing and removal of vessels.

   Whenever there shall be in the harbor any vessel, craft, or float insecurely fastened, adrift, sunken, or laid up, which may be required to be fastened, raised, removed or its location changed, for the benefit of other vessels navigating the river or to carry out the provisions of this Code, the harbor master shall notify the owner, master, or other person who may be in charge thereof, and he shall secure, raise, or remove such vessel, craft, or float without delay. But if the harbormaster should be unable to find the master, owner, or person in charge of such vessel, craft, or float as aforesaid, or if no person answering such description can be found by him, such notice shall not be required, and the commissioner of transportation may remove such vessel, and such vessel shall be held for all expenses and costs.

(Prior code § 38-16; Amend Coun. J. 12-11-91, p. 10832)

10-40-130 Sunken or abandoned vessels.

   Every vessel, craft or float which has been abandoned or allowed to sink in the harbor is hereby declared to be a nuisance. The master, owner, or person in charge or control of any such vessel, craft, or float shall immediately abate such nuisance upon notice from the commissioner of transportation. Every three days such nuisance shall continue after notice from the commissioner of transportation to abate the same shall constitute a separate and distinct offense.

(Prior code § 38-17; Amend Coun. J. 12-11-91, p. 10832)

10-40-131 Assistance to disabled vessels – Fees.

   The owner or master of any disabled vessel shall pay to the city the following fees for the following services to the vessel:

   Extinguishing fire on board.....$300.00

   Towing.....$500.00

   Pumping water from vessel.....$100.00

(Added Coun. J. 11-10-94, p. 59125; Amend Coun. J. 12-15-04, p. 39840, § 1)

10-40-140 Raft of logs or lumber in harbor.

   No person shall leave any raft of logs, lumber, or timber within the harbor where it shall be or become an obstruction, and any person having charge of any raft of logs, lumber, or timber shall remove or change the location of the raft upon the order of the commissioner of transportation.

(Prior code § 38-18; Amend Coun. J. 12-11-91, p. 10832)

10-40-150 Tugs for vessels.

   All wind-driven vessels, craft, or floats navigating the harbor, for which the opening of any bridge may be necessary, shall, while approaching and passing such bridge, be towed by a power tug or self-propelled by a vessel's motor.

   Any other vessel, craft, or float navigating that portion of the harbor bound by the Outer Drive Bridge on the east, the Van Buren Street Bridge on the south,and the Kinzie Street Bridge on the north, all inclusive, shall have the assistance of a tug or tugs at all such times, and under such conditions as the Commissioner of Transportation shall by general order from time to time prescribe, and also in any specific instance where the harbormaster or assistant harbormaster shall specially so direct. It shall be unlawful for any such vessel, craft, or float to back through any bridge draw in the harbor without the assistance of a tug or tugs, unless the Commissioner of Transportation shall have given his consent thereto; the Commissioner of Transportation may give such consent whenever in his judgment it seems advisable.

   Any person owning or in charge, possession or control of any such vessel, craft, or float violating any of the provisions of this section, shall be fined $5,000.00 for each offense.

(Prior code § 38-19; Amend Coun. J. 12-11-91, p. 10832; Amend Coun. J. 11-24-20, p. 24619, Art. III, § 1)

10-40-160 Towing – Permits.

   No person shall tow in the harbor, any vessel, craft or float containing material destined to be disposed of in the authorized dumping areas, without a permit from the department of transportation. The fee for each permit shall be $16.00 per day and the day shall consist of eight hours.

(Prior code § 38-20; Amend Coun. J. 12-11-91, p. 10832)

10-40-170 Towing – Procedures.

   It shall be unlawful for any vessel, craft or float to tow more than two barges or similar craft in one tow within the harbor, except that tows which consist of barges that are fastened rigidly together to form a single unit for the purpose of being towed may be towed in the main sanitary and ship canal and the west fork of the south branch of the Chicago River to and including the South Ashland Avenue turning basin; in the Little Calumet and Calumet Rivers to and including turning basin number five at 129th Street; and in Chicago and Calumet Outer Harbors; provided that the total width and length of such tows do not exceed 80 and 500 feet respectively.

(Prior code § 38-21)