The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1891-02-28
A New Law for Fire-guard..

We give below the: proposed new law or
f~re-guards as introduced in the North Da'
kota legislature by the committee or
prairie fires:
Sec. 1. 1t shall be lawful for the county
commissioners of any county in this state
to provide such tools and appliances al
in their Judgment should be provided tt
aid and assist in making firebreaks to pre-
vent the spread of prairie fires and,damags
caused thereby.
Sec. 2. The board of county commission
ers shall have power to divide the county
into as many districts as may in their judg
mont be necessary, n each district &c
formed shall be known and designated al
fire district No.; Provided, that when
ver practicable a road overseer residing
in said fire district shall be fire warden
who shall act under his Oaths of Office al
said road overseer, and who shall in add,
tion be required to give q bond with two
good and sufficient ~sureties in thepena.
sum of five hundred (5OO) dollars, for the
!; faithful discharge of the duties of said fire
warden.
Sec. 3. The rOa supervisors shall have
s,tHbe right, and it il hereby made their duty
that whenever in the judgment of the board
at county commissioners at any regular
meeting, hrebreaks shall be made. to cal
on any or all persons liable for the pay
ment of road poll tax in their respective
districts Il come forth with such tools OF
teams as the road supervisor may direct
and work upon such frebreaks at least two
days in each year.
Sec. 4. The road supervisors shall give
at least three days notice to all persons
liable for road poll tax and living within
! their respective districts, of the time and
Fplace when and where they are to appear
as5or work on firebreaks, and with what i'm
Hlements. Every person warned to work
may appear in person or by IN a~ble-bodied
substitute, and the person or substitute shall
actually work ten hours in each day. Every
,sperson notified who refuses or neglect to
sappear as above provided shall be fined
the sum or twenty-five (25) dollars, to be
collected as other fines are collected.
Sec, s. The fire warden may use his dis
erection aud take. advantage of any creek,
i liver or other natural or artificial barrier
R prairie fires, and of broken or plowed
s1elds, and may in his judgment map out
his district in any form, so that when the
fireguards are made a prairie fire may be
confined to the smallest possible area con-
sistent with the amount of funds and labor
available in his fire district.
Sec. 6. A strip Of blowing or of burning,
or partly plowed and partly burned, not
less than sixty-six feet wide is hereby de-
signated a legal frebreak or freguard.
Sec. 2. For the purpose of making a fire
ON fire; Provided, that the prairie so set on
fire shall not exceed 100 feet in width and
shall be protected on each side by a strip
Of blowing or of burning no less than five
feet wide, and at any such burning there
shall not be less than four men present and
prepared with water and suitable appli
ances to keep such fire under control.
Sec. 3. The board of county commission
ers are hereby authorized to expend not to
exceed the sum of $1,000 annually, from
the road and bridge fund, for the purpose
of constructing fire guards.
Sec. 9. The fire warden shall have the
power to summon all persons liable for
highway tai to work the same in aiding to
make fire guards, and they shall have the
same credits therefor as If the work had
been upon the highways. The same Law
as TO notice and failure to work, as applies
to highway work shall apply to this law.
Sec. 10. The fire warden shall have pow
or and is hereby authorized to call out q
sufficient number of men in case o prairie
fire threatens any portion of his fire dis
trict, to extinguish or control said IRE as
far as possible and to protect property,
and any one warned out by the fire warden
or under his direction and who refuses Or
neglects to respond, unless he renders q
reasonable excuse shall be adjudged guilty
of q misdemeanor and fined not less. than
ton (1O) dollars nor more than twenty-five
(25) dollars; Provided, that any n 8
called out shall be given credit the same
a. II he performed labor on the highways.
Sec. II. It is hereby made the duty of
every railroad company within this state
that Is operated by steam power as o as
possible in each year to burn or otherwise
destroy Ill grass, weeds or other oombusti-
bic matter upon the right of way Of such
railroad company.
Sec. u. Every person or corporation
Who shall vflfully, negligently or careless
II set ON IRE, or cause to be cot on ire any
woods, hay, weeds or prairie grass shall be
guilty Of ! misdemeanor, and shall, upon
oonviction, be fined not less than Ave hun
lred. (60O) dollars or by imprisonment ! n
the county jail not moro than year, Or
By both sueh hnstand imprisonment, In