The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-02-20
Especial to the Press.l

|
ings.
Especial to the Press.]
| Augusta, February 10. A bill which
has been reported from the committee
on insurance by Mr.. Hutchinson of Au-
burn would give city fathers in a place
of the size of Portland considerable work
to do in addition to the duties now re-
quired of them. 1t is the act, previously
mentioned, for the collection of statistics
regarding the causes of fires. The i'm
portant provisions are contained in the
| first two sections, the others relating to
the forwarding of the statistics to the
insurance commissioner who must fur.
nish proper blanks. Sections one and
two are as follows:
Section /. When property is destroyed
by fire it shall be the duty of the board
of aldermen in cities and of selectmen in
towns, to make investigation of the
cause, circumstance and origin thereof
ana especially to.examine whether it was
the result of care!essness or of design
The investigation shall be commenced
within six days of the occurrence of the
fire, not including the Lords day. They
shall have the powers vested in trial
justices to compel the attendance of wit
nesses to testify before them upon such
| inquest.
| Section 2. They shall present to the
city or town clerk, for record by him in
a book provided by the insurance COM
missioner, written statement of all the
facts relating to the cause of such fire. the
kind, value and ownership of property
destroyed, and of such other particulars
hn aoil lar f<r hat
ed, and OF any other facts which to them
seem pertinent; and such record shall
I be made within two weeks of the occur
rences of the fire.
| Another important Insurance bill is
that drawn by Mr.. Hutchinson. This
has also been formally reported by the
committee. The first six sections define
the operations of the proposed law. The
others relate to the penalties for it's VIC
lation. No new building may be occupied
| without certificate from the inspector
| that the law has been. complied with,
| and if occupied without such permit
the owner is liable to fine of ten dol
lars week. A similar penalty is estab-
lished for refusal. alter 30 days to make
changes directed in accordance with Sec
| tion 4. For refusal to allow''an inspector
to enter building, an owner or occu-
pant is liable to fine of not less than 81
or more than $40. These are the portions
of the bill which explain it's operation:
Section 1. In every town and city of
more than two thousand inhabitants,
the municipal officers shall annually in
the month OF April appoint an inspector
OF buildings, who shall be man skilled
in the construction of buildings. The
| municipal officers shall define the limits
within which the inspector of buildings
shall have jurisdiction, which shall
include the thickly settled portion of
each such city, and of each such city or
| town.
Section 2. 1t shall be his duty to in-
spect each new building during the pro-
cess of construction, SO far as may be
necessary to see that all proper safe
guards against the catching or spreading
of fire are used, that the chimneys and
fiues are made safe, and that proper cut
offs are placed between the tim bers liz
the walls and foorings where fire would
be likely to spread; and mag give such
directions in writing to the owner or
corning the construction of such building
SO as to render the same safe from the
catching and spreading of fire.
| Section 8. 1t shall be his duty to in
spect all buildings while in process OF
being repaired, and see that all reason
able safe guards are used against The
catching and spreading Of fire, and that
the chimneys and fues are made safe;
and he may give such directions in writ
ing to the owner as he deems necessary
concerning such repairs, as to render
such building safe from the catching
and spreading of fire.
Section 4. 1t shall be his duty at least
once in three years, and oftener when
required by the municipal officers, TO in
spect chimneys. fues. tunnels, stoves,
furnaces, boilers and boiler connections,
and heating apparatus in all the build
ings within his jurisdiction, in which
| IRE is Kept or used, to ascertain if the
| same are safe against fire. He may give
| such directions in writing as he may
| deem necessary to the owner of said
building to make changes in the con-
struction or situation Of such chimneys,
| 6ues, tunnels, stoves, furnaces, boilers,
boiler connections aud heating appara-
tus, so as to make the same safe as afore-
said. And the municipal officers may re-
quire such inspection of any particular
building at any time.
Section 5. An inspector of buildings
| in the performance of his official duty
may enter any building for the purpose
If making the inspection required by
| this act.
| Section g. An appeal in writing may
| be taken from any order or direction of
the inspector of buildings TO the munich
pal off cers, whose order thereon shall be
| final.
! crnrr Top,oc or tnrrnre-