The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1897-05-05
The New Act Making Constables oI
Townships Fire Waidens.


Townships Fire Wardens.
As THE STAR is published in the
section OF the commonwealth whore
forest fires are common occurrence and
where the new act. making constabcs
of townships fire wardens. will bc of
interest 20 the people in general. we
herewith publish the act, which was
signed by Gov. Hastings March 3Oth.
1897:
"Section |. BE ii enacted, &C., That
ON and after the first day Cf January,
Ammo Domni one thousand eight hun
drcd and ninety-eight. the constables of
the various townships Of the common
wealth shall be cx-oflicio fire wardens,
whose duty it shall be, when fire is dis
covered in the forests within their re-
spcctivc townships, Immediately to take
such measures as are necessary for its
extinction, and to this end to have au-
thority to call upon any person or per-
sons within their respective townships
for assistance; the said fire warden to
receive fifteen (l5) cents per hour, and
the persons so assisting twelve ~ cents
per hour as compensation for their SER
vices: the expenses thereof shall be paid
one-half out of the treasury of the re-
spective county, and the remaining half
of said expense shall be paid by the state
treasurer into the treasury Of said
county, out of moneys not otherwise APP
propriated, upon warrant from the audi
tor general, but no such warrant shall
he drawn until the respective county
commissioners shall have first furnished,
under oath or affirmation to the auditor
general, written itimized statement of
such expense, and until the same is ap-
proved by the auditor general: Pro-
vided, That no county shall be liable
to pay for this purpose, in any one year,
an amount exceeding five hundred dol
lars.
"Section = Any person who being
called upon by the fire warden of his
township to furnish assistance in extin-
gushing forest fires as provided In Sec
tion one shall, without reasonable cause,
refuse to render such assistance, upon
conviction thereof shall pay fine not
exceeding ten dollars, or undergo i'm
prisonment not exceeding thirty days,
or both. at the discretion of the court.
'Section 3 The fire wardens OF each
township throughout the commonwealth
shall in the first week of each term of
the court of quarter sessions OF their re-
spective counties, make returns to said
Court under oath or affirmation, of all vio-
ktions occurring within their respective
= townships which may come or be
brought to their notice of any Of the
provisions of any law, now enacted, or
hereafter to be enacted for the purpose
OF protecting forests from fire, and II
shall be the special duty of the Judge OF
said court to see these returns are faith
fully made: and on failure of any warden
to comply with this provision, or II
it be found upon examination or inquiry
by said court that any fire warden has
either wilfully or negligently omitted
to report all such violations occurring
within his township, or having failed tt
perform his duty as set forth in section
one OF this act, such fire warden or con
stable shall be deemed guilty Of wilfully
or negligently making u false return, OF
neglect OF duty, and the court shall sus-
pend him from Office and direct the dis
trict attorney to indict and try him, ant
II found guilty, he shall be fined in 1
sum not exceeding fifty dollars, and un
dergo an imprisonment not exceeding
three months, both or either, at the
discretion of the court.
''Section The term forest herein
used shall not, for the purposes OF thi
bill be held to include an area of timber
land or brush land of less than flft.
acres in extent, unless such said are,
shall be proximity to other timber lant
be liable to convey fire to an area O
brush land or timber land containing a
least fifty acres"