River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-06-04
CITY ORDINANCES.
NUMBER q.

NUMBER 81
An Ordinance to provide for a Fire Department
The Common Council Of the city Of River Falls
do ordain as follows:
Section / The Fire Department of the city o.
River Falls shall consist of Chief Engineer, 1--WE
Assistant Engineers 10 be known respectively as
First and Second Assistant Engineers, a Fire
Warden, and such hre-hose, hook ana ladders
and sack companies as may be lawfully organ
lied within the city.
Sec Q The Chief Engineer, the Assistant En-
gineers and the Fire Warden shall be elected
annually by the common council and shall
hold their respective offices until the second
TUESDAY OF April next succeeding lIelf etectioi
aud until their successors are elected ana quail
fled, unless sooner removed for cause.
See. 5. The Chief Engineer shall have ful
power and control over all persons whatsoever
ut any fire except members of the common coun.
ell, aud in his absence the First Assistant Eli
giueet shall perform his duties In the absence
of the Chief and First Assistant Engineers the
Second Assistant Engineer shall discharge them
and in the absence of all Of the engineers the
mayor or any alderman present may act as chiel
engineer,
Sec. j. II shall be the duty Of the Chief En-
gineer to direct at all fires such measures as he
may deem most advisable for the eXtinguish-
ment Of the same to have the supervision of all
buildings and apparatus kept by the city ioi
fire purposes to report annually 10 the common
council the condition of such companies and
make such recommendations he may deem
, ,
fire apparatus. and to report i'll writing to such
common council as soon as may be after each
fire all accidents OF fires that may happen IN the
city with the cause thereof as wen as can De
ascertained and the number and description OF
the buildings injured together with the names
and occupants of such buildings and such other
information as he may deem best All such
reports may be fled by the city clerk in his
office. The Chief Engineer shall have power for
purposes of investigating the causes OF fires 70
summon any persons he may deem proper to
testify as to their knowledge of any fires or the
Sec. 5. Ii shall be the duty of the Fire Warden
at least twice in each year and as much oftener
as he or the common council may deem neces-
sary, to enter any building or premises within
the city between the hours of sunrise and sunset
and to examine the nueS OF sucn Du'lulng us
stoves, stove pipes and all other apparatus likely
to cause fires, and also places where ashes are
deposited or where combustblc or explosive
materials may be placed or stored; and said Fire
Warden may give directions in regard to any or
all of the foregoing matters as he may deem
eXpedient, either as to the removal, alteration
or better care and management thereof, winch
directions shall be obeyed and complied with by
the persons directed in that behalf at their own
expense, and he shall make report OF all such
inspections and orders so made by him to the
first meeting of the common council heId suose-
quent thereto.
See g. Whenever any number of the residents
of the city not less than twenty nor more than
forty in number shall petition the common
council for leave to organize any company con-
templated by this ordinance the common coun-
ell shall take the same INTO consideration, ana II
it shall so order the persons peutonlng shaIl be
formed into such company and shall become
members of the fire department of the city with
all the rights and privileges appertaln1ng = 80
same and each company formed shall have
the right TO select its own me1IDers in such man
ner as it may prescribe Dy its bylaws.
Sec.7 7. Such COMPANY shall proceed at once TO
adopta code of bylaTs for its government which
bylaws shall pro- Ide for the election OF a fore
man. assistant fr reTnan ana clerk, with sueh
other officers as it shall deem necessary, all Of
HOY "a bC m q A
copy of such b laws shall be filed with the city
clerk and sha be subject to the approval OF The
common couacii and when so approved the
company shF II proceed 10 elect the officers pro-
vid, for in It's bylaws. The term of Office OF
all Ulcers elected by such company shall ter
mi Re on the second Tuesday of April next
sec. g. The clerk of any company organized
under this or nance shall annually on or be-
fore the first Tuesday of March report TO the
lommon council u list OF the members OF ms
company and the officers of the same and shall
also after every election report TO the common
council the names of the officers elected thereat
Sec. O. 1t shall be the duty of each member OF
any company organized under the provisions OF
this ordinance often as a fire shall break out
to repair Immediately upon an alarm being given
to the place of such fire with sueh apparatus
and equipments as may be provided for the pur-
pose and to report himself Immediately to the
acting Chief Engineer, to obey all orders OF such
engineer, and take such measures and do such
work as mas be best conducive to suppresslng
the fire and preserving property endangered
thereby.
See 10 The officers OF the Fire Department
shall be designated at all fires by such insignia
! or badges as mag be ordered by tne common
council or the rules of the respective eompa
MES.
see H. Each person having charge of any
church or school bell within the city shall caust
| the same to be -rung continuously at each ire
alarm for twenty minutes unless the hre bt
sooner eXtingulShed
| see. u 1t shall be the duty of every person
present at any fire within the city to obey th'
Of nv Il II q
such order for the purpose of eXtlnguishlnt
such fire or to preserve any property endangered
| thereby, and it shall be lawful Tor any mem6el
of the common council or officer OF the flre de
partment to require the aid of any person pres
ent at such fire to assist in eXtinguishing the
same and preserving the property.
Sec. Is. The acting chief engineer with two
members of the common council may at any tire
order the destruction or removal of any Building
| or structure when in their opinion 1t Is neces
| sary for the purpose OF checking the progress
Sec H. 1t shall be unlawful to keep or de
post ashes i'll any building or any premises
within the city III wooden or other combustiblt
See. IS. If any person shall willfully injure
in any manner or shall at any time interfere
without competent authority, with any tire ap
paratus or equipments or building containing
the same belonging to the ely, the offender
shall for every such Offense forfeit and pay
penalty of not more than twenty dollars nor less
than one dollar, besides being liable to an action
| for the recovery of the damage done.
Sec. 10. IL snail De the uuIS OI 6NCU pOliCt
officer or constable within the city to repair al
once to any place where fire may be upon the
alarm being given and to report himself to the
acting chief engineer and take sach measures as
may best conduce to preservation of order
removal and arrest of suspicious persons and
preservation of property.
Sec II. Any member of the fire department
or person employed in said department who
shall neglect refuse to obey any order, direG-
ton or command OF any officer having authority
to give such order, who shall neglect or refuse
to perform any duty devolving upon him as a
member of said fire department and any person
violating any Of the provisions of this ordinance,
and any person refusing to obey any orders OF
any officers of the fire department lawfully given
at any fire shall forfeit and pay penalty of not
more than twenty dollars nor Jess than one
dollar.
Sec. Is. The common council may remove
from office any member of the fire department
Of the city for willful violation or neglect OF
duty or other sufficient cause, due notice having
been first given to such person and an oppor-
tunity for hearing.
Sec. 10. This ordinance shall take effect and
be in force from and after its passage and publ
cation
Passed June 2, 1885.
Approved June 2 1855.
A. D. ANDREWS, Mayor.
Attest: ALLEN 2. WELD, City Clerk.