River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1876-03-30
Published March is, 1876 J
CHAPTER 1853.


CHAPTER 1853.
AN ACT to provide tor the corporation Of fire
departments in incorporated villages.
The people Of the state of Wisconsin repre-
sented in senate snd assembly, do enact as
follows
Section / Any number ri persons not less
than fifteen, residing In any incorporated vii
lsge msy unite for the purpose Of organizing
q hook and ladder, fire. engine, sack or other
Are company Tor Department. for the. purpose
Of protecting lite and property in such village.
They may sign and ackno sledge before some
proper officer authorized TO take the ackncwl.
edgmsnt of deeds, certificate in writing, in
which shall I've stated the name Of such COM
pany Tor Department., the names OF the cor.
loratOrs and the name Of the village, town
and county in which the operations OF such
company Tor department) are TO be conducted.
Such certificates shall be filed and recorded in
the Office Of the register Of deeds OF the county
in which such company Tor Department. Is To-
Gated
Section o Upon filing a certificate as pro-
vided in section one OF this act, the persons
who shall have signed aud acknowledged such
certificate, and their associate. and successors
shall thereupOn be body polite and corpor-
ate by the name and style named in such GER
tfcaie The said corporation shall have the
power TO contract and be contracted with TO
with /: TO defend and he defended in all courts
Of law aud equity in this state. and shall have
perpetual succession and be vested with all the
pow or and privileges necessary 10 carry out
and fulfill the objects OF their corporation In
doated by its corporate name.
Section 3. They shall have power and
authority TO acquire, purchase, possess, be
seized with, an enjoy property, real and pei
sonal, not exceeding ten thousand dollars In
wise dispose OF their real or personal estate a
pleasure; also 20 effectuate loans, borrow
money f1r the use Of the corporation, TO issue
their l0nds th, reior, and TO execute, sign, seal
aud deliver deeds, mortgages, or other instru-
ment, IN writing, as the case may require.
Section 4. The said corporation shall have
power to establish fol IFS government, a con.
stitutiou and by-lnws not inconsistent with the
constitution and laws OF this state, and to make
such rules aud regulations as may be deemed
necessary 10 carry into effect the object Of their
association, and the members shall have pow
er 70 assemble and meet at such times and
places as may be agreed upon, and they shall
elect once In each wear foreman, first assist
tant foreman, second assistant foreman, secre-
tary and treasurer, and the same shall he a
hoard of trustees, aud 10 take charge of the
property shall be solely devoted 10
the purposes Of said associations, and
all real and personal estate which has been, or
may hereafter be law lully conveyed by devise,
gilt, grant, purchase, or otherwise, shall de-
scend, with all Improvements and appurte-
nances, in perpetual succession to, and be held
by the trustees in trust for said corporation.
The trul tees may sue and he sued in [thel com
lany's name, and be subject 10 other duties as
may be prescribed by tho laws Of said corpora
ton and the sail officers shall hold their Of
Secs iur the tenn OF one year, or until their
successors are duly elected. And the mem
hers nay elect or appoint such other officers
a. may lie deemed necessary.
Section 5. The said corporation may pre-
scribe the mode Of adopting new members and
expel members for bad behavior, ~ for violat-
ing the constitution, bv-laws, rules, regnla-
tiuns, or dsobeyiug orders from the proper
officers OF said corporation, and may also IIn-
pose sn n fines Tor the punishment Tor such
oheuses as they may deem 1T, not 10 exceed
the sum ol fry dollars and costs, for any one
ofense, and may collect the same by suit and
execution before any justice OF the peace In
the county ia which said corporation ~ locst-
cd, and the same, wien collected, shall he
raid into the treasury OF said company.
Section 6. The secretary OF each company
shall, within ten 1O) days after the election o;
officers IN each year, mike ont and deliver 10
the town clerk Of the town In which such cor
I.Oration is located report giving the nome
OF officers elected for the ensuing year, and
also alter the election OF officers or appoint
IDents OF same 10 GIL vacancies that may occur
during the year. Each and every member 30
reported shall be exempt from military duty,
except IN case OF war Ur invasion and insur.
rectiou, and said company or department shall
have ali the benefits derived by all the general
laws now IN force, or that may hereafter to-
come in force, and any secretary or other
person who stall report TO the town clerk that
any perfon belongs 20 fire company, Tor the
purpose OF getting them the beuehts derived
from this section, or any other law OF this slate,
shall b. deemed guilty OF n msdemeanOr sud
be punished by reasonable fine Or lmprison-
inent ~ the county jail not less than one, ~
more than ten days for any one oiiense. jus.
tees cf the peace shall ave jurisdiction oisuch
cases ~ try ami determine the same.
section T. one company wiiha merbers' ip
o. not less than thirty, two or more companies
with membership Of not less than fifteen each,
equiped with one hook ami ladder truck, one
steam, hand o. chemical fire engine, with
~ least two hundred teet Of good sound rub.
Der or leather ore, (locaied ~ the same unin-
eOrporated vileyel shall constitute FIRE de-
partment Tor all inteu.s and purposes by law,
and il Shall b. lawful for the members 81 the
company or companies COiuuy), 70 meet and
elect one OF their memters chief Of he IRE
department aud deliver 20 him Certificate OF
flfNtlnNt ana NV small lNiA VIZ flNll0N ~ NHN
term Of one yesr from date Of such cert heate or
biz successor IL duly elected, OF said certificate
shall he signed by the Fecretary 81 such com.
tauief, he shall have control OF said company
or companies AZ al times, aud they shall oley
his orders and he shall h. ex-oihc'o trustee Of
each con. any and shall le vested with oil the
power and privileges, and h. liable u The same
penalties az fire WArdens are IN incorporated
Villages
SECTION 3 Il Is hereby made the duiy Of
town clerks in each town containing fire Dc.
paftmpnt ~ fire company, a. recriye the SAD
department or COMPANY : reports, a. provided
~ this act, and Ole the same - other paper
are fIed 10 their Offices, and deliver 70 theteas'
ufcr ol each company or DEPARTMENT. re-
ceipt therefor.
Section 8. The purpose and Object 1T said
corporation stall ~ 20 aid and assist IN the ex.
tneuifhirg OF fires A. or near such villages,
and .or reusa' b. attend any Gre within three
quatt-rs 81 % mile from locaii y oi engine "
truck houses, tWhen noiihedl, fhall iorieitAnd
nay the sum II CITY dol ars FOR each oiiense, 70
tns town author ties for The benefit Of the
poor fund, and shall be collected ~ suit
samp NJ other iorieitures are collected
SECTION ~ This act shall " Published I'm.
fna4faisly, and shall 10 ~ force rom and AFTER
iis nasfssa ana puhllcatign, and eli acts aud