Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-08-17
CITY ORDINANCE.

A Bill for the Better Regulation
and Government of the Fire
Department Of the City of
Nashville.
Section 1. EBe q enacted Or the MAYOR
and City Council Of NashUiIje,
That the Steam Fire Department shall consist
of four 90 Steam Fire Engine Companies and
one CI) Hook and Ladder Company. The engine
companies shall consist OF five o. fun paw mem
bers and three runners each. The Hook and
Ladder Company shall consist Of four (il fun
pay members and three runners, an OF whose
duties ar, hereinafter described. The regular
men shall be constituted ami paid rs follows,
One Captain or first pipeman, salary nine
one engineer, one hundred dollars. 10 o5
one fireman, sevt nty-lve dollars. % 90
one engine driver, seventy-hve dollars $50
One hose driver, seventy-fve dollars. IS Ou
Three runners twenty-five dollars each. . Oh
Sec. 2. The Hook and Ladder Company shall
be constituted and paid a. follows one Captain
ninety dollars and three regular men seventy
i've dollars $50, and three runners, twenty-five
dollars each, ISL
See. 9. That at the first regular meeting I'm
October in each and every year il shall be the
duty OF the proper authorities 20 appoint one
member from the Board Of Aldermen and two
members from the Common Council as a COM
mittee on steam Fire Department" under the
paid system, as other standing committees are
appointed and provided for BY law. whose duty
10 shall be 20 have genera supervision over the
Fire Department, and shall I'm conjunction with
the Chief Engineer, adopt such rules and regu-
latiOnS for the government Of the whole Fire
Department as by them may be deemed right
and proper
Committee on Fire Department 90 make such
expenditures in the way Of repairs rs may be
necessary 90 keep the engines always really Tor
service and shall make an purchases by adver-
tisemen- in two city papers Of All provisions for
the horses and all such other articles ard horses
as nav be fOuEd neccs- airy for the department
Provided, that the award De let for feed q the
lowest bidder IL deemed iudiciOus; also, that the
power 70 purchase new engines or new hose, OF
70 build or change the location Of engine houses
Is not hereby conferred.
See. 4 That the Chief be elected for two years
aud give bond OF s., 600 for the faithful per
iOrmance of his duties.
Sec. s. That the Chief Engineer and the Can
tains Of each Engine Company be and they are
hereby vested with an the powers Of a police
officer OF the city, I'm 50 far % make arrests
within the city.
See. 6. ina the Chief Engineer shall act as
Fire Warden, see that every precauti0n Is taken
by owners and companies % guard against fires,
with fun power 20 command necessary altera-
tiUus in buildings a. he NAV deem best. Also
20 command such Improvements IN nues and
other especially hazardous buildings as the pub
Tic safety may reqHire, and when officially
called upol especially 70 give It his Immediate
attention.
See. T. That the Chief Engineer shah have
power, IT, m his opinion the interest OF the city
demand It, 20 nil temporarily any vacancy
caused by the sickness, disability or absence OF
any member Of the Department, AND that suCh
temporary app0iutee shall receive the pay al
lowed 20 che position filled, and subject % al
the rules ard regulations Of the Fire Depart
ment.
s.In case Of such temporary lpTOintmentto an
a vacancy. the pay OF such sizes, disabled OF Alb
sent member shall be continued IT. upon report
being made Of the facts by the Fire Committee
10 the City Council an ordinance shall be passed
directing the same to be done
See s. 10 shall De the dutvof the Captain OF
each company 70 see that the engines aud other
apparatus committed 10 their care, auG the sew
eral buildings in which The same are deposited,
ard all things In and belonging 90 the same, are
sept neat and clean and In order and discipline
az 81 times IN their respective companies. and
require and enforce az an times a strict com
pIitnce with the City Ordinances and the Rules
and Regulations Of The Fire Department.
Sec. g. The Captains shall have charge OF their
companies at fires OF On occasion Of IRE alarms
and see that each member Of his company eff
ciently perform their respective duties as well
az fires as at their engine houses
See. 10. The Captains OF the several cOmuu-
mics shall act As Fire Wardeus in their rcspec-
tive districts, undcr the direction Of the Chict
Engineer.
Engineer, the Captain in whose district the fire
may occur shall control, and iu case Of prOtraCt-
ell absence Ct the Chief, he shall appoint a mem
Der in the department to hil his place.
Sec. Z. No more than one stationary member
shall be absent from his cuginc-house az any one
time. unless performing some duty required by
the Chief Engineer which requires more than
one 70 perform, or un'ess BY the consent OF the
Captain Of his company OF the Chief Engineer.
The Engineer shall take care OF his engine,
Keeping Il clean and IN good WOrking order.
The drivers shall exercise the horses al least one
hour each day, and keep their stables clean and
Ia good order. The fireman shall see that the
fuel Is always ready. and assist thc engineer as
far as practicable. The engineer ami fireman
shall assist the Captain In washing and taking
care of the hose.
Sec. b. No company shall be allowed b i'm
pose fines upon its members, but 10 shall be the
duty OF the Captain OF said company % enter
into the roll boots, provided by the city, an alb
sencc and tardinCss of each officer and member
of said company, and % make monthly return -
OF the sametO the Chief Engineer. And for
ductiOn from the pay OF such officer or member
in such sum not exceeding two dollars, as said
Chief may determine. and n any oihcer or
member shall have been absent or tardy more
than Oue-third OF the fires, OF alarms of fires,
such absence or tardiness shall De considered
.s'ad cause tor his discharge from the Depart
ment.
See. q. No more than one stationary member
OF the Hook and Ladder Company shah be alb
sent from the house az any one time. The diver
shall take care OF the horses, and exercise them
AT least one hour each dav. he CAPTAIN AMI
stationary iaddermen shall BE- skiliful tilicrmen,
40 that should one be absent nc the alarm OF ire,
the other may be competent % steer. They
shall also keep the house and apparatus In good
order, snd at the alarm OF fire proceed with 81
proper dispatch % the place OF FIRE, and under
the direction Of the Chief Engineer ASSIST in eN-
tingUishing the same. 10 shall be the duty Of the
runners Of the different companies employed iu
the Fire Department, whenever an alarm OF hre
shall be given In the day time- 70 repair forth
with 10 tie scene Of disaster and assist i'm cNtu-
gushing the fire. It shall also be their duty TO
report to the Captain of their respective com
panics ~ O'Clock each night subject % such
rules and regulations a. may be adopted by the
Chief Engineer and the Committee on Fire De-
partment.
Sec. IS. ANY company returning from any fire
finding they have hose not belonging 20 them,
slali Immediately return the same 20 the com
pany 10 which 10 belongs.
Scc..l6. The Captain Of each company shall In
no instance allow any person except The Captain
members OF his company, tremen, Vipemen, en-
gineers and drivers 10 ride on the apparatus
either in going 10 or from tire.
See. ~. The engineer and al other employees
are required to sleep az their respective engtae-
houses provided, however, thal one member
from each company may have leave OF absence
f0riOne night each IN his turn, a. mss be AZ
ranged by the Captain. violation o. TINS TIie
shall be cause for dismissal
Sec 10 ANY driver OF steam engine, host
carriage or hook and ladder Carriage, OF any
other apparatus belonging % the FHe Depart
ment, who care hfssly or Wlllfully comes INTO co.,
IisiOn with vehicle or any kind while going 90
or coming from lrr- or IRE alarm, shall De held
RESPONSIBLE fOr all sfch damages that mag occur,
which shall be deducted from his wages.
Sec 10. No Waterman shall sleep on or leave
rs post until regularly relieyeC, and any neglect
Of duty on his part will be good and sufficient
csuse of removal
Sec. %. 10 shall not be lawful for any fire COM
pany OF member thereof 10 destroy or damage
any pavem nt or other public OK private proper
ty, unless 70 shall be positively necessary % pre-
serve OF protect property that is immediate
danger Of being destroyed or damaged by fire,
and then only In Obedience % the orders Of thc
Chief Fu ileer or Captain OF their company
Sec q. In case that any stationary member Of
the Department desires % De- absent .eri loreriiY
from his post ne shall furnish q substitute sass-
factory % his Captain, whose name shall be re-
ported at headquarters and approved BY the
Chief Engineer. The said substitutes shall per-
form the same duties o. the msmbcr for whom
he Is acting, and shall b. paiu on the monthly
pay roll Of the company, and the amount so pai4
deducted from the pay OF the member furnish
ing him, and the substitute shall be on duty in
ali cases Of sickaess before the member may
leave bis post.
See 22 All vacancies IN Che Department shall
be filed n the line Of promotion a. Tar flle
same may b. prartlcahe-
Sec 3 That all laws 90 parts % Jaws ber-fo-
fore adopted, which may tu any urs ctH1c-
with the foregoing. are 5ereLy rcifaied lhsr
this act take cfccr Immediately ga ana aftlr i-s
passage.
Approved Aug Is, 1875.
MORTON B. HOWELL, Mayor.