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<br />SEP-19-2005 15:00 <br /> <br />LEAGUE OF MN en I ES <br /> <br />6512811296 <br /> <br />p.e5 <br /> <br />49 <br /> <br />is or should be obvious to a child, and therefore is not an <br />unreasonable risk to trespassing children. Carqill. Inc. v. <br />Zimmer, 374 F.2d 924 (8th Cir. 1967). This court analyzed <br />several Minnesota cases concluding that where liability was <br />imposed, the defendant ha.d knowledge of foreseeable harm because <br />of the attraction of children to the area. rg. at 930; See <br />Heitman v. City of Lake City, 225 Minn. 117, 30 N.W.2d 18 (~947) <br />(A child drowned when he fell off a wall and into a harbor built <br />and maintained by the city. Liability was imposed because <br />children frequently used the wall and the city had not fenced it <br />off. In addition, an occasional warning by the harbor master <br />did not constitute the exercise of a sufficient degree of care) ; <br />Davies v. Land O'Lakes Racing Assoc; 244 Minn. 248, 69 N.W.2d <br />642 (1955) (An accident occurred where children were known to <br />play. The court, concluded that where one knowingly maintains <br />something that mayor is certain to attract children or may <br />present a concealed danger in an area where children are more or <br />less likely to trespass, the legal effect may justify a finding <br />of actionable negligence) . <br /> <br />NUISANCE <br /> <br />A municipality is not liable for the failure to abate a <br />nuisance which it did not create, except after notice and a <br />request to abate is received. McQuillan's Municioal <br />Corporations, ~53.59 (a). Generally, the failure to enact or <br />enforce ordinances for the prevention or abatement of a public <br />nuisance on private property will not render a municipality <br />liable. Id. at ~53.59 (c); See Arnold Y. City of St. Louis, 152 <br />Mo. 173, 53 S.W. 900 (1899) (No liability for a municipality <br />where the pond is on private property because the municipality <br />had no control over private property and was under no duty to <br />abate the nuisance) . <br /> <br />In Minnesota, it has been held that a municipality, in an <br />action for a child's death by drowning, was not chargeable with <br />negligence as a matter of law for piling rubbiSh on a path <br />within city streets. Stadherr v. City of Bauk Center, 180 Minn. <br />496, 231 N.W, 210 (1930). This was the result even though the <br />municipality owned the property where the accident occurred. <br /> <br />Private nuisances only produce damages to one or a few <br />persons. 58 Am. Jur. 2d Nuisances S9 (1964). Prevention or <br />abatement of a private nuisance is the responsibility of the <br />injured party and not the municipality. Bill v. StokelY-Van <br />camp. Tnc., 260 Minn. 315, 109 N.W.2d 749 (1961). <br /> <br />Public nuisances affect a considerable number of persons. <br />Minn. Stat. S609. 74 (198B). This statute defines a public <br />nuisance as follows, "Whoever by his act or failure to perform <br />a legal duty intentionally does arty of the following is guilty <br />of maintaining a pUblic nuisance: (1) Maintains or permits a <br /> <br />3 <br /> <br />~lj <br />